the dynamic natural skin care: ingrown hair

Thursday, July 23

Ingrown hair causes - Ingrown hair symptoms

Home › What is ingrown hair › Ingrown hair causes and symptoms
What is ingrown hair?
Ingrown hair occurs when the sharp, cut-end of thick hair grows sideways, at an abnormal angle, penetrating into the dermal skin.

Quite often the condition resolves by itself without any clinical symptoms. In some persons ingrown hair may cause small pimple-like bumps with symptoms like reddening, inflammation, pain and pus formation. Though in most of the cases, the ingrowth involves the skin areas which are shaved, tweezed or waxed, it can occur in any hairy part on the body.

Ingrown hair causes

Shaving, tweezing or waxing are the primary causes of these ingrowths.
Coarse or tightly curling thick hairs are the predisposing factors, as the cut end is more likely to bend back and grow into the skin leading to an inflammatory reaction.
Individuals with higher levels of circulating androgenic hormones have excessive growth of thick hair and are prone to these ingrowths.

Pseudofolliculitis barbae

Pseudofolliculitis barbae, a type of extensive ingrowth, occurs in persons with thick, coarse hair. It is a common chronic inflammatory disorder in men of African ancestry, occurring most often in regions of thick hair growth after shaving. The condition causes erythematous papules with symptoms of pain and pus formation. A common polymorphism in a keratin gene (K6hf) may be a genetic risk factor for pseudofolliculitis barbae type of ingrowth.

Ingrown hair symptoms

In most of the conditions, the symptoms may be limited to small reddish bumps. The symptoms like rash, tenderness and itching skin may also appear. Infected ingrowth may present symptoms such as pimple like inflammation, raised large bumps, abscesses and pruritic erythematous pustules. Certain other medical conditions like folliculitis, keratosis pilaris and furuncle may mimic the symptoms and are to differentially diagnosed.

Ingrown hair

Common signs and symptoms include:

inflammation,
papules,
pustules,
hyperpigmentation,
rash,
pain,
pruritus and
embedded hairs in the site.

Ingrown hair treatment

Avoiding shaving for two to three weeks may causes the existing bumps to resolve. Extrafollicular ingrowths can usually be tweezed gently and cut above the skin level. Transfollicular ingrowths as well as ingrowths with symptoms of pus and severe inflammation may require medical treatment. Chemical depilatories, topical creams, laser therapy or surgical removal are the other treatment options available.

Ingrown hair prevention

The best way to prevent the ingrowth is to refrain from shaving or using a beard trimmer. If shaving is necessary, wetting the skin with warm water and using a shaving gel may prevent the hair strand from getting pulled and getting cut close to the root. Avoiding shaving close to skin will enable the cut ends to grow out of the follicle smoothly. Shaving against the direction of the growth of strand must be avoided to prevent ingrown hair.

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Ingrown hair definition - What is ingrown hair?

Home › Vellus hair definition › What is ingrown hair and its definition.

What is ingrown hair?

Ingrown hair is a condition wherein a hair grows at an abnormal angle and grows sideways into the skin.

It may cause inflammation, pain and tiny bumps in the affected area. Though in most cases it appears in areas where the skin is shaved, tweezed or waxed, it can involve any hairy area on the body. When the angle of growth of hair is disturbed and is cut or broken off with uneven sharp tip, it may grow sideways penetrating the skin causing this condition.

Ingrown hair is common in individuals who shave very close to the skin. The ingrown condition is more prevalent in people with curly or coarse hair. Shaving against the direction of growth can increase the chances of razor burn and ingrown condition. The condition usually resolves by itself. Treatment may become necessary when the ingrown condition involves skin infection, folliculitis or pseudofolliculitis barbae.

What is the cause of ingrowth?

As said earlier, the naturally coarse or tightly curling thick hair, while growing back after a shave, may curl and pierce the skin and grow into it. This condition is known as extrafollicular ingrowth in which the shaft after exiting the follicle reenters the skin. In transfollicular condition the hair does not exit the follicle and it curls back and grows into the skin.

Ingrown hair being removed

A common polymorphism in a keratin gene (K6hf) may be a genetic risk factor for pseudofolliculitis barbae type of ingrowth. Blocking of the follicle by hard dead skin may also induce ingrown condition. Excessive circulating androgen hormones may promote excessive coarse hair growth and increase the risk factors. Continued friction on the skin and tight-fitting clothing may also cause these ingrowths.

What does an ingrown hair look like?

These ingrowths produce raised, often inflamed red bumps, which may look like inflamed pimples. Infected ingrowths may collect pus and become itchy, painful and uncomfortable.

Prevention

The best way to prevent this condition is to allow the hair to grow naturally on the face and body. The next effective alternative is to use beard trimmer at the lowest setting. If shaving is a must, however, be sure to do it right. Moisturize the area of skin to be shaved with warm water and use a new sharp razor blade. This will prevent the hard (without moisturization) shaft of hair from being pulled by the rough razor blade, upsetting its root and its angle of growth.

Applying the proper amount of lubrication in the form of shaving cream or gel, may prevent the stubble from being forced sideways into the skin. One should avoid applying pressure on the skin with razor. Applying pressure on the skin while shaving or shaving against the direction of hair growth may cut it far below the skin level and contribute to its growth into the skin.

What is the treatment for ingrown hair?

Totally avoiding shaving for three to four weeks may resolve the existing ingrown bumps. Extrafollicular ingrowths can usually be pulled gently from under the skin, with tweezers and cut above the skin level. Completely pulling out the ingrown hair from its follicle may alter the angle of growth of subsequent shafts and increase the risk of further ingrowths. Transfollicular ingrowths may require removal by a dermatologist. Some of the treatment options for ingrown hairs are, chemical depilatories, topical creams, laser treatment and surgical removal.