Hair is the most important yet sometimes irritating extension of our body. Both head and body hair require regular maintenance, one needs regular trimming while the other needs shaving off or waxing. The difference between then is that improper maintenance for body hair can turn into a painful wound. Some days a body hair getting pulled creates a terrible cyst which is quite painful. An improper shaving technique can also cause trouble in the form of a ingrown hair. Especially in areas with dense body hair, ingrown hairs are all too common. The pubic area is shaved most often and it where ingrown hair appear frequently. Ingrown hair is a prevailing pain amongst young women and for some it has been known to increase to a point where surgical procedures are required. An ingrown hair, especially pubic hair requires quicker treatment as it can get painful. Let’s understand what causes hair to become ingrown and how to prevent it from happening frequently.
What causes ingrown hair?
Hair is generally supposed to grow outwards from the skin and most of the time it does. However, there are times when the hair might grow inside the skin. So, when hair is shaved, dead skin cells cover the follicle, which makes the hair curl inwards and grow into the skin.
Since, hair is naturally supposed to grow outwards from the body, it is treated as a foreign object by the skin when it grown inwards. This is what causes the inflamed cyst around the hair follicle which is the most painful part of getting ingrown hair.
Ingrown hair is more prevalent with people that have a thicker or curly type of hair. This is the reason why most women complain about ingrown pubic hair. Pubic hair is always thicker and coarse than the rest of the body, it also become curly overtime due to the friction caused by underwear and clothing. A close shave, thus, makes it curl inwards and give you an uncomfortable cyst that doesn’t go away easy. The symptoms of an ingrown hair can be-
- Papules or small round bumps on one part of the skin
- Pustules that get filled with pus
- Skin around the ingrown hair getting darker due to hyperpigmentation
- Pain of itching around the papules
- An ingrown hair cyst which is painful when touched
Ingrown pubic hair may get better with both at home treatment and a visit to the clinic. If the cyst is not too big or painful you can easily treat it at home.
How to treat ingrown hair at home?
Ingrown hair won’t always require you to make a trip to the hospital. In most cases the ingrown hair automatically pops out after giving a little pinching cyst. However, if the hair doesn’t break through the skin and the cyst continues to grow, you can try the following home treatments-
1. Apply warm compresses
There are few cysts which require more than a warm compress. A warm compress helps circulate the blood with higher platelets which helps burst the skin off the cyst, making it easier for the ingrown hair to break through. It might sting a little but that is the best infection free way to go around ingrown hair cysts.
2. Gently pull out the hair
When you’ve got the hair breaking through the skin, you can use a sterile tweezer or a needle to pull out the rest of the hair. Remember you just have to pull out the length of the hair out of the skin and not pluck it off. Plucking the hair off will cause the skin to grow around the follicle again and will cause another ingrown hair. When you’re done pulling out the hair, do not try to dig into the wound, just continue the warm compress to help it heal.
3. Exfoliate
If you don’t have a painful cyst around the ingrown hair, you can help it break out of the skin with exfoliation. A gentle scrub over the ingrown hair will decrease the amount of dead skin over it and reduce the load so that the hair can break free as it grows further.
4. Use a steroidal ointment
If you’re experience a large pus-filled cyst and have inflammation all around the area, you can consult the chemist or doctor to give you an ointment with topical steroids. Apply the cream topically so that it reduces inflammation.
5. Try home remedies
There are certain ingredients that you might keep in your home which can be used on ingrown hair as treatment-
- Tea tree oil has great antibiotic and exfoliant properties. It can help with the swelling and will reduce inflammation if any cysts have formed. Dilute it with little bit water and apply it topically with cotton.
- Sugar helps in removing dead skin and reducing inflammation of the skin. You can mix it with honey and apply it in a circular motion over the cyst, wash it with warm water afterwards.
- Baking soda is also a great exfoliant which can remove the layer of dead skin over an ingrown hair. Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with a cup of water and apply in over the cyst with a cotton ball and then wash off with cold water.
How do I prevent ingrown hair ?
There are three main steps to preventing the occurrence of ingrown pubic hair-
There are three main steps to preventing the occurrence of ingrown pubic hair-
- Exfoliate regularly- make sure that you exfoliate your pubic area at least once a week. This will ensure removal of dead skin cells and open pores so that the hair can grow outwards.
- Prime the area before hair removal - always rinse the pubic area with soap and water before removing hair. Ensure that even after hair removal and before hair removal you regularly moisturise your pubic skin.
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Choose an intimate hair removal cream- use a hair removal cream which is better than waxing down there. Namyaa Hair Removal Cream for Intimate Areas is made specially to remove hair without affecting the skin. It removes hair within minutes and leaves the skin moisturised and prevents pores from getting blocked since there is no residue.
Hair removal is necessary for most women as it gives them the freedom to wear innerwear comfortably and for long hours. It also proves to be good for pleasure and feels. Hence, hair removal shall be made easy and painless. Ingrown pubic hair should have a gentle treatment and the symptoms should be recognised earlier for the same. Make sure that you regularly exfoliate and moisturise pubic skin and use a good hair removal option.
