What Is Ingrown Hair: Symptoms, Causes, Ways To Avoid Ingrown Hair & Home Remedies

By Dr. Ritu Kumari Gupta on February 5, 2021

Ways To Avoid Ingrown Hair

No doubt, ingrown hair is very annoying and makes your skin feel rough. It causes bumps, pimples and in severe cases leads to infection. Ingrown hair spoils the appearance of the skin and causes difficulties in removing hair. This is why it is important to avoid the recurrence by treating ingrown hair.

What Is Ingrown Hair?

An ingrown hair is that grows back into the skin instead of rising up. It commonly appears on the face, neck, legs, armpit, pubic area,and chest and back after shaving or waxing.

What Are The Symptoms Of Ingrown Hair?

The symptoms of ingrown hair include raised red bumps, boil, discomfort and itching.

What Causes Ingrown Hair?

Ingrown hair is common in people having curly or thick hair. It is also common in people with high level of sex hormones.

Below Are Ways To Avoid Ingrown Hair

#1. Wear Loose Clothes

Wearing tight clothes is one of the important reasons for ingrown hair. Tight clothes make your hair to grow in backward direction due to which the hair do not grow freely. So make sure the dresses you wear is not too tight.

#2. Shave Properly

When you shave your legs and hands to remove hair take care to shave properly. First apply hair softening cream and then shave in the direction of hair to avoid ingrown hair.

#3. Give Gap Between The Waxing

Waxing too frequently causes the hairs to be broken or pulled. This leads to ingrown hair. Be sure to wax only when the hair is a centimetre in length because waxing shorter hair do not remove them completely.

Shaving or Waxing Makes Your Hair Grow Thicker Than Before

#4. Avoid Using The Skin Products That Contain Alcohol

Many moisturizers, cleansers and skin toner available in the market contain alcohol. Avoid such products as they cause ingrown hair. Make sure to check the products for the ingredients before buying them.

Home Remedies For Ingrown Hair

#1. Warm Compress

Soak a soft towel in hot water. Wring it to remove excess of water and then apply it on the waxed area. Repeat this a few times in a day to soften the hair and bring it close to the skin surface.

#2. Almond Scrub

To achieve a smooth skin and minimize the ingrown hair apply almond scrub. Mix ground almonds with curd, and apply the paste on your skin. This helps to remove the dead skin cells and prevent ingrown hair.

Almond Scrub

#3. Almond Oil And Salt

Mix a teaspoon of salt with a tablespoon almond oil and then scrub gently over the affected area to remove dead skin cells and get a smooth skin.

Almond Oil to Make Natural Scrub

#4. Ice Pack

Wrap a few ice cubes in a clean cloth and apply it to the affectedarea for a few seconds. Repeat this a few times in a day to prevent the ingrown hair and close the pores.

#5. Rice Powder Scrub

To a teaspoon rice powder add a tablespoon curd and mix well. Apply this all over the skin and rub gently to remove the cellular build up. This will loosen the ingrown hair.

#6. Sugar Paste

To 3 tablespoons granulated sugar add 2 tbsp sunflower oil. Mixed well and apply over the affected area. After 15 minutes, rinse it off with warm water.

#7. Oatmeal and Egg

Take a teaspoon-powdered oatmeal. Mix it with honey, egg white and curd to make a paste. Apply to your skin to remove the dead skin cells. This will soften the skin and remove ingrown hairs.

If ingrown hair is not treated at time, it leads to dark skin, scaring and infection. It is also believed that it can cause pilonidal cyst. So better, take care of your skin and practice ways to avoid ingrown hair.

Dr. Ritu Kumari Gupta: Professionally a homeopathic doctor and a dietician Dr. Ritu Kumari Gupta is passionate about writing health and parenting blogs. She believes in holistic approach towards health and well being.