Treating and Preventing Ingrown Hairs
Submitted by SharpMan Editorial Team on Thursday 14th October 2010- What’s inside those razor bumps?
- What causes ingrown hairs?
- How can you combat them?
Ever get bumps on your face after shaving? Hmm, you must have missed The SharpShave, SharpGrooming’s primer on the perfect shave. For more specific information about why ingrown hairs develop and how to prevent them, read on for the SharpGrooming skinny:
What Are They, Anyway?
Ingrown hairs, or psuedofolliculitis barbae, develop when facial hair fails to grow up and out of the skin, instead curling around and growing back into your face or neck. Hence the name: "ingrown" hair. The result? A bump will develop where the ingrown hair continues to circle beneath the skin. In some situations these bumps become infected and develop a sack of pus, similar to a pimple without a whitehead.
The bottom line? Ingrown hairs are unsightly, uncomfortable and better left to the amateurs.
Prevention
Ready for battle? Problematic ingrown hairs are more likely to develop when skin is irritated due to a build-up of dead skin cells, too-close shaves and lack of moisture. You can prevent the development of ingrown hairs by following a few SharpGrooming basics:
Follow the SharpShave tips. The very first issue of SharpMan.com gives you nearly all you need to know to avoid these painful bumps, including:
- Ditch the electric. Electric shavers are designed to have minimal contact with the skin and are therefore less likely to remove dead skin cells that promote the development of ingrown hairs. The old-fashioned re-usables work best for shaving sharp and avoiding irritation.
- Shave wet. Shave in or right after your shower, when the steam has had a chance to open up your pores.
- Shave creamy. Use plenty of shaving cream, not gel or foam. Ample amounts of cream help your razor glide over your skin.
- Shave smart. You want a close shave that removes dead skin, but not so close as to cause irritation and ingrown hairs. For this reason, never shave against the grain.
What else helps?
Keep your face relaxed as you shave. Don’t yank your skin taut, trying to make the smoothest surface possible. If you pull your skin too tightly, you’re likely to shave too closely.
Don’t shave the same spot over and over. Once you’re shaved a section of your face, move on. Going over the same area increases your chances of irritation.
Treatment
OK, OK, so you’ve vowed to follow the SharpShave tips in the future, but what can you do to get rid of the ingrown hairs you have now?
Got an ingrown hair bump? Don’t try shaving off the bump– you’ll just break the skin and may even cause a scar. Instead, sanitize the area with rubbing alcohol and use a sanitized pair of tweezers to straighten out the hair.
Got a red and irritated ingrown hair bump? Is the ingrown hair trapped under the skin? Don’t dig in for it! Gently squeeze the surface and the hair and the "pus" will come up. If the hair is still attached to the follicle and requires trimming, clean the area again and use clippers or your razor to shave off the hair.
Close up and moisturize. Once you’ve treated your ingrown hair, using an aftershave moisturizer will help close pores and heal skin.
This article last updated on Thursday 14th October 2010