Ingrown hairs occur when hair grows or curls under the skin, often caused by shaving practices. They can be removed with sterilized tools or prevented by shaving in a different direction, exfoliating, moisturizing, and keeping pores clean. Salicylic acid can also help remove ingrown hair follicles.
An ingrown hair is a situation where a hair on the human body grows or curls up completely under the skin. It is often caused by different shaving practices and sometimes accompanies razor bumps. Ingrown hairs can vary in size and can appear anywhere on the body, causing scarring, redness, or swelling. In this situation, both ends of the hair follicle get trapped under the skin, either growing sideways or bending and curling. The medical term for the condition is Pseudofolliculitis barbae or PFB.
When a hair is clipped short or pushed under the skin but not removed while shaving, the result is an ingrown hair. Often a hair may be passed through and not removed, or trimmed properly but pushed sideways under the surrounding skin, causing the hair to remain ingrown and not emerge through the outer layer of skin. When shaving, putting too much pressure on the skin for a closer or cleaner shave can lead to ingrown hairs. When the skin is pulled, the hair is sometimes pulled sideways across the face rather than trimmed. This often causes a pimple-like bump and can become red or swollen if left untreated. The spot may develop a rash or itchiness and sometimes becomes infected or collects pus if the hair is not removed.
Ingrown hairs can be removed with sharp cosmetic tools such as a pin or tweezers. The hairs can be removed from their ingrown location by piercing the swollen skin with a sterilized pin and pulling the ingrown end out through a small skin abrasion. The hair is then exposed normally and can be shaved off or plucked out with tweezers. An ingrown hair can also be prevented by shaving in a different direction, keeping your skin exfoliated or moisturized, keeping your pores clean, or something as simple as leaving a warm towel on your face.
While the problem may take up to a couple of weeks to alleviate, ingrown hairs can be treated with many different products or methods. Salicylic acid, a dermatological chemical, can help remove ingrown hair follicles by exfoliating and moisturizing the skin. The acid unclogs the pores where skin grows and helps prevent infection. Salicylic acid appears in many different aftershaves, moisturizers, and shaving creams, and can be used independently as a lotion to help remove hair. However, the user should be careful with foam-based creams and those with alcohol, as they can dry out the skin or cause further irritation.
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