How to Take Care of Painful Ingrown Hair
The good news is that, as a mom, you are automatically less likely to suffer from ingrown hairs. Young black men are much more likely than anyone else to suffer from painful ingrown hairs as a result of tweezing or shaving, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, you can still sustain at least one ingrown hair, especially if you tweeze your eyebrows or shave sensitive areas of your body, such as the pubic region. If the ingrown hair is not infected, you may be able to follow some simple steps to treat this painful and unsightly problem at home.
Step 1
Stop shaving, waxing and tweezing immediately, even if you eventually plan to go back to using some form of hair removal. Also, the Mayo Clinic notes that you might consider using laser hair removal over shaving, waxing or tweezing body parts regularly; this process removes the hair follicle and thus does not cause ingrown hairs.
Step 2
Wash the area with the ingrown hair carefully at least a few times a day, including before bedtime. You might want to use a clean, soft toothbrush or washcloth with gentle soap and lukewarm water. Rub the affected area with a circular motion. Also, you might be able to prevent ingrown hairs in the future by taking this step right before shaving, waxing or tweezing your body hair.
Step 3
Call your doctor if the problem does not go away or the area is red or indicates other signs of potential infection. She may prescribe topical creams that can help exfoliate the skin while medically treating the area. In serious cases, you might need to take oral and/or topical antibiotics or steroid medications to treat the ingrown hair as well as any related infection.
Warnings
- Never pull your skin tightly while shaving. This can cause ingrown hairs and other potential injuries, according to the Mayo Clinic.
