Content

• Steps
• What you need
• Warning

Ingrown hairs can be painful, but not worrying. Ingrown hairs often produce small bumps (papules) or pustules (pustules). Although annoying, ingrown hairs often go away on their own with good care. You can remove ingrown hair to speed up this process. While it's not a good idea to pick the hair up, you can try pulling it up to the surface of the skin to pull it out. However, you should see your doctor if you develop signs of infection.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Taking care of ingrown hair

1. 

   Stop treating the hair of the bikini area until the ingrown hair heals. Do not touch the area of ​​ingrown hair to avoid further irritation or infection. When you notice ingrown hairs, stop shaving, waxing, and plucking your bikini area. Let the hair grow until the ingrown hair is gone.
   • You may not be used to letting bikini hair grow freely, but this will help you get rid of ingrown hair much faster.
   • Most ingrown hairs go away on their own in about a month. However, you can get rid of ingrown hair more quickly by pulling it to the surface of your skin.

2. 

   
   
   Avoid relying on ingrown hairs as this can lead to infection. Although most ingrown hairs do not cause infection, the risk of infection increases if the skin breaks. Leave the area with ingrown hair in place so you don't accidentally damage your skin.
   • You may be tempted to try to pry or manipulate the hair, but this will only make the situation worse.

3. 

   
   
   Dab a little hydrocortisone cream to relieve the itch if you don't show signs of infection. Ingrown hairs are often itchy, but try not to scratch them to avoid tearing your skin. Instead, apply a thin layer of an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to relieve itching. You can apply the cream up to 4 times / day.
   • Hydrocortisone cream is not safe if applied on the infected skin. See your doctor if you notice pus, swelling, or other signs of infection.
   • Read and follow the directions on the prescription label to avoid overuse.

   Alternative products: Instead of hydrocortisone cream, you can try witch hazel, aloe or benzoyl peroxide extract. These products also help relieve itching, but may not be as effective as hydrocortisone creams.

   
   

4. 

   Dab an antibiotic cream on ingrown hair every day to prevent infection. Ingrown hair will take much longer to heal if infected. To prevent this, apply an over-the-counter antibiotic cream 1-2 times a day to keep the area of ​​ingrown hair clean.
   • You can find an antibiotic cream at a pharmacy or online.

Part 2 of 4: Pull the hair on the skin surface

1. 

   Apply a warm compress for 15 minutes to draw the hairs onto the surface of your skin. Soak a washcloth in hot water, then wring it out so it's only damp, and apply a warm washcloth over the ingrown hair for up to 15 minutes. Repeat 4 times per day as needed. This will allow the hair to stick to the surface of the skin.
   • You can also use a hot water bottle to make a warm compress.

2. 

   Rub soap and warm water over the ingrown hairs for 10-15 seconds. Wet your skin with warm water, rub soap in your hands and gently massage the area for 10-15 seconds. Finally, wash the skin with warm water to remove the soap.
   • The gentle massage and warmth of the water can pull the hair out.

3. 

   Exfoliate dead skin cells with natural products in 10 minutes. An exfoliating product removes dead skin cells from the ingrown hairs, and this can help the hair to expose. Rub the product onto the skin and wait 10 minutes, then use warm water to moisten the exfoliating product and rub gently into the skin, rubbing and rinsing. There are a number of natural exfoliating ingredients you can use:
   • Make a dough mixture by mixing ½ cup (110 g) brown or white sugar with about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil.
   • Mix 3 tablespoons (15 grams) of coffee grounds with 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of olive oil.
   • Mix 3 tablespoons (40 g) of salt with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil.
   • Mix 1 teaspoon (5 g) of baking soda with enough water to make a paste.

   Alternative products: Use a body scrub if you don't want to mix it up yourself.

4. 

   Ask your doctor about retinoids to remove the top layer of skin. For stubborn ingrown hairs, you can use retinoids prescribed by your doctor to remove the top layer of skin cells. This usually allows the hair to stick to the surface of the skin. Talk to your doctor to see if this is the right option for you. Then, you can apply the medication as directed.
   • You can only buy retinoids by prescription.

Part 3 of 4: Hair Removal

1. 

   Clip the tweezers to the round part of the hair. The ingrown hair will curl into a hook or appear horizontal. Since it is difficult to see the end of the hair, you must always pull on the center of the hair until the ends of the hair come out.

   Use another tool: Use a sterile needle to open the ends of the hair instead of the tweezers. Insert the needle tip into the loop of the hair and gently lift it to let the end of the hair come out. However, remember not to dig into the skin.

2. 

   Turn the tweezers back and forth until the ends of the hair come out. Using tweezers, pull the hair gently to the right, then turn to the left. Continue rotating the tweezers until the ends of the hair come out.
   • If you pull the hair out right away, it can hurt when it bounces. It is better to pull the ends of the hairs first, then pluck the entire hair.
   • Make sure not to dig into the skin with the tweezers.

3. 

   Pull the hair out when the ends of the hairs come out of the skin. After the ends of the hair come out, you can pluck the hair with tweezers. Clip the tweezers near the base of the hair and pull it out quickly.
   • By this point the ingrown hairs have been resolved.
   • It may be uncomfortable to pluck the hair, but it won't hurt too much.

4. 

   Wash the area with soap and warm water to clean it. Wet the skin with warm water, rub the soap and rinse with warm water. This will ensure dirt and bacteria don't get into the empty hair follicle.
   • Pat the skin dry with a clean towel or air dry.

5. 

   Apply an antibiotic cream to the area where the hair was pulled to help the skin recover. Use your finger or cotton swab to apply antibiotic cream to the empty hair follicle to prevent infection and help the follicle heal. Besides, antibiotic cream can also prevent scarring.

6. 

   Change your shaving habits to reduce the risk that hair will continue to grow backwards. Use shears before shaving and soak your skin in hot water or apply a warm compress for 5-10 minutes before shaving. Use a mild, fragrance-free shaving cream and shave in the direction of hair growth.
   • Apply moisturizer and wear cotton underwear after shaving to reduce scratches.
   • Consider using an electric trimmer. This tool can trim the hair shorter rather than shave it off.
   • Consider getting a hair removal at a dermatologist's office for permanent hair removal if you frequently have ingrown hairs.

Part 4 of 4: Treating infected ingrown hairs

1. 

   See your doctor if you notice signs of infection. Ingrown hairs can become infected, especially if the skin is broken. If you have an infection, you need the right treatment to heal the injury. Contact your doctor if you notice any of the following symptoms:
   • Pus
   • Pain
   • Đỏ
   • Swelling

2. 

   Use antibiotics as directed if prescribed. If you have an infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for you. For mild infections, topical antibiotics can be used. For more severe infections, your doctor can prescribe an oral antibiotic. Take medication as directed to heal the infection.
   • Make sure to finish all the antibiotics prescribed. If not, the infection may recur.
   • You do not need to take antibiotics unless you have an infection. Antibiotics do not work to remove ingrown hair.

3. 

   Don't try to get rid of the hair before it heals. You will need to leave the hair in place for the duration of treating the infection. The infection can get worse if you try to pull the hair out. Ask your doctor when you can pluck ingrown hairs.
   • It is possible that the hair will pop out on its own once you have recovered from the infection.

What you need

• Hydrocortisone cream, witch hazel extract, aloe vera or benzoyl peroxide (optional)
• Antibiotic ointment
• Hot water
• Hot gauze
• Soap
• Exfoliating products
• Sterile needles (optional)
• Pointed tweezers

Warning

• Do not try to pull the hair out, as it will be very painful and can lead to infection.
• You may experience pain when you pluck the hair, but it won't hurt too much.