Most ingrown hairs will go away on their own without treatment after a few days; though, severe cases may take several weeks. Medications may take a few days to see results.
Over time — if the ingrown hair doesn't go away — the small bump can transform into a much larger one. The resulting bump can be red, white, or yellow. It may also be painful to the touch.
Ingrown hairs frequently go away on their own without any specific treatment. There's a chance an ingrown hair could heal on its own in as quickly as a week or two, Dr. Hayag says, but it may take longer if it gets infected.
Ingrown hair cysts will often go away on their own in a week or so. 3 If you can, stop shaving the area while it heals, and keep the area clean and moisturized.
Ingrown hair that doesn't clear up can lead to: Bacterial infection (from scratching) Patches of skin that are darker than usual (postinflammatory hyperpigmentation) Raised scars that are darker than surrounding skin (keloids)
The most common symptom of an ingrown hair is redness and inflammation of the skin. This is followed by pus formation. If left untreated, or allowed to happen repeatedly, permanent scarring can occur. But each person may experience symptoms differently.
Share on Pinterest Ingrown hairs are not dangerous, but they can be painful. When a hair grows into the skin, a fluid-filled lump can develop, which may become a cyst. When a cyst forms, the area becomes swollen. A cyst may be hard, soft, large, or smaller than a pea.
avoid squeezing the spots because it can damage the skin and lead to infection. if an ingrown hair is near the surface of your skin, you can use a sterile needle or tweezers to gently tease it out - don't dig for the hair if it lies deep below the skin's surface.
Ingrown hairs can look like raised, red, itchy spots on the skin. Sometimes you can see a hair trapped under the skin. You may be more likely to get ingrown hairs if you have coarse or curly hair. Infected ingrown hairs can be painful.
Start by applying a warm compress to the area, since the heat will soften the skin, says Dr. Solomon. Then, very gently, exfoliate the skin trapping the hair. “Move a washcloth or clean, soft-bristled toothbrush over the area in a circular motion for several minutes,” she suggests.
When to see your doctor. Mild ingrown hair infections often clear up on their own without treatment. However, you should see your doctor if the infection worsens or doesn't improve within a few days. Your doctor can identify an infected ingrown hair through a physical examination of the skin.
If you can see an ingrown hair beneath the skin, apply a warm, damp compress for a couple of minutes to soften the skin, says Rodney Basler, MD. Then sterilize a needle or tweezers and pluck the hair. Follow with an antiseptic such as hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol.
Ingrown hairs usually develop after hair removal, which can lead hairs to curl back into the pore. With pimples, oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria build up and block the pore. You can usually treat ingrown hairs and pimples at home with over-the-counter treatments.
The bump may be hard or soft and pus-filled. It can also become itchy, inflamed, or infected. Although some ingrown hairs can cause discomfort, they are usually harmless.
For starters, ingrown hairs often appear in clusters of raised red bumps. They also often cause fluid-filled cysts to appear which may feature a white or yellow head (much like an infected pimple), plus they can become itchy and sore. Skin cancer lesions, on the other hand, tend to appear as single moles or bumps.
What will happen if an ingrown hair goes untreated? In most cases, ingrown hairs usually heal themselves within one to two weeks with only minor irritation, as they eventually release from your skin as they grow longer.
Do not shave or remove hair around the cyst, and apply a cold compress to the area for 10-15 minutes several times a day will help the inflammation. This will allow the cyst to be drawn to the surface and drained. If the hair is trapped under the skin, the compress will also encourage it to grow out.
One very useful product is adapalene gel, an over-the-counter retinoid medication. This medication can be applied to areas with ingrown hairs to help gently exfoliate until the ingrown hair appears at the surface of your skin. You can then carefully remove the hair with tweezers (see below).
To help expedite the process, you can also apply a warm, steamy cloth over the affected area. If you notice a loop of hair at the surface, you can use sterilized tweezers to gently pull the trapped hair out, but don't dig around for it. Follow up with rubbing alcohol to help prevent any infection.
Ingrown hairs that do not resolve on their own may require treatment by a dermatologist. This includes depilatories for hair removal, topical antibiotics, topical creams, laser therapy and/or medical removal of the ingrown hair.
If you get an ingrown, it's best to leave it alone until the bump and redness disappear. Dr. Gross recommends using a warm compress, and eventually the hair will grow out on its own. You should also hold off on grooming the area (that means waxing, shaving, and plucking) until the ingrown has cleared up.
ACV has natural anti-bacterial properties that help slough away dead skin cells. All you need to do is soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar, go over with it on the affected areas and let it air-dry. Let the vinegar work its magic by opening up clogged pores and giving access to the ingrown hair to grow outwards.
If you already have ingrown hairs, massage the area gently with the washcloth or a soft toothbrush. Rinse the area with water. Massage the area with your shaving cream of choice, using a moderate amount of lather. Avoid shaving on dry areas—reapply lather as often as you need to.