Ingrown hair what does it feel like

Each strand of hair grows in a follicle beneath the skin. When people wax or shave, they only remove the strands of hair, not the follicles. When the hair regrows, it may become trapped within the skin, growing farther inward instead of outward and forming a little bump. Sometimes, skin cells and a fibrous substance called keratin, a protein in hair and nails, collect within the lump.

Over time, the buildup forms a cyst. Skin cysts are not usually dangerous , and they may go away on their own. They can, however, become inflamed or infected. If a cyst becomes inflamed or infected, a doctor might suggest a steroid injection or antibiotics.

Also, a steroid cream may help reduce swelling or irritation. Anyone who has an ingrown hair or resulting cyst should avoid scratching, picking, or squeezing it. This can damage the skin and lead to an infection. The best way to prevent ingrown hairs is to avoid shaving and waxing. If a person wants to remove hair, it may help to switch to a hair removal cream or laser treatment. For people who prefer to continue shaving, the following tips can reduce the risk of ingrown hairs:. Ingrown hairs can form anywhere on the body with hair.

Shaving and waxing are the most common causes of ingrown hairs. At first, a person may notice a series of small bumps, which may be reddish and itchy. Although you could definitely be dealing with a pimple on your bikini line, zits are more likely to show up in areas like your face, upper chest, and back than your pubic area, Jennifer Hsiao, M.

Still, this is tricky, because the irritation, inflammation, and other symptoms that may come along with pimples can be similar to what you experience with an ingrown hair. For instance, a pimple can come to a head, Gary Goldenberg , M. You should definitely try to look closely at the area to see if you can spot a loop of hair embedded into the skin.

Even better if you have a magnifying mirror lying around. Epidermoid cysts : These are small, non-cancerous, slow-growing bumps that can form beneath your skin when cells you were supposed to shed instead shift deeper and multiply, per the Mayo Clinic. Potential causes of this include irritation and injury to the area. Symptoms of an epidermoid cyst include a small, firm bump under the skin, a visible blackhead at the top of the bump, expulsion of a thick, yellow, smelly material, and possibly redness, swelling, and tenderness, the Mayo Clinic says.

However, in most cases, epidermoid cysts are painless, the Mayo Clinic says, while an ingrown hair is usually tender to the touch and causes other uncomfortable issues like itching. When this infection is sexually transmitted, the bumps typically sprout up on the genitals, lower abdomen, and inner upper thighs—right around the bikini line—according to the Mayo Clinic. These genital warts also tend to be skin-colored, Dr. Hsiao says. They can show up as a small bump or group of bumps, can be flat or look bumpy like cauliflower, and can appear on the groin, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Waxing pulls the hair so quickly that the follicle and tube become damaged. The hair becomes caught under the skin, causing ingrowns. A similar occurrence happens when epilating. An epilator is similar to an electric shaver. It has a rotating head of tweezers that traps hairs and pulls them from the root as it is run across the skin.

This creates the same damaging effect as waxing. Finally, tight clothing can cause ingrown hairs, especially tight underwear. Skin is its healthiest when it's allowed to breathe. The elastic in tight underwear presses into the skin, trapping hair as it begins to grow back and giving way to bothersome ingrown hairs.

Ingrown hairs will typically go away on their own if you leave them alone. Step one: Stop all hair removal attempts. Don't try to pluck, pull, shave, wax, or cut hair in the area where ingrown hairs are. You'll only make your skin angrier and possibly introduce an infection. Step two: Apply a warm compress and gently exfoliate.

Using a soft washcloth soaked in warm - not hot - water, gently press into the irritated area for minutes to soften skin. Then use slow, circular motions to very gently exfoliate for only seconds. Skip exfoliating if it hurts or makes your skin more irritated. Step three: Remove the ingrown hair. This step only applies if you can see the looped hair growing into your skin.

If you can't see the tip, skip to step four. If you can see the hair, use a clean, sharp tool like pointed tweezers to remove it. Free it from the skin first. If it comes out easily, gently pull the entire hair out.

Make sure your tweezers are strong enough to get the whole hair so you don't have to repeat the process all over again. If it doesn't come out easily, leave it be.

It'll be ready soon. After the hair becomes free, the redness and swelling should subside quite quickly. It also blocks the hair follicle, trapping various substances in the pore. A cyst can develop. Skin cysts often contain keratin, a protein that keeps skin strong and flexible. But sometimes, cysts arise from trapped bacteria or inflammatory response to an infection. To reduce the risk of cysts developing from an ingrown hair, people can try the following:.

When a lump appears in an area where there is body hair, it may be because a cyst has formed around an ingrown hair. A person should look for a small red bump with a hair in it that slowly grows into a bigger lump. Many cysts of this type develop in areas covered in razor burn. It is easy to mistake a harmless cyst for a more serious skin condition. Anyone who has a cyst that does not clear up after a week or two should see their doctor. Prompt treatment can be lifesaving in the case of skin cancer , serious skin infections , and other dangerous skin problems.

Preventing ingrown hairs is the best way to prevent this type of cyst from developing. However, if cysts do appear, they are usually harmless and often go away on their own.

People who frequently develop cysts, razor burn, or ingrown hairs should ask their doctor about strategies for reducing the occurrence of these annoying skin conditions. Read this article in Spanish. Cysts are abnormal, fluid-filled sacs in the body. They are very common and usually benign. In this article, learn about the types and causes of cysts,.