Prevent ingrown hairs with black cumin seed oil?

Nigella sativa oil to reduce the risk of ingrown hairs?

Ingrown hairs are a frequent issue, particularly following hair removal or shaving. They manifest as localised inflammation, redness and small pimples. It is sometimes claimed that black seed oil (Nigella sativa oil) has a preventive effect on ingrown hairs. But what does the evidence really say? Let us explore this question together.

Published on January 27, 2026, updated on January 27, 2026, by Pauline, Chemical Engineer — 5 min of reading

Nigella sativa oil and ingrown hairs: what effect does it have?

Ingrown hairs appear when the hair, instead of emerging correctly through the skin’s surface, grows beneath the epidermis or curls back into the hair follicle. This phenomenon is common after shaving or hair removal, particularly in areas subject to repeated friction, such as the bikini line, underarms and legs. Several factors can promote their occurrence, such as hyperkeratinisation that blocks the follicular opening, dry skin, or the hair’s naturally curly or coarse nature. Ingrown hairs manifest as small red papules that may sometimes be painful, potentially progressing to more pronounced inflammation or even a secondary infection in certain cases. Their appearance can resemble small pimples, occasionally with the hair visible beneath the skin.

It is important to note that to date, no study has assessed the efficacy of nigella oil in preventing or managing ingrown hairs.

The nigella oil is primarily recognised for its nourishing, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, notably due to its richness in fatty acids and thymoquinone. While these effects may contribute to improving skin comfort and soothing irritated skin, they do not target the underlying mechanisms responsible for ingrown hairs, in particular the excess keratin leading to follicular blockage. The anti-inflammatory potential of nigella oil could, hypothetically, assist in calming the redness associated with an already present ingrown hair, but no data support the notion that it limits their occurrence or facilitates the hair’s emergence at the skin’s surface.

In practice, the prevention of ingrown hairs is primarily based on a few simple measures. It is first recommended to exfoliate the skin regularly with keratolytic agents to reduce the build-up of dead cells, to maintain good skin hydration to preserve the suppleness of the stratum corneum, and to adapt hair removal techniques such as shaving or depilation (clean razor blade, shaving in the direction of hair growth, avoiding repeated passes). Wearing loose-fitting clothing after hair removal and using soothing skincare products can also help prevent local inflammation. To date, these measures remain the most effective approaches to limit the risk of ingrown hairs, with nigella oil serving, at best, as a supplementary comfort treatment, without any proven preventive effect.