Everyone has experienced the problem of ingrown hair at some point in their lives. Sometimes, the problem can aggravate and cause infection. The following article gives the causes and symptoms of ingrown hair infection, and suggests ways to prevent and treat it.
Ingrown hair, also known as Pseudofolliculitis barbae, is caused when the hair is cut below the skin while shaving, waxing or using other means of hair removal. Such broken hair, instead of growing through the follicle, starts growing through the surrounding tissue. The hair may also curl back and start growing into the same hair follicle. The hair is then unable to come out of the skin surface, thus causing ingrown hair. Sometimes, an infection might develop in the skin area, where the hair are present. The infection usually occurs in areas, where the hair growth is thick, such as the face, bikini areas, armpits and the legs. Ingrown hair on leg is concentrated in the thigh region. This problem is faced by both men and women. Here are the symptoms, followed by its prevention and treatment methods.
Symptoms
- Soreness in the affected area.
- Skin irritation and swelling
- Moderate pain may become severe in some cases.
- Red pimple-like bumps appear on the skin.
- Pus-infected blisters occur, if the infection has flared up. The blisters might bleed, in some cases.
- May generate scars
Prevention
Use of Proper Hair Removal Methods
While shaving, keep a few things in mind. Always shave in the direction of the hair growth itself. Shaving, in the same direction, again and again, leads to straight growth of hair. This prevents curly hair that grows back into the skin. Also, while shaving, reduce the number of strokes as this may cause infection in the already existing ingrown hair.
Cleanse, Exfoliate and Moisturize
Accumulation of dead skin cells in the skin pores causes this problem. Dead skin may also cause raised skin bumps and further the infection. So, exfoliate the skin, once a day, using a good scrub . Moisturize the skin properly, as dry skin can aggravate the problem of ingrown hair. Keep the infected area clean, as dirt and oil in the hair follicle can flare up the infection. Cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing prevents the occurrence of infected ingrown hair.
Alternate Means of Hair Removal
Bring a change in your hair removal methods. Men can shift to a depilatory cream and women may opt for a laser hair removal treatment.
Treatment
This infection can be easily cured at home, by using this simple home remedy. First of all, exfoliate your skin, at least twice a day. You can use any one of the various brands of scrubs available in the market . Alternately, you may exfoliate your skin with a scrub made at home, by mixing olive oil and sugar.
Another remedy is using gram flour to exfoliate the skin. If the swelling is there, use an anti-bacterial balm or an anti-acne medicine to reduce it. After the inflammation has gone down and the skin has been exfoliated properly, you will see that the hair has grown out of the skin. Next, take a cloth and wet it with hot water. Now give the affected area warm, moist compresses. This will help to soften the affected skin. Now, take a sterilized pair of tweezers and gently pull the hair out of the skin. After the ingrown hair has been removed, wash the area with a medicated soap and dab an antiseptic on it.
In some cases, the infection may develop into extreme case of folliculitis, i.e. a blister may get formed due to ingrown hair, which contains pus and bleeds too. In such a scenario, it is recommended that a physician is consulted without any delay.
