Unsightly and unattractive, ingrown hairs can be difficult to manage on a daily basis. There are natural solutions available to prevent their occurrence or speed up their disappearance when they are already present. Discover the natural solutions to effectively deal with ingrown hairs.
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A natural solution to combat ingrown hairs.
Summary
- Everything you need to know about ingrown hairs
- The various natural solutions for treating an ingrown hair
Published June 15, 2022,
updated on October 4, 2024,
by
Sandrine, Scientific Editor
—
7 min read
Everything you need to know about ingrown hairs.
Typically, a hair grows from the hair follicle, upwards and onto the skin's surface. However, when it fails to break through the dermal barrier, and thus its growth occurs internally, it is referred to as ingrown. This results in the emergence of a small inflamed red bump, which can be itchy, at the location where the hair should have normally emerged.
Generally, an ingrown hair will disappear on its own, but in some cases, it continues to grow under the skin and tends to become infected, thereby causing a folliculitis and then an abscess. It thus becomes painful and fills with pus. If it has been scratched or fiddled with, scarring may even occur.
This phenomenon may be due to its curled shape, growth in the wrong direction or even due to excessively dry skin. They often appear after a waxing or shaving session. The skin type and the rubbing of tight clothing against the skin, which contributes to its thickening, can also lead to an ingrown hair.
Although they can appear on any part of the body where hair grows (excluding the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, etc...), some areas are more prone to developing them than others: in men, the most affected areas are the chin, chest and neck, whereas in women, it's the legs, underarms and pubic area.
The various natural solutions for treating an ingrown hair.
There are small natural tricks to combat the appearance of ingrown hairs :
The application of damp compresses.
Apply a warm water-dampened compress to soften the skin and facilitate the hair's exit. You can also soak the compresses in witch hazel water, as it has healing and decongesting properties.
The use of green clay.
Thegreen clay is said to be highly effective in eliminating ingrown hairs. Indeed, it containsiron oxide which has antibacterial properties. Our purifying mask helps to soothe and improve skin healing. It also contains stinging nettle extract, known for its anti-inflammatory benefits. Apply it in a semi-thick layer in a targeted manner on the area to be treated and leave it on for 15 minutes.
The use of skincare products based on essential oils.
Certain essential oils (EO), such as thetea tree EO, the super lavandin EO, the rose geranium EO, the sweet orange EO or even the blue gum eucalyptus EO, are known for their antiseptic properties. They help to prevent ingrown hairs from becoming infected and also alleviate inflammation. Our exfoliating cleansing gel contains sweet orange EO. Use it to cleanse your skin morning and evening to limit the formation of ingrown hairs.
Exfoliate the skin to free the hairs from dead cells.
A thickened skin is more prone to developing ingrown hairs. Therefore, exfoliation helps to soften the skin, remove dead cells from the surface of the epidermis, thereby reducing the occurrence of ingrown hairs. Moreover, it facilitates the emergence of hairs potentially present under the skin.
For your facial skin, on a daily basis and after cleansing your skin, we recommend using our purifying toner withsalicylic acid morning and evening. This is a keratolytic active that eliminates dead cells on the skin surface. Moreover, salicylic acid possesses excellent anti-bacterial properties that help prevent the growth of microorganisms.
It is also important to exfoliate your skin 1 to 2 times per week, preferably before shaving. If you have ingrown hairs in your beard, apply our scalp scrub to your beard to exfoliate your skin. This will help to remove dead cells from the skin's surface and refine the epidermis, thus facilitating hair growth. Our scrub offers a dual chemical (P.H.A.) and mechanical (jojoba beads and silica powder) exfoliation. It also contains eucalyptus globulus essential oil which has antiseptic and soothing properties, as well as peppermint essential oil which helps to stimulate beard growth.
For the skin of your body, you have the nourishing body scrub with micro-grains of apricot kernels. The rolling of the grains gently removes all the dead skin cells that can block the hair, and softens and smooths the epidermis to allow the hair to emerge more easily. It also contains sweet almond oil with nourishing properties, as well as super lavandin essential oil known for its anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Use it 1 to 2 times per week on clean, dry skin, preferably before hair removal.
However, if the ingrown hair persists, becomes infected, or transforms into an abscess or cyst, do not attempt to treat it yourself and instead consult a dermatologist to avoid exacerbating the problem. They may opt for a minor procedure to remove the hair using a sterile needle, for example, or prescribe a topical or oral antibiotic in certain cases.
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