Ingrown hairs how long to heal

But sometimes, the hair grows crooked or curls back under before it has a chance to exit the skin. This is called an ingrown hair. Ingrown hairs are common and can generally be treated at home, even if the affected area becomes infected. Keep reading to learn what the symptoms are and how to correct the hair growth, as well as tips for preventing future cases of ingrown hair. Some ingrown hairs occur when there are too many dead skin cells on the surface of the skin.

These cells can inadvertently clog up hair follicles. Ingrown hairs are most common in areas of hair removal, such as the face, legs, armpits, and pubic region.

They also occur more often in men who shave their beards. Shaving and waxing creates sharper hairs that tend to get trapped in the skin. You may also be at an increased risk for ingrown hairs and related infections if your hair is naturally coarse or curly. These hair types are more likely to curl back into the skin when growing out after hair removal.

Oftentimes, an infection of an ingrown hair can start off as a red bump. As the infection progresses, you may see pus and the bump may grow larger. Keep reading: How can I get rid of razor bumps on my legs? They can prescribe medication to treat the infection and coax the hair out. For example, prescription steroid creams can reduce inflammation, and prescription-strength antibiotic creams can treat the infection.

If you chronically develop infected ingrown hairs, your doctor may suggest medications that prevent ingrowns in the first place. Retinoid creams are effective in removing dead skill cells that may contribute to ingrown hairs. They can also help reduce scars from former infections. Your doctor may prescribe oral steroids and antibiotics if the infection has a risk of spreading to the blood and internal organs. Learn more: Everything you need to know about tea tree oil ». Staphylococcus staph infections can occur with an ingrown hair.

Apply a warm compress to the area to soothe the skin. Exfoliate very gently. Talk to your dermatologist to get a stronger exfoliating treatment. The best way to get rid of ingrown hairs is to prevent them from popping up in the first place. Korin is a former New Yorker who now lives at the beach.

She received a double B. Korin has been published in Read more. She's an experienced health and science journalist who is particularly interested in the science of skin care, sexual and reproductive health, drugs and drug policy, and mental health. Topics dermatology skin skin health infections Skin Care. Sign up for our SELF Daily Wellness newsletter All the best health and wellness advice, tips, tricks, and intel, delivered to your inbox every day.

Enter your e-mail address. Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy. This content does not have an Arabic version. Diagnosis Your doctor is likely to diagnose ingrown hairs by looking at your skin and discussing with you your hair removal habits. Treatment To treat ingrown hairs, stop shaving, tweezing or waxing until the condition improves — usually one to six months. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary.

Philadelphia, Pa. Removing a hair can also cause the new hair that grows in its place to grow in incorrectly. The new hair may grow sideways and eventually curl back down. When this happens, the hair follicle can close over the hair so it becomes stuck, or ingrown. The skin responds by becoming inflamed, treating the curled-back hair as a foreign object. You may also be at greater risk for developing bumps with ingrown hairs if you have naturally curly hair. The primary goal of treatment is to reduce surrounding inflammation and decrease your risk for infection.

Possible treatments for razor bumps include keeping the skin moisturized and discontinuing shaving, which allows the ingrown hairs to grow out. Over-the-counter OTC medications containing benzoyl peroxide or retinoids can reduce inflammation and decrease the size of razor bumps or ingrown hair cysts.

For example, a healthcare professional may prescribe a steroid cream such as hydrocortisone to help reduce redness and pain around the bump or cyst. The ultimate goal of treatment for any ingrown hairs is to reduce their occurrence by keeping the skin exfoliated and moisturized. Body washes and lotions made with gentle glycolic acid will help. However, once an ingrown hair cyst has become inflamed and starts to fluctuate in size, incision and drainage may be required to shrink the cyst and remove the ingrown hair.

Never pop an ingrown hair cyst, as this can increase your risk for infection and scarring. At this point, the hair is embedded far too deep underneath the bump or cyst for you to pull it out. Instead, you should encourage the bumps and cysts to go down and the hair to straighten upward by gently scrubbing them with a warm cloth a couple of times a day.

If you develop an infection, a healthcare professional will prescribe either topical or oral antibiotics.