How To Get Rid Of Ingrown Hair In South Africa

What is Ingrown Hair?

Ingrown hair occurs when a hair that’s been removed starts to grow back and curves into the skin. Shaving, tweezing or waxing can cause this to happen. An ingrown hair can cause tiny, swollen bumps on the skin that may hurt. The condition most often affects Black people with curly hair who shave.

Most instances of ingrown hair get better without treatment. You can avoid this condition by not removing hair or not shaving very close to the skin. If that’s not an option, you might try other hair removal methods that lessen the risk of developing ingrown hair.

Causes

Ingrown hair occurs when a hair that’s been removed starts to grow back and curves into the skin. This usually happens after shaving, tweezing or waxing.

Hair structure and direction of growth play a role in ingrown hair. A curved hair follicle, which produces tightly curled hair, is believed to encourage the hair to reenter the skin once the hair is cut and starts to grow back. Shaving creates a sharp edge on hair, making it easier to pierce the skin.

Ingrown hair might also be caused by:

Pulling your skin when you shave. This action causes hair to draw back into the skin.
Tweezing.

When a hair penetrates your skin, your skin reacts as it would to a foreign body — it becomes irritated.

How To Get Rid Of Ingrown Hair In South Africa

To help prevent ingrown hair, avoid shaving, tweezing and waxing. If that’s not an option, use these tips to make ingrown hair less likely:

Before shaving wash your skin with warm water and a mild facial cleanser.
Apply lubricating shaving cream or gel a few minutes before shaving to soften the hair. Or apply a warm, damp cloth.
Apply shaving cream and use a sharp, single-blade razor. This helps avoid a too-close shave.
Don’t pull your skin while shaving.
Shave in the direction of hair growth.
Rinse the blade after each stroke.
Rinse your skin and apply a cool, wet cloth for about five minutes. Then use a soothing after-shave product or a glycolic acid lotion to help remove dead skin cells (exfoliate).

The following hair removal methods also may help prevent ingrown hair:

Electric razor or clippers. With the razor, avoid the closest shave setting. Hold the razor or clippers slightly away from your skin.
Chemical hair remover (depilatory). The chemicals in hair removal products may irritate your skin, so test on a small patch of hair first.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you get rid of ingrown hairs fast?

There are a few ways you can exfoliate, but exfoliation via acids (like glycolic, salicylic, and lactic) is the easiest and fastest route. Acids in topical products loosen the outermost layer of skin cells and work to both prevent and treat ingrown hairs at the same time

What is the best treatment for ingrown hairs?

Salicylic Acid: This is key to look for in ingrown hair treatments, especially over-the-counter ones. “Salicylic acid will chemically exfoliate the top layer of dead skin to prevent hairs from getting trapped underneath and prepare the surface for a smoother shave,” Dr. Cheung says.

What STD looks like an ingrown hair?

Herpes sores are clusters of blisters and ingrown hairs are red bumps that are under the skin rather than sitting on top. Ingrown hairs can vary in appearance, but most people can identify them by the fact that they are a bump under the skin rather than on top.

Does Vaseline help ingrown hairs?

Petroleum jelly can be used as an after shave to soothe the skin and make it supple. Applying it after shave also makes your skin soft and helps prevent ingrown hair. It lets the hair come off the surface of the skin while preventing undergrowth.

Why is my ingrown hair not going away?

Mild ingrown hair infections often clear up on their own without treatment. However, you should see your doctor if the infection worsens or doesn’t improve within a few days. Your doctor can identify an infected ingrown hair through a physical examination of the skin. No other tests are typically needed for diagnosis.

Should you pop ingrown hairs?

Never pop an ingrown hair cyst, as this can increase your risk for infection and scarring. You also shouldn’t try to lift the hair out with tweezers like you might with a normal ingrown hair. At this point, the hair is embedded far too deep underneath the bump or cyst for you to pull it out.

How long do ingrown hairs last for?

In most cases, ingrown hairs usually heal themselves within one to two weeks with only minor irritation, as they eventually release from your skin as they grow longer. Infections can develop around the ingrown hair, causing pus formation, discoloration and pain, though.

How do you fix a deep ingrown hair?

Apply warm compresses to the cyst for 10–15 minutes several times a day. These might bring the cyst closer to the surface, allowing it to drain. If the hair is trapped under the skin, warm compresses may help it grow out. Apply an antiseptic solution, such as tea tree oil, to the cyst to prevent infection.

Do ingrown hairs go away?

Ingrown hairs will typically go away on their own if you leave them alone. But if they don’t or if you have a fabulous beach day ahead of you, here are four steps to speed up the process. Step one: Stop all hair removal attempts. Don’t try to pluck, pull, shave, wax, or cut hair in the area where ingrown hairs are.

Why do I get so many ingrown hairs?

People with high levels of certain sex hormones can have more hair than usual. This can make them more likely to get ingrown hairs, especially after shaving. Many people who have thick or curly hair get a type of ingrown hair called pseudofolliculitis.

Is aloe vera gel good for ingrown hairs?

It can help reduce red hair from ingrown hair marks, just apply it frequently to the ingrown hair area. After shaving, you can apply aloe vera gel to reduce irritation and reduce ingrown hairs.

Why does my ingrown hair hurt?

How does a dermatologist remove ingrown hair?

Ingrown hairs that do not resolve on their own may require treatment by a dermatologist. This includes depilatories for hair removal, topical antibiotics, topical creams, laser therapy and/or medical removal of the ingrown hair.

Is rubbing alcohol good for ingrown hairs?

The rubbing alcohol disinfects the skin and the tweezers or needles used to help bring the ingrown hairs to the surface. The alcohol will also soften the skin, so it will be easier to reach the ingrown hair without causing wounds on the skin.

Do hot baths help ingrown hairs?

The best way to encourage an ingrown hair to come out of the skin is by applying a hot compress or cloth soaked in warm water. Taking a warm bath can also help. To remove an ingrown hair, a person should use sterilized tweezers, grasp the ingrown hair in the center of the loop and gently twist both ways

Are ingrown hair scars permanent?

Fortunately, the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation left from an ingrown hair will spontaneously resolve without any treatment, Maiman says. Unfortunately, it can take several months to a year to do so.

Is it better to wax or shave pubic hair?

So which is better when you want to get rid of pubic hair, shaving or waxing? Again, it’s up to you. Many women prefer to wax their pubic area. When you wax, the hair doesn’t grow back for a few weeks, although you do have to wait for it to grow in a little to wax again.

Can you just leave an ingrown hair alone?

If you get an ingrown, it’s best to leave it alone until the bump and redness disappear. Dr. Gross recommends using a warm compress, and eventually the hair will grow out on its own. You should also hold off on grooming the area (that means waxing, shaving, and plucking) until the ingrown has cleared up

Is Baking Soda Good for ingrown hairs?

Baking soda can be used as a gentle exfoliator to remove ingrown hair from skin. There’s no data baking up this use for baking soda, but lots of people swear by its effectiveness. Try making a paste with water or a non-comedogenic oil. Then gently scrub the area of skin containing ingrown hairs in a circular motion.