Men with tightly coiled hair, such as African-American men and Hispanics, are likely to suffer from ingrown facial hair because of the flat, elliptical shape of the hair follicle. Ingrown hairs occur when the hair grows approximately 1 to 2 mm from the top of the hair follicle, then curves around into the skin, according to the Department of the Navy. When the hair grows back into the skin, the body reacts as it does to a foreign object and begins to fight the hair. When this happens, blister- or zit-like bumps occur, a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae, or PFB. Shaving, tweezing and waxing hairs are common causes of ingrown hairs.
Step 1
Exfoliate the mustache each day. Use a rough towel, soft toothbrush or polyester web sponge for three to five minutes. This will remove dead skin cells and tease hair away from the skin, which reduces the risk of ingrown hairs occurring.
Step 2
Trim your mustache with clippers or scissors instead of using other hair removal methods. Leaving the hair 1/8 inch to ¼ inch above the skin will usually stop ingrown hairs, says University of Mississippi Health Care.
Step 3
Shave the mustache only after softening the skin by applying a wet compress and using a lubricating shave gel. Use a PFB razor to go over each strip of hair once, moving from under the nose to the top of the lip. Rinse the razor between strokes. Remove any shaving gel residue by rinsing your mustache with cold water after shaving. Be sure to skip days between shaves as daily shaving greatly increases the risk of ingrown hairs.
Step 4
Visit a dermatologist if you suffer from chronic ingrown hairs in the mustache area. Electrolysis can destroy the hair follicles in the area and stop ingrown hairs. If you don't want to go to that extreme, you can also ask about chemical peels and prescription medications to reduce the risk of ingrown hairs in the area.
Things You'll Need
- Rough towel
- Soft toothbrush
- Polyester web sponge
- Clippers
- Scissors
- Warm compress
- PFB razor
- Shave gel
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