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Ingrown hairs cause bumps, which are often itchy, where a hair has grown back into the skin. There are things you can do to treat and prevent them and in most cases you will not need to a see a GP for treatment.
Ingrown hairs can look like raised, itchy bumps on the skin.
On white skin the bumps may look red. Redness may be harder to see on black or brown skin, but they may look a different colour to the surrounding skin.
Sometimes you can see a hair trapped under the skin.
You may be more likely to get ingrown hairs if you have coarse or curly hair.
Infected ingrown hairs can be painful. You may see pus in the bumps.
You are more likely to get ingrown hairs in areas you shave, such as:
Waxing, plucking and threading hair can also lead to ingrown hairs.
The best way to prevent ingrown hairs is by not shaving.
If you want to shave, or remove hair in another way, there are things you can do to prevent ingrown hairs and help them get better quicker.
wet your skin with warm water and use shaving gel
shave in the direction the hairs are growing
use as few strokes of the razor as possible
rinse the razor after every stroke
hold a cool, wet cloth to your skin after shaving to reduce irritation
use an exfoliating scrub to help release any trapped hairs
try a different hair removal method, such as hair removal cream
try a long-term way of removing hair, such as laser treatment
do not shave too close – leaving some stubble can stop bacteria getting in
do not use a blunt razor
do not shave every day, if possible
do not scratch, pick or squeeze ingrown hairs as this can damage your skin and lead to infection
You can ask a pharmacist about:
A GP may be able to treat ingrown hairs by:
