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Don’t Let Ingrown Hairs Get In Your Way

“No shave November” is long gone and with warmer weather and spring break approaching, it’s time to start shaving more often. Unfortunately, for many people with more consistent shaving comes razor burn and ingrown hairs.

What is an ingrown hair?

Ingrown hairs occur when a hair is trapped inside the follicle or when it grows back into the skin. Then an inflammatory response typically occurs signaling that you have an ingrown hair. This means that you will experience redness, itchiness, pain and/or a raised, pimple like blemish.

Ingrown hairs often heal on their own. For the pesky ones that don’t want to go away, there are several ways to treat them. Try using tweezers to lift the ingrown end, but don’t puck or dig it out as this could make it worse. Also, try using products that contain azulene or allantoin to reduce the swelling.

How to treat

The best way to treat ingrown hairs is to take precautionary steps to prevent them. Ensure that you are using proper shaving techniques including: not shaving too closely, shaving the direction of your hair growth and using a sharp razor. Exfoliate your skin in areas where you shave when you shower to dislodge ingrown hairs. Also, use products containing active ingredients, such as salicylic acid, after you shave.

If you have questions or concerns regarding ingrown hairs call to schedule an appointment with KDG  at (865)690-9467 or visit www.knoxderm.com.

Ingrown Hairs – a Winter Story

smooth legs

Winter can cause typical grooming routines to involve atypical methods. Shaving is no stranger to seasonal changes. Our wintery tendency for dry skin and infrequent shaving can cause ingrown hairs.

Ingrown hairs are more common in people who have thick, curly hair since the hair is more likely to bend and re-enter the skin after the hair has been shaved. This can irritate the skin and leave boil-like sores on areas of your body, such as on the back of your legs, bikini area, underarms and face.

There are several ways to prevent ingrown hairs:

  • Exfoliate to tease out stubborn ingrown hairs.
  • Apply shaving cream before shaving.
  • Use a nice, sharp razor.
  • Shave in the same direction that your hair is growing.
  • Rinse the blade with water after each stroke.

With these preventative steps, the hair is more likely to behave and grow normally. The ingrown hair will usually go away over time, but just in case it doesn’t, seeking dermatological help is the next step. Without proper care, the hair can become infected, which could lead to scarring and darkened colored skin. Call us with any questions and let us help you achieve and maintain beautiful skin, from head (and hair) to toe.

If you have any questions about ingrown hairs or about changes in your skin, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

Prevent Ingrown Hairs

As irritating as they are, ingrown hairs pop into our lives, forcing us to deal with them. It’d be easier if they just never happened, right? That’s where your Knoxville Dermatology Team can help. Check out our easy-to-do tips for preventing ingrown hairs:

  • Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! The major cause of ingrown hairs is dead skin blocking the hair follicle from growing out properly. A great at-home remedy can do the trick. Add a scoop of kosher salt to some shower gel and you’ve got an easy pre-shave exfoliator.
  • Keep skin soft. Soft skin is more pliable which means your hair is less likely to snag on dead skin after you shave. Apply shaving cream or pre-shave oil 10 minutes before removing hair to prep the skin.
  • Better safe than sorry! Avoid infection by using a lotion or oil with anti-bacterial ingredients like tea tree oil or lavender oil. Alcohol-based products are a no-no as they can dry out, irritate and inflame your skin.
  • Adjust your technique. Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to shave. One trigger for razor bumps is shaving too closely, so don’t pull or tug at skin while shaving. Also, don’t put too much pressure on the blades. Use as few strokes as possible and in the same direction to avoid the hair follicle digging inward or sideways.

These quick tips will go a long way to help you achieve smoother skin this summer and say goodbye to those pesky ingrown hairs.

If you have any questions about ingrown hairs or about changes in your skin, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

Ingrown Hairs: A Nuisance

Getting the hairdo right is no easy task, especially for women. Every day seems like a constant struggle to tame the mane. But what happens when our hair doesn’t grow out? How do we deal with ingrown hairs?

Ingrown hairs are just that–hair that grows sideways into the skin. Ingrown hairs most commonly appear after hair removal treatments. Ingrown hairs can be found on the beard, legs and groin area or anywhere that’s been shaved or waxed. Symptoms include a rash and itching skin. The area around the hair will appear red with a raised bump, similar to a pimple.

