Ingrown hair treatments such as Retin A creams, antibiotics, Magic Solution, natural home remedies for ingrown hair on legs, neck and men are explained here. Learn how to remove infected ingrown hair cyst and options such as Kalo, Anthony Logistics and other best products for treating down-turned hair follicles on face, neck and legs below.
Tired of those unsightly and painful hair bumps? Various ingrown hair treatment and prevention practices such as Anthony Logistics, Kalo products and even best creams, antibiotics for treatment of ingrown hairs are available. Simple natural home remedies, best creams such as Retin A, products such as Kalo Ingrown Hair Treatment Spray, Anthony Logistics and Razor Burn Freedom are all options you have.
Ingrown hair is a “hair that does not emerge from the follicle but remains embedded in the skin (usually causing inflammation).” When hair is obstructed from growing in its normal direction, it is likely to result into an j-peg hairs. Soon enough, a bump develops in the area with the downturned follicle, and itchiness is likely to follow. A cyst may follow.
Depending on a host of other factors, follicle infection may occur, and even form cyst or boil. Best treatments for ingrown hair cyst or treatments for infected ingrown hair are fashioned for different body parts. You can find treatment for legs, treatment for face, on neck, on men. Treatments for men are mostly for the neck since beard shaving leads to razor burn, razor bumps and rashes.
Best Ingrown Hair Treatment and Cure
Although we will explore treatment for ingrown hair, it is important to note that it can heal on its own without application of topical treatments or even offsetting the hair. It can also be tough to get rid of ingrowing follicles, but with appropriate practices and medications, you can not only prevent but also remove the hairs completely. The following are the treatments used today.
Retin A Cream for Ingrown Hair
So, what are the best cream for treating down-turned follicles? The most effective treatment for ingrown hair is 1% Hydrocortisone Cream and Tretinoin Retin A Cream. Also called Retin A cream, Tretinoin is used to decrease hyperkeratosis (skin plugging) and allow hair to grow out of the skin without any blockages. When your problem of ingrown hairs occurs from a thick epidermis, ensure that you try out thinning it using topical Tretinoin cream. These creams also work well to reduce inflammation in the ingrown hair bumps.
Other Top Rated Creams
- Anthony Logistics (best rated to treat)
- Magic Solution
- Kalo Spray
Chemical Depilatories
Chemical depilatories such as Nair or Neet can be used as treatment for ingrown hair because they loosen the structure of hair to avoid sharp tips of hair entering follicular openings to cause ingrown hair. When using chemical depilatories as treatment for ingrown hair, it is recommended that you apply every second or third day rather than daily. This will avoid skin irritation that may be caused by the depilatories.
- Tip: When the skin gets irritated by Neet and Nair, use hydrocortisone cream to relieve it.
Oral and Topical Antibiotics
These may be applied as treatment for ingrown hairs especially in severe cases where abscesses and pustules have formed. These signs indicate a secondary infection, so topical antibiotics such as E-Mycin and antibacterials such as Persa-Gel may be used. Oral prescriptions may also be given to treat severe ingrown hairs. Today, antibacterial washes are also used to treat ingrown hair infections as well. Benzoyl peroxide is one of the commonly known antibacterial washes used twice a day. If you have a problem with shaving on a daily basis because of fast hair growth, your dermatologist may prescribe topical Vaniqa to reduce the rate of hair growth once applied once a day for two months. This can work as a long-term solution for people with too much facial hair and suffering from pseudofolliculiitis barbae (razor bumps and down-turned follicles).
- Tip: prescribed fading creams may also be used in case of skin discoloration.
Laser Hair Removal
Not so much of a treatment, laser hair removal is a good preventive measure. Laser treatment applied to areas with these problems will permanently decrease the number of hair strands on the skin. However, according to Medicinenet, laser hair removal as a treatment currently works on dark hairs only. Though discoloration may come as a side effect of laser treatment for ingrown hair, the method is considered fast, efficient and safe for many people.
Electrolysis
Some people opt for electrolysis treatment for ingrown hair because it is a permanent hair removal procedure that would target individual stubborn hair follicles. The method can be applied on different skin types and colors. Unlike laser treatment for ingrown hair, any color of hair can be subjected to electrolysis. The method works by destroying hair follicles permanently, but the process is slow and tedious, and may require multiple treatment sessions.
What is Ingrown Hair Infection?
Ingrown hair infection can occur when bacteria from the skin or shaving razors invade the area. Razor bumps are highly prone to developing down-turned hair, especially when one uses a dirty blade or keeps picking at the inflamed skin or papules. When a follicle infection occurs, ensure that you avoid picking and scratching because this can worsen and even leave you with scars. Treatments can help relieve the problem. Products that help relieve the inflammation and those with antibacterial effects can be used to treat ingrown hair infection.
- Use Neosporin as a first aid antibiotic right after removing hair to prevent infection.
- Apply tea tree oil as an antibiotic to help as a treatment for infected ingrown hair. It contains antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to get rid of bacteria, inflammation and redness.
How to Prevent and Stop Ingrown Hair
The best way to avoid getting to ingrown hair treatment is to prevent the condition from developing. How can you prevent ingrown hairs? Well, there are various simple practices you can do while grooming your body to prevent ingrown hair. Here are tips to help you stop ingrown hair.
- Always exfoliate your skin before hair removal. It doesn’t matter if you are going to wax, pluck or shave with razors. The best way to prevent ingrown hair is to exfoliate. In fact, some of the ways on how to treat ingrown hair will work around exfoliation.
- Use oils and moisturizers to get rid of dead skin to allow hair to grow straight.
- Prevent follicle infection in advance. Lotions and oils with antibacterial effects will help in treatment as well as prevention.
