Ingrown hairs can occur anywhere on the body, but they are most often found on sensitive areas that are frequently shaved, like a man's neck. Additionally, hair that is coarse, thick and curly may be more likely to become ingrown, suggests the Mayo Clinic. Ingrown hairs occur when the hair grows back under the skin, causing an inflamed, red bump on the skin's surface. You can remove ingrown hairs at home, but stubborn, infected ingrown hairs that continue to grow back may require a doctor's attention.
Step 1
Leave your neck alone by growing a beard. Once a hair becomes long enough to grow away from the skin, it is unlikely that the hair will become ingrown. By growing out your hair into a beard, you can avoid ingrown hairs until you shave again.
Step 2
Gently dislodge ingrown hairs with sterilized tweezers, suggests Chris Rovny, fashion consultant of "Ask Men." Soak a pair of tweezers in hydrogen peroxide, then dab your face with a cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide. Gently lift the hair from the skin, but avoid breaking the skin or digging into the neck to remove the hair.
Step 3
Apply an over-the-counter ingrown hair product containing aspirin. If you cannot find an ingrown hair product at the drugstore or grocery store, place four aspirin tablets in a cup of water until they dissolve. Dab the mixture on the afflicted area twice a day to reduce swelling, allowing hairs to emerge from the skin.
Step 4
Consult a dermatologist for an over-the-counter cream containing retinoids. Retinoids encourage skin exfoliation, reducing the appearance of red bumps and helping ingrown hairs grow out of the skin, states the Mayo Clinic. Side effects of retinoid products include itching and burning of the skin.
Step 5
Permanently remove stubborn ingrown hairs with laser hair removal. Laser hair removal can be performed at a dermatologist's office and requires no healing time. One hair, or a small area of hairs, can be removed by the hair follicle, preventing them from growing back.
Tips and Warnings
- If you do not have tweezers, use a sterilized needle to gently remove ingrown hairs.
- Consult a doctor if an ingrown hair becomes infected.
Things You'll Need
- Tweezers
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Cotton ball
- Over-the-counter ingrown hair product
- 4 aspirin tablets
- Cup
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