Ingrown Hair

By Sharat Nemani

What is ingrown hair?

-Ingrown hair is a condition where the hair curls back and grows sideways into the skin.

- There are two types of ingrown hairs, extrafollicular, where the ingrown hair has exited the follicle and broken through the skin surface, and transfollicular, which never exits the follicle. 

-Ingrown hair is a skin disorder that is mostly found in teenagers and adults.-Ingrown hairs tend to be more common in areas with coarse hairs, like the bikini area in women, and beard and neck in men

-Generally, ingrown hair is harmless but it can lead to scarring and skin discoloration in some occasions. 

CAUSES OF INGROWN HAIR

-Ingrown hair is usually caused by improper and aggressive hair removal methods.Dead cells can accumulate at the site of the irritation and form papule which can also contain pus while the skin heals. While this process continues any hair in the area can get trapped under the formation and is prevented from exiting the skin properly. Ingrown hair is the result.-Very rarely however, ingrown hair may be the result of dead cell debris blocking the hair follicle opening.-Skin suffering from lack of moisture-Embedded oil in hair follicles-Coarse curly hair in a wave hair follicle

Signs and Symptoms

• Constant tenderness• Trapped hairs cause inflammation which result in the body forming papule - a small,

raised, abnormality on the skin commonly known as a bump giving rise to the term 'razor bumps'

• The body can also respond by producing a pustule - a blister on the skin containing pus

• An infected pustule can become ruptured resulting in bleeding• Itching• Tingling• Pain - mild or severe• Hard, prominent, irregular scar tissue in the skin in chronic cases • Individuals may sometimes experience painful eruptions of acne after an ingrown hair

is produced. 

Treatment,cures, and prevention

-No cures exist to the ingrown hair skin disorder. However, I will give a few home remedies to help treat it, as well as some other medical treatment methods.-Use a moistened washcloth, a wet sponge, or a soft-bristled toothbrush with a mild soap to wash the beard or hair for several minutes via a circular motion to help dislodge stubborn tips.-Some natural mild exfoliators, such as salt and sugar, can be applied to treat the redness or irritation that comes with the ingrown hair.-Leave very short 1-2 mm stubble with shaving to help reduce the tendency of shaving too closely. These shaving techniques can avoid creating a sharp tip when shaving and prevent hair from reentering the skin by leaving slightly longer stubble.-There are chemical depilatories, tropical creams, and tropical antibiotics. -But, the greatest effects of relief will only come through combination therapy.-The simplest way to prevent ingrown hairs is to let hair grow freely with out cutting it. -Although prevention can only be achieved through not shaving, there are other methods to reduce the chances of getting ingrown hair.-Shave only in one direction each time.-Wash the skin before shaving it.-Avoid close shaves.-Avoid extra pressure while shaving.

Works Cited

"Ingrown Hair Causes, Symptoms, Signs, Treatment and Prevention by MedicineNet.com."Ingrown Hair. Medicine Net. Web. 12 Feb. 2012.

<http://www.medicinenet.com/ingrown_hair/article.htm>. 

Mclain, Cassia. "Preventing Ingrown Hairs." Stay Young and Tighten Loose Skin with Copper-Peptide Serums and Creams to Reverse the Aging Process. SB. Web. 13 Feb. 2012.

<http://www.skinbiology.com/ingrownhairs.html>. 

"Ingrown Hair Removal- How To Prevent & Treat Ingrown Hairs From Hair Removal." Hair Removal- Laser, Electrolysis, Waxing, Threading, Sugaring, Unwanted Hair Removal. Web. 13 Feb. 2012.

<http://hairremoval.about.com/od/shaving/a/ingrown-hairs.htm>.