While you’re waiting for the ingrown hair to disappear, avoid shaving over the bump. If you nick the area, you’ll risk infecting or worsening the ingrown hair. Sometimes ingrown hairs can go away on their own, but sometimes they won’t. Watch the ingrown hair to see if it gets better or worse. [2] X Expert Source Marsha Durkin, RNRegistered Nurse Expert Interview. 29 May 2019.
You can purchase acne cream at any drugstore or pharmacy.
Some steroid creams—like cortisone—are available over the counter. For a stronger steroid, visit your doctor, and ask for a prescription to a steroid cream.
You can purchase an exfoliating scrub or a loofah glove at your local supermarket or drug store.
When in doubt, exfoliate more gently but for a longer period. Say, 10 minutes.
If you can see the ingrown hair embedded in the skin, this treatment will soften the hair and bring it closer to the surface. If you can’t initially see the hair, leave the washcloth on until it rises to the skin’s surface.
Be sure to sterilize the needle before you get started. Sometimes you’ll see a “loop” in the ingrown hair: the top of the hair where, instead of growing out through the skin, it curves over and grows down or sideways. This means that the tip of the hair has begun growing down into the skin. Try to pass the tip of a needle through the curve at the top of the ingrown hair and tug lightly. The end will often come loose. If you don’t see the loop of the ingrown hair after exfoliating your skin and applying the warm washcloth, don’t dig for the hair. You could damage your skin or draw blood. You can sterilize your tools by boiling them in water or by cleaning them with rubbing alcohol or running them through a hot flame until they turn bright red. If you heat them, let them completely cool before using them. Wash your hands before working on an ingrown hair and consider wearing nitrile gloves to prevent the spread of any bacteria.
You may also wish to apply a daily topical solution to prevent any further ingrown hairs from developing.
Apply a warm compress to the area, or even take a warm shower to help stimulate blood flow to the area. [12] X Expert Source Mohiba Tareen, MDFAAD Board Certified Dermatologist Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.
The longer and straighter the hair, the less likely it is to curl back into the skin, so try shaving less closely by using an electric shaver or single-blade razor instead of a multi-blade razor. [14] X Expert Source Mohiba Tareen, MDFAAD Board Certified Dermatologist Expert Interview. 26 March 2020. If you’re waxing your hair, pull off the wax in the opposite direction that your hair is growing. [15] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source
Make sure that your underwear is loose and comfortable—if you can, steer clear of garments like G-strings.
Electrolysis and laser hair removal often take multiple sessions to completely remove the hair, but the results are permanent (as opposed to shaving and depilatory creams). [21] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Dermatology Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists Go to source
