Ingrown Hair Treatment
July 17, 2008
An ingrown hair is that irritating red bump that appears shortly after shaving. The hair is either cut too close to the skin… or it breaks off just below the skin. The hair then grows back into the hair follicle and becomes an ingrown hair. People that have dark, coarse… or curly hair are the most prone to ingrown hairs. I’ll review the most common ingrown hair treatments, and let you know what I’ve learned.
Treatments and Prevention
Possible treatments for individuals with chronic ingrown-hair problems are the use of depilatory creams or electrolysis in order to remove the hair. No hair, no ingrown-hair problem! Depilatory creams are used for the short-term removal of the hair. For a more permanent hair removal method, then electrolysis is the way to go. A dermatologist, depending on the severity of the condition, can prescribe other treatments. Topical antiseptics may be used to prevent infections from occurring or when there is infection, antibiotics may be required.
The most common way to get rid of ingrown hair involves a warm compress and a sterilized tweezers. If you can see the ingrown hair near the surface of the skin, apply a very warm, damp cloth for 15 minutes, or until the cloth cools. Then, if the skin has softened enough, dip a tweezers in rubbing alcohol to sterilize them and then gently pull the ingrown hair out of the follicle.
Growing a beard or allowing hairs to grow well above the skin surface and the follicle opening may prevent the hair tip from growing into the skin and thereby preventing ingrown hairs formation. Not all people are willing or able to grow their hairs long enough to prevent their ingrowing and forming ingrown hairs.
Preventing the tip from “ingrowing” or removing the ingrown hairs’ tips are the ways we can treat this condition. The shorter the hair is broken (such as in waxing, tweezing or plucking) or cut; the more time it has, and the greater the likelihood of its growing into the side of the follicle and producing ingrown hairs
Comments