Ingrown Hair - Types And Treatments Of It!

The condition where the hair grows backwards in a reverse direction is termed as an ingrown hair. As the name indicates, it is the inward growth of hair. Commonly, an ingrown hair is called as a ‘razor bump’. The skin becomes irritated due to the penetration of hair into the skin during its exit from the follicle. The hair may even curve backwards and then re-enter the skin. Re-entering of the hair into the skin is detected by the body as a foreign object.

An inflammatory reaction takes place in the affected area. The condition is specifically termed as a razor bump, since this inflammation takes place when a razor is used to shave off hair, which is due to a sharp edge left by the razor on the hair that enables it to penetrate into skin again.

The razor bumps are classified into two types –

1. Trans follicular: Hair exits the skin and then it may re-enter the skin. In this condition, the exposed hair is visible. This exposed hair should not be plucked out by self, as it may cause even deeper ingrown hair.
2. Extra follicular: in this condition, the hair reverses back into the skin, without exiting it. No visible hair is seen. Presenting symptoms of a razor burn is itchy skin, soreness of the affected part, bumps on the skin, pus formation, bleeding during shaving and mild pain on the affected site.

When a razor bump worsens, it can cause a condition termed as ‘sycosis barbae’. It causes swelling of the infected skin and large boils are formed. These boils may even discharge pus. Razor bumps can occur both in men and women. People with curly hair tend to be affected more by this condition. When it occurs in the beard area of men, it is specifically considered to be a razor bump. When it occurs in a women’s bikini line, it can be termed as folliculitis.

Treatment of razor bumps can be done by certain natural remedies that are easy to follow. According to the Ayurvedic science, following remedies are helpful in treating razor bumps:

1. Application of heat – Heat application by the means of a warm compress is a great remedy for treating a razor bump. A hygienic, clean warm cloth should be placed on the affected part of the skin for 15-20 seconds. This can be repeated 4-5 times during a single application. Heat application on the razor bump dilates the pore, opens it up and lets the entrapped hair come out. This relieves the problem of ingrown hair.

2. Use of an exfoliating scrub – An exfoliating scrub should be used to remove off the layer of dead cells from the skin. Natural products like papaya, oatmeal, walnut can be used for scrubbing the skin. It relieves inflammation and also cleans off the dead skin. Raw papaya can be ground and directly rubbed against the skin, which opens up the pores and lets the trapped hair out.

3. Aloe vera application – Aloevera application is beneficial for soothing the inflammation of skin. Fresh juice from the leaves of the plant can be directly applied on the skin. The razor burn is healed with 2-3 applications of Aloevera juice itself.

4. Use of neem leaves – Neem leaves are an excellent anti-inflammatory medication. Paste of fresh neem leaves should be made by grinding them and adding little water. This paste should be applied on the area with ingrown hair. Also, boiling neem leaves in water and washing the affected part with it also reduces inflammation. It also exerts a good anti-bacterial effect on the razor burn and aids quicker healing.

5. Use of baking soda – Baking soda is anti-inflammatory and helps in soothing the inflammatory reaction and irritation. Exfoliation of the area can be done with baking soda by rubbing it on the affected area with a cotton swab. This can be done 2-3 days times a day until the ingrown hair is removed.

6. Apple cider vinegar – It is a natural antiseptic agent. It is a very effective remedy for ingrown hair removal and is painless. The swelling around affected area is also relieved by application of apple cider vinegar. It is soaked on a cotton ball and applied directly to the ingrown hair and left on.

7. Peel of a potato – Peels of a potato have hydrating properties. They are also anti-inflammatory in nature and can be used for the removal of ingrown hair. Starch present in thepeels helps in pulling out of the ingrown hair.