Opinion

Under the skin

Probably at least once in life, we have all powerlessly witnessed the birth of a troublesome red bump, swelling somewhere under their skin, that became bigger and more painful as the infection developed. These common nuisances are known as ingrown hairs and occur when the hair curls round and grows back into the skin, usually because the hair follicle has become clogged with dead skin cells, blocking its way out of the skin. 

Ingrown hairs are more common in people with coarse or curly hair. In addition, people with higher levels of certain hormones can have excessive hair growth, which makes it more likely to get ingrown hairs. You will usually see them sprout out in areas of the body that are frequently shaved.

If you are prone to ingrown hairs, my best advice is to leave them be as they will probably go away in due time. Don’t pick or squeeze the ingrown hair as this may increase the risk of infection and may leave a scar.

But if you are one of those people that becomes hopelessly obsessed with the eminent extraction of this nuisance (guilty as charged!) and the hair is visible beneath the skin, you may use a sterile needle to gently remove the hair. However don’t dig deep if the hair is further under the skin.

Obviously the only way to prevent ingrown hairs is to stop shaving altogether and even then, there are no assurances. If you don’t want to stop shaving, try the following shaving tips:

• Use the sharpest, single-bladed razor you can find

• Always shave in the direction the hairs are growing

• Use as few passes of the razor as possible

• Rinse the razor clean after every stroke

• For men who suffer from this on their face, you may     consider sporting a beard as a solution

Also, other hair-removal methods may be less likely to result in ingrown hairs. For example, instead of shaving your legs, you may want to try electrolysis or laser hair removal. 

If the hair follicle of the ingrown hair becomes unusually infected or painful (known folliculitis) it is best to consult your doctor as soon as possible for proper treatment, in order to avoid the situation from leading to other health problems. 

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