- Laser hair removal can also prevent ingrown hair.
Other than these prevention tips, it is important to learn just how to deal with ingrown hair on different parts of your body. You need to look for a cure and how to prevent ingrowing hair in the bikini area, on your face, legs and neck.
Home Remedies for Ingrown Hair
Home remedies for ingrown hair are also part of the solutions. Natural cures for ingrown hairs are simple practices that you can do by yourself at home. The following are some of the natural treatments commonly practiced at home.
- Softening up the skin before shaving
- Straightening up the curving hair to avoid down-turning follicles
- Proper shaving techniques that stop the follicles
- Watching what you wear – simply avoiding tight clothing will go a long way in preventing ingrown hair and bumps.
- Using natural exfoliation techniques can work not only as a way to prevent down-turned follicles but also a simple technique you can practice at home. Loofah and aloe vera gel are commonly used for exfoliation and avoiding razor bumps that occur from hair growing downward.
General Tips on How to Get Rid of Ingrown Hairs
Sometimes, when a cure becomes inadequate, you are likely to end up with scarring, inflammatory hyperpigmentation and in rare cases, keloids. Therefore, other than just relying on medications, I would suggest you follow the general practices listed below to get rid of ingrown hairs either through prevention, removal or even cure for ingrown hair. We have already looked at some of the ingrown hair treatment options, but some of them may be listed here too in a prevention theme.
Always hydrate your skin – Keep your skin hydrated. Don’t confine this tip on ingrown hair prevention to the time you want to shave. Softening up your skin is important to allow hair to grow naturally and easily.
Dislodge Stubborn Tips – Stubborn hair tips are part of the causes of ingrown hair. To dislodge them, use a moistened washcloth, a soft bristled brush or a wet sponge with a mild soap to wash the beard or other part of the body you prone to hair growing into the skin for several minutes. Wash in circular motions for the best results.
Apply Mild Exfoliators – You can find natural exfoliators that you can use to get rid of ingrown hair. Some of these exfoliators are used as solutions too. Sugar and salt are commonly used to treat redness or irritation that may come with follicle infection.
Shave Appropriately – Follow the instructions on appropriate shaving in order to get rid of infected follicles by prevention.
Electric Shavers – This might not be a cure, but it is suggested as one of the best ways to prevent ingrown hairs. An electric razor does not shave too close to the skin surface – one of the causes of razor bumps – so you are less likely to get the bumps.
Dislodge Ingrown Hairs – With a sterilized needle and a good mirror, you can dislodge the hair to allow it to grow out of the skin.
Best Ingrown Hair Products
Ingrown hair treatment does not always translate to pulling them out. In fact, for the case of infected ingrown hairs, you will find it very painful to pull them out. Some of them have papules that are very itchy and painful to even touch. So, you might find the best products specially designed to get rid of ingrown hair. These may include gels, serums, lotions and creams. The following are some of the top-rated products worth trying.
The Art of Shaving Shaving Cream – Made with jojoba oil and African Shea butter, it is known to be one of the best ingrown hair creams that will moisturize and exfoliate your skin to release ingrown hair. Read product description and reviews first.
Shobha Ingrown Relief Lotion– Made absolutely for people looking for ingrown hair treatments and ways on how to get rid of the problem fast. This lotion is free of parabens, artificial fragrance and color. If you know of Shobha hair removal experts, then you’ll know of their revolutionary products in the hair removal industry. Shobha Ingrown Relief Lotion comes highly recommended as the lotion that will get rid of ingrown hair before its appearance. Read reviews first.
MiN Solution 2 Rollerball – This solution plus rollerball contains organic spearmint that will clear congested skin, propylene glycol that works to fight ingrown hair infection and aspirin for exfoliating the skin. For those looking to get a closer shave without the problem, this is the right product for them as it straightens hair and can also be used on razor burn rash and bumps. Read customer reviews first.
The Art of Shaving Night Cream for Women – With the feminine scent of essential rose oil, this cream comes with a soothing and therapeutic property for the skin. It contains white willow bark that helps exfoliate the skin to release trapped hair. Many people find the cream a superior solution with no side effects at all. Read customer review and product description.
Other top rated products include the following. Click on the links to read reviews.
- PrinceReigns Relief Serum
- Whish Flawless Serum
- Tend Skin Liquid
Conclusion and Recap
Over time, I have learnt that everyone has their own experience with products, tips, methods and secrets of getting rid of a cosmetic problem. We cannot simply conclude that solution A will work for all of us. I haven’t met someone who has gone for electrolysis yet, but we all understand that the best way to stop ingrown hair is not necessarily to go for laser hair removal or use some fancy cream. Learning how to remove hair in a way that will avoid ingrown hair and razor bumps always works best. Below is a quick recap of the causes of ingrown follicles:
Causes of Ingrown Hair
“I have ingrown hair on my arms, legs and thighs. They never stop…and my skin can be inflamed at times,” said a lady writing to ask for treatment on GoaskAlice. Different causes contribute to this cosmetic problem, but at the very basic understanding, when the normal direction of hair growth is interfered with, there is likely to occur the problem and even bumps, also called razor bumps. According to Mayo Clinic doctors, “hair structure and direction of growth play a role in down-turned hair follocles.” When a hair follicle curves downwards and grows into the skin rather than out of the skin, the condition erupts.
That being the basis of the causes, let’s look at the contributing causes.
- Hair structure and genetics – people with curled hair are prone this problem.
- Improper shaving techniques (epilation is also included here – waxing and plucking in the wrong way will cause hair growing downward. See prevention tips below to learn more on this.)
- Dry skin – common in black men and women
- Blockage of the follicular openings is a common cause of hair growing taking the wrong direction.
- Tight clothing.
- Some sex hormones.