If you get chronic ingrown hairs, you should talk to your dermatologist about more powerful and effective treatments. There are laser treatment options that may be suited for you. Your dermatologist may also recommend stronger topical treatments with salicylic or glycolic acid to help cure your ingrown hairs.

After treatment, try to follow these tips to prevent ingrown hairs. Use sufficient amounts of shaving cream or gel. The lubrication will ensure a clean shave. Also use fresh, sharp razors that won’t push the hair under the skin.

If you have any questions about ingrown hairs or about changes in your skin, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

How to Treat and Prevent Ingrown Hairs

With Spring and Summer fast approaching, so are the woes that accompany shaving. From shaving beards to shaving legs, men and women who choose this method of hair removal are more than often plagued with ingrown hairs. The redness, irritation and bumps that appear only a few days after shaving, typically accompany ingrown hairs. Though symptoms can be treated, incorporating simple habits to your skin care regiment as a means of prevention is much more advantageous. In this article, we will explore ways to treat and prevent ingrown hairs.

Ingrown hairs (Pseudofolliculitis Barbae) are unsightly and can be painful. They result when shaved hair gets trapped inside the follicle or grows back into the skin. Additionally, certain body parts that are more difficult to shave (such as underarms and bikini) are more prone to this condition due to body heat and friction between skin or against clothing. Ingrown hairs cause an inflammatory response (redness, itchiness, and/or raised infected area

According to the Library of Skin Conditions, some instances of Pseudofolliculitis Barbae can develop into extreme Folliculitis when the hair follicle becomes acutely inflamed. Bacteria, yeasts, or fungi infections can result, as well as some acne variants of the condition.

Razor bumps are caused by infected hair follicles and come from the end of the hair shaft that has been cut and continues to grow into another nearby hair follicle. The introduction of the sharpened end of a hair follicle into another causes an inflammatory response in the skin and leads to a pimple or bump.
The American Academy of Dermatology makes several recommendations to treat and prevent this condition:

*Use Active Ingredients: When selecting a facial cleanser/body wash, choose a product that contains beta hydroxy acids (such as salicylic acid). Since the hair follicle can be blocked by hardened proteins, exfoliating with a beta hydroxyl acid will penetrate deeply and slowly dissolve the plug of hardened proteins. Dermatological-grade ingredients exfoliate, moisturize, clear pores and help prevent infection. Salicylic acid is also recommended as a post-shave product.

Additionally, do not use any product that has alcohol as it will seriously worsen ingrown hairs by drying the skin and closing the pores.

*Exfoliate: Every time you bathe and cleanse your body and/or face, exfoliate to dislodge the tips of ingrown hairs and eliminate dead skin cells. This lifts the hair away from the follicle while softening the hair and preparing it for the shave. Moreover, exfoliation works well to grow hair in the right direction.

*Observe Shaving Techniques:
Razor bumps are triggered by shaving too close. When hair stubs are cut closely, they get trapped inside the hair follicle and curl inward. When shaving, press gently with the blade and make sure not to pull the skin. Also, use a single-blade razor (never an old, dull blade) and avoid shaving over the same area too many times, as this will cause unnecessary skin irritation.

Shave in the direction of the hair growth each time you shave (recommended every other day). For women, when shaving the leg area, shave down instead of up. Dermatologists believe shaving in the same direction, as opposed to against the grain, helps train the hair to grow out straight instead of curling back into the skin.

Upon shaving, apply a damp warm towel to the area for a few minutes to soothe and soften skin.

To treat already ingrown hairs:
*Disinfect the area using a product containing buffered fatty alcohol. This kills the bacteria without the “sting.”
*Use tweezers to carefully lift the ingrown end. Don’t pluck as this will make the hair grow deeper.
*Use products that contain azulene, allantoin and witch hazel to reduce the redness and swelling caused by the ingrown hair.
*There are products available that fight ingrown hairs. Apply to the target area and the bumps should subside and the ingrown hair will point back to the skin’s surface.

 

If you have further questions or concerns regarding this common condition, schedule an appointment today at Knoxville Dermatology Group with one of our board certified physicians to gain more knowledge about your skin so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential!