An ingrown hair is one that sprouted through the skin normally and then due to natural curl or being bent at an extreme angle has grown back into the skin. It may cause some inflammation and because the hair has been contaminated with skin bacteria, it may become infected. When infection occurs, the area forms a pustule that will look much like a pimple. It may not be possible to even see the hair where the skin has grown over it. It can become red, hot, swollen and painful, which are the typical signs of skin infection.
Step 1
Place the ice cube on the infected area while you get the supplies ready. This will numb the area. Ice can remain for up to 20 minutes. Sanitize your hands. Place paper towels or a clean towel under the area with the infection.
Step 2
Wash the needle and tweezers and place them in the small bowl. Pour alcohol to cover them. Allow the needles and tweezers to soak for 15 minutes to sterilize.
Step 3
Remove the ice from your skin. Sanitize your hands. Clean the pustule and skin with an alcohol-moistened pad or cotton ball, moving from the infected area outwards. Repeat this with a clean pad. Do not touch the infected area after cleaning it.
Step 4
Put on gloves if you want. Use alcohol on a gauze pad or cotton ball to sanitize your fingertips or the glove's fingertips before each step from now on. Remove the needle from the alcohol touching only the dull end. Nick the top of the pustule enough to allow pus to escape and to find the hair. Use the magnifying glass if you need to. Light hair may be hard to see.
Step 5
Pick up the tweezers by the handle end and grasp the hair. Pull gently but firmly until the hair is removed. You may have to reposition the tweezers on the hair to get a firm grip. Wipe away any pus and blood with a clean alcohol-moistened gauze or cotton ball. Allow the skin to air dry. Do not touch it.
Step 6
Use a clean Q-tip to apply a fairly thick coating of antibiotic ointment on the infected area. Ointment stays on better than cream. Apply a band-aid without touching the gauze portion.
Tips and Warnings
- A good light source helps a lot. Remember that every time you touch something that hasn't been sanitized, you must sanitize your hands.
- The goal is to remove the infected hair without introducing any new bacteria from the skin of the patient or the helper or any supplies. If the area appears to be getting worse, call your healthcare provider for further advice as it might be a MRSA infection.The use of ointment and a band-aid will help keep the pustule open and draining. Leave it in place for 24 hours unless the band-aid becomes wet or soiled. In this case, repeat steps 6 and 7. If it appears to be healing well after 24 hours, use a thin application of antibiotic ointment or cream and change the band-aid at least once a day until the area has healed.
Things You'll Need
- Ice cube wrapped in a clean cloth
- Hand sanitizer
- Isopropyl alcohol 70% strength
- Bowl with flat bottom
- Needle with a sharp point
- Tweezers
- Gauze square or cotton balls
- Paper towels or clean cloth towel
- Gloves
- Magnifying glass
- Cotton swabs
- Antibiotic ointment
- Band-aid
References
- "Simple Skin Surgery" Second Edition; Burge, Colver and Lester; 1996
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