“Ingrown hairs can cause skin inflammation that results in itching to a burning sensation. If left untreated, this condition can get worse and lead to infection, darkening of the skin to scarring.”
Ingrown hair occurs when shaved or pulled hair grows back into the skin. This condition can cause inflammation, pain, and small lumps in the area. Ingrown hair is usually experienced by individuals who often do hair removal by waxing, shaving or plucking.
Often, ingrown hairs can get better on their own without treatment. However, ingrown hairs can also cause inflammation, infection, darkening of the skin to scarring in some cases. Therefore, it is important to take preventive steps so that ingrown hairs do not get worse.
How to Prevent Ingrown Hair from Getting Worse
In general, ingrown hairs often occur on the face, neck, legs, armpits, chest, beard, back to the pubic area. If you experience signs of ingrown hairs, take these precautions so they don't get worse:
1. Stop shaving
The first step you need to do is stop the habit of shaving, plucking or waxing first. Usually, it takes one to six months for you to be able to shave again. If that's not possible, consider laser treatment, which is safer
2. Use cream to reduce inflammation
If your skin is showing signs of infection due to ingrown hairs, your doctor will usually prescribe a retinoid to help remove dead skin cells. Retinoids applied to the skin such as tretinoin can help remove dead cells from the skin through the exfoliating process. In addition to retinoids, steroid creams may also be prescribed to reduce inflammation. If there are signs of infection, the doctor will need to prescribe an antibiotic ointment.
3. Wipe the ingrown hair area
Apart from using over-the-counter medications and creams, there are also home remedies that you should try to reduce inflammation. You can wipe the inflamed skin area due to ingrown hair using a wet washcloth in a circular motion. Do this treatment every day to get rid of ingrown hairs.
4. Cold compress to reduce inflammation
Inflamed skin usually feels very uncomfortable because there is an itching and burning sensation. Well, you can apply a cold washcloth to inflamed skin to soothe the skin
Tips for Shaving Hair to Avoid Ingrown Hair
To prevent ingrown hairs, make sure you shave with a sharp one-edged razor. Then, wet the skin with warm water and apply a lubricating gel before shaving. Shave in the same direction as hair growth. Use very few razor strokes to reduce the chance of the hair re-entering the skin.
Always rinse the knife with water after each stroke. Don't shave too close to the skin, as there is a risk of injuring the skin. If you are using an electric razor, do a few strokes over the surface of the skin.
That's the information about ingrown hair that you need to know.