When a hair is waxed, sugared, tweezed or shaved below the surface of the skin, the hair may grow through the wall of the follicle instead of growing up out of the follicle. This is considered a deep ingrown hair, or embedded hair. Deep ingrown hairs are common in people who have curly hair.
Symptoms
A deep ingrown hair causes irritation of the hair follicle. The area will be painful and possibly itchy. A boil-like or acne-like blemish will appear in the form of a red bump that may be filled with pus.
Time Frame
Most deep ingrown hairs will become noticeable within a few days of hair removal. In most cases, ingrown hairs will heal within two to four weeks, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.
Treatments
Removing the end of the ingrown hair isn’t possible with a deep ingrown hair because it isn’t visible. Instead, the ingrown hair can be treated with hot compresses or soaks in warm water. The area should be washed with a soap that contains 10 percent benzoyl peroxide to help control the inflammation, according to MotherNature.com. If itching is problematic, cortisone cream can be applied. As the inflammation and irritation diminish, the body will slowly push the ingrown hair out, and the area will heal.
Medicinal Treatments
For some people, deep ingrown hairs are a chronic problem that occurs after each hair-removal session. If this is the case, or if the hairs don’t respond to home remedies, it may be necessary to get prescription treatments from a doctor. If the blemish is picked at, bacteria may cause an infection. An infected ingrown hair can lead to permanent scarring. The Mayo Clinic says that prescription antibiotics may be necessary. Hyperpigmentation, or darkening of the skin, is another possibility, especially for people with dark skin. In some cases, the skin around the ingrown hair may become thicker than the surrounding skin, a condition called hyperkeratosis. Corticosteriods and retinoids can help control these problems. Corticosteroids may help to control the inflammation. Retinoids can exfoliate the area to remove dead skin cells and reduce the risk of ingrown hairs.
Prevention/Solution
Deep ingrown hairs can usually be prevented by using hair-removal methods such as electric shavers, laser hair removal, electrolysis or depilatory creams that don’t cause the hair to break off below the surface of the skin, according to to the website Epigee. If none of those are possible, the risk of ingrown hairs can be reduced by using a razor with one blade and shaving gel and shaving in the direction of the hair growth. Softening the skin and hair by soaking the area in warm water for at least five minutes prior to shaving may also help. When it is an option, letting the hair grow freely can put a stop to ingrown hairs.
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