An ingrown hair is a hair that curves around and reenters the skin. This irritates the skin, which can be painful and may look swollen and red. The only sure way to avoid ingrown hairs on the neck is to let the hair grow or shave it off. If you have to shave your neck, there are certain things you can do to minimize your risk of getting ingrown hairs.
Step 1
Exfoliate your skin before you start to shave. You can do this using a soft-bristle toothbrush or eyebrow brush.
Step 2
Apply wet heat to your neck before shaving. You can use a towel soaked in hot water or soak your neck in the bathtub.
Step 3
Trim the neck hair using scissors or clippers if it is long. Hair that is long is more likely to be pulled while shaving, which will irritate the hair follicles and the neck.
Step 4
Put shaving gel on your neck. This will lubricate your neck.
Step 5
Use a single-bladed sharp razor to shave. This will stop you from shaving too close to your skin. The Mayo Clinic suggests that people prone to ingrown hairs avoid close shaves. You should also avoid pulling your skin taut while shaving to keep from shaving too close.
Step 6
Shave in the same direction as the hair grows, states Epigee.org. This will minimize the amount of pulling on the hair as you shave.
Step 7
Cool your neck by applying a towel soaked in cool water after you shave.
Tips and Warnings
- Consider shaving your neck using clippers or an electric razor if you still get ingrown hairs after following these suggestions. If you still get ingrown hairs, treat them by applying a hot wet compress to the area three times a day. If you can see the hair, you can use a sanitized needle to remove the ingrown side of hair from the skin by pulling up gently on the loop of hair visible between the ends. Don't pull the hair out by the root end. Apply triple antibiotic ointment after removing the hair.
Things You'll Need
- Small brush
- Scissors or clippers
- Warm compress
- Shaving gel
- Razor
- Cool compress
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