Ingrown hairs
Introduction
Ingrown hairs are hairsthat havecurled round andgrown back into the skin. They produce raised red spots, which can sometimes become infected and turn into painful, pus-filled sores. Ingrown hairs can be itchy and embarrassing, but they often go away on their own without doing anything. Anyone can get ingrown hairs, but they tend to be more of aproblem in people with coarse or curly hair. This topic covers: What causes ingrown hairs? What to do If there are lots of pus-filled spots Preventing ingrown hairs Other possible skin conditions
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on
Introduction
Read about ingrown hairs, including what causes them and advice about what to do if you have them.
What causes ingrown hairs?
Ingrown hairs have usually grown out of the skin, curled back round and re-entered the skin. Some curl back into the hair follicle small cavities in the skinthat hairs grow out ofwithout even exiting
What to do
If possible, you should leave ingrown hairs for a whileasthey may disappear without you having to do anything. Don't pick or scratch an ingrown hairas bacteria can enter the small wound created, incr
If there are lots of pus-filled spots
The hair follicles of ingrown hairs can sometimes become infected and inflamed. This is known as folliculitis. The hair follicles will swell into pus-filled spots, although pus doesn't always mean th
Preventing ingrown hairs
The simplest way to prevent ingrowing hairs is to let your hair grow freely without shaving it. You may want to try this for a brief period if you need relief from particularly bad spots. If you don'
Other possible skin conditions
There are many skin conditions that can easily be mistaken for ingrown hairs, including: keratosis pilaris ("chicken skin") a common, harmless condition where the skin becomes rough and bumpy,
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