Friction to the skin, from razors or tight clothing, can cause ingrown hairs. Staphylococcus, or staph, bacteria that naturally inhabit the skin can enter the irritated hair follicles and lead to infection. Mild cases result in a red, itchy rash, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Untreated ingrown hairs can manifest into boils that ooze and swell, causing severe pain. Known as folliculitis, these infected ingrown hairs require topical remedies to kill the bacteria, reduce the inflammation and heal the hair follicles.
Step 1
Avoid wearing tight clothes or shaving the affected area during the healing process. Most cases of folliculitis heal within 10 days of beginning a treatment.
Step 2
Wash the affected area with an antibacterial soap every time you shower or bathe. Rinse your skin with warm water after washing and pat it dry with a clean towel.
Step 3
Spread a thin layer of antibiotic ointment over the infected hair follicles. A pea-size amount applied with clean fingertips, three times a day, should suffice.
Step 4
Apply a warm compress to the infected hair follicles between antibiotic ointment applications. Saturate a washcloth with warm water, wring out the washcloth and apply it to the skin for 15 minutes to help calm your skin and relieve swelling.
Step 5
Contact your physician if the infected ingrown hairs do not heal within 10 days. Infected hair follicles that grow painfully worse or spread to other areas of the body may require oral antibiotics.
Tips and Warnings
- If you find the pain associated with infected ingrown hairs intolerable, try a dose of ibuprofen to relieve the pain. According to the website Drugs, the maximum adult dose of ibuprofen is 800 mg, four times a day, or up to 3,200 mg in 24 hours.
- Keep in mind that if you have diabetes or human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, you may be more susceptible to infected ingrown hairs. For this reason, consider taking special precautions, such as using depilatories instead of shaving, avoiding public hot tubs, avoiding the use of oils on your skin and wearing loose-fitting clothing.
Things You'll Need
- Antibacterial soap
- Clean towel
- Antibiotic ointment
- Washcloth
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