The genital area is one of the most common areas for females to get ingrown hairs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Women with tightly curled hair, such as Hispanics and African Americans, are more likely to get ingrown hairs. For women with tightly curled hair, the hair follicles are curved, which makes it easier, and more likely, for the hair to grow back toward the skin. However, anyone who shaves the genital area may suffer from ingrown genital hair.
Causes
An ingrown genital hair may occur when the hair in the pubic area or upper thighs is shaved, tweezed or waxed close to the skin. When the hair is shaved, the end becomes sharp. If the hair curves back toward the skin as it grows, it may reenter the skin, which makes it an ingrown hair. Another way that a hair can become ingrown is if part of the hair follicle is blocked by dirt or dead skin. This may cause the hair to grow into the side of the hair follicle, which is also considered an ingrown hair.
Symptoms
An area of irritation is the main sign of an ingrown genital hair. The area may look like a pimple. Because ingrown hairs are treated by your immune system as a foreign body, you may experience pain. While the area may be very itchy, it is important not to scratch it as this may lead to infection. You can use a cortisol cream to help control the itching.
Treatment
Most ingrown genital hair can be treated at home by using soaks in warm bath water and wearing loose clothing. Once the ingrown hair loop is visible above the skin, the ingrown end of the hair can be gently removed using a needle that has been sterilized with alcohol. For severe or chronic ingrown genital hair, prescription treatment may be necessary. Antibiotics, corticosteroids and retinoids are some of the medications your doctor may prescribe.
Prevention
Soaking in warm water before shaving with a single-bladed razor can help to prevent ingrown genital hairs. Using shaving gel is another way to minimize the risk of ingrown hairs. Before shaving, you may opt to exfoliate with a loofa, which is recommended by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. Shaving from the pubic bone downward, which is the direction genital hair grows, may help to reduce the risk of ingrown hairs.
Warning
Ingrown genital hairs can sometimes become infected, especially if you scratch the area or try to remove an embedded hair, which is an ingrown hair that hasn't formed a visible hair loop yet. Topical antibiotics, such as over-the-counter triple antibiotic ointments, can be used to help minimize the risk of infection. Additionally, you should visit your doctor if the ingrown hair forms ulcerous lesions because this may not be an ingrown hair---it may be a sexually transmitted disease or infection.
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