Ingrown hairs are caused when the hair curls back into the skin as it grows. This causes a painful red bump, also known as razor burn, that becomes inflamed and infected. There are several ways to cure ingrown hairs, but the best treatment is prevention.
Step 1
Prevent ingrown facial hair by prepping the area you're going to shave. Exfoliate with a warm wash cloth to remove dead skin cells, soften the hair and open pores. Use an electric razor to prevent a close shave. If the hair is cut very short, it may be more likely to curl back into the skin as it grows, causing an ingrown hair.
Step 2
Apply a warm damp towel to your face after shaving. This will soften the hair and make it less likely that the hair will repenetrate the skin.
Step 3
Use a cream based aftershave lotion, not an alcohol-based aftershave splash or cologne, to soothe the skin and moisturize the hair. If you still get ingrown chin hairs, use tweezers to pull them out individually.
Step 4
Carefully use tweezers to get the ingrown hair. Sterilize the razor bump and the tweezers with witch hazel and gently insert the point of the tweezers under the skin until you find the hair.
Step 5
Remove the hair from the follicle, pulling in the direction of the hair growth, being careful not to break the hair. After you successfully remove the hair, clean the area with witch hazel.
Step 6
Apply an over-the-counter acne cream with glycolic acid, which will kill any bacteria and reduce swelling, redness and irritation. Make sure that the glycolic acid has a concentration under 10 percent. If the acid is too strong, it will cause more irritation.
Tips and Warnings
- If chronic ingrown chin hairs are a problem, you may choose a permanent hair-removal solution such as laser hair treatments or electrolysis.
- If you cannot see the ingrown hair, apply a warm compress to pull the hair to the surface before using tweezers to dig for it.
Things You'll Need
- Tweezers with a sharp point
- Warm water
- Wash cloth
- Witch hazel
- Acne cream containing glycolic acid
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