Ingrown Hair: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments

Table Of Content

• Avoiding popping
• Management and Treatment
• How does someone get rid of an ingrown hair cyst?
• Ingrown Hair or Cyst
• When to contact a doctor
• How to Keep an Ingrown Hair Cyst From Coming Back
• Ingrown hair and staph infection: Is there a link?

Ingrown hair cysts may go away on their own or with simple treatment. However, you may need to see a healthcare provider to treat an ingrown hair cyst that's hard to get rid of. Most instances of ingrown hair get better without treatment.

Avoiding popping

I find myself purchasing a new bottle every other month. Below are frequently asked questions relating to ingrown pubic hairs. Sometimes, skin cells and a fibrous substance called keratin, a protein in hair and nails, collect within the lump. Staph infections can spread to the bloodstream and become very serious. They do not go away on their own, so it is crucial to seek medical attention quickly to receive prompt treatment. While cases of staph are becoming rarer in hospitals, they may be increasing in the wider community.

Management and Treatment

Your healthcare provider, often a dermatologist, will offer treatment options like hair extraction, ointments, and oral medications as needed. Many people call these bumps razor bumps or razor burn, and their medical name is pseudofolliculitis. When regular spots appear on your skin, especially those with a pus-filled head, it’s tempting to pop them. Dermatologists advise against it as it can lead to infection and scarring. You should treat ingrown hairs with the same caution and not pop them. If you have an infected ingrown hair, picking at it risks spreading and worsening the infection.

How does someone get rid of an ingrown hair cyst?

Hair removal methods that don’t require shaving are less likely to result in ingrown hairs, but they don’t necessarily get rid of the problem entirely. If you’re prone to getting ingrown hairs, you may still be at mild risk even with some of these methods. Laser hair removal is a good way to get rid of ingrown hair because it destroys the underlying hair follicle. In most cases, you won’t need to see a healthcare professional for razor bumps. Razor bumps are most common in Black cisgender males and those of Asian descent, as well as people who shave.

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To reduce the chances of getting ingrown hair cysts, keep your skin clean and gently exfoliated and moisturized. If you do shave, don't shave too close, and always shave in the direction the hair grows. This article explains what an ingrown hair cyst looks like and why these bumps form.

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When to contact a doctor

Left untreated, severe infections can cause permanent hair loss and scarring. The core goal of treatment for any of these cysts is to reduce their occurrence by keeping your skin exfoliated and moisturized. Body washes and lotions made with gentle glycolic acid will help. So it’s important to follow a doctor or healthcare professional’s directions. An ingrown hair is a place where hair has gotten trapped under the skin.

Health

If ingrown hair infections recur or are severe, you may have an underlying condition that needs medical treatment. Typically, lumps or cysts from ingrown hairs resolve independently. However, a doctor can make a small incision to free the trapped hair or drain cysts if a person wishes. If the site of the ingrown hair acquires an infection with Staphylococcus aureus, it can cause itchy bumps, pain, flushed skin, and pus. If you want to shave, or remove hair in another way, there are things you can do to prevent ingrown hairs and help them get better quicker.

The easiest treatment for an ingrown hair is to wait it out and let the hair grow long enough so that it can loosen up from the skin. To help recovery, you can also apply a warm compress and take medication as needed for inflammation. If you notice signs of infection or your ingrown hair is irritating you, talk to a healthcare provider about possible further treatment.

These include a sudden increase in redness or pain, fever, chills, and a feeling of being unwell (malaise). In the cyst does not go away with home remedies, or someone develops an infection, they may need medical treatment. Prompt treatment can be lifesaving in the case of skin cancer, severe skin infections, and other serious skin issues. This article discusses why hairs become ingrown, how a cyst can develop, and prevention methods. Ingrown hairs are not usually dangerous, but they can be intensely painful.

Prescription acne medications might be needed if OTC methods don’t work. For example, a healthcare professional may prescribe a steroid cream such as hydrocortisone to help reduce redness and pain around your bump or cyst. Trying to remove them can sometimes interfere with the healing process and cause them to last longer. This removes a dead layer of skin cells and helps release ingrown hairs. Make small, circular motions to wash the affected areas with a washcloth, exfoliating brush, exfoliating gel, or scrub. Some doctors believe that ingrown hairs also cause pilonidal cysts.

If shaving worsens your condition, you might want to try a chemical hair removal product (depilatory), such as Nair, Magic, others. If these at-home remedies aren’t working, step away from the tweezers and call your doctor. A medical professional can treat ingrown hairs and help you prevent them in the future. One very useful product is adapalene gel, an over-the-counter retinoid medication.

Superficial folliculitis affects the upper part of the hair follicle and the skin around the follicle. Deep folliculitis affects more of the follicle or even all of it. A healthcare professional may prescribe antibiotics to clear up an underlying infection or recommend surgically removing the cyst. When an individual hair grows into the skin, a fluid-filled lump can develop, which may become a cyst.

For people with sensitive skin, creams may not be the best option since the products can be harsh on the skin if not used properly. If you want to continue shaving, you should consider using a razor with a skin guard. Or, you can swap out razors entirely and use electric clippers or hair removal creams instead. Scarring is another potential complication of ingrown hairs.

Skin cysts are not usually dangerous, and may go away on their own within 7–10 days. For a skin infection, these antibiotics may be topical or oral. If the infection has reached the bloodstream, then IV antibiotics may be necessary. A person with staph is also likely to experience recurrences of this infection. Redness may be harder to see on black or brown skin, but they may look a different colour to the surrounding skin. It’s believed that razors with at least two edges can also lead to transfollicular penetration.

Infected ingrown hairs can be uncomfortable, but most clear up on their own in 7–10 days with good hygiene. Instead, gently scrub the area with warm water and soap. This can help ease the ingrown hair out of the skin on its own.

What to do if you have an infected ingrown hair

Table Of Content

• What medications are used to treat ingrown hair?
• Medical tools and resources
• Signs of an Infected Cyst From an Ingrown Hair
• Popular products from this list
• What are the symptoms of ingrown hair?

You may have a higher risk for ingrown hairs and related infections if your hair is naturally coarse or curly. These hair types are more likely to curl back into the skin when growing out after hair removal. Ingrown hairs in the pubic area can form cysts — sacs of fluid beneath the skin. A person may notice a lump, possibly with a hair visible beneath it.

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What medications are used to treat ingrown hair?

You’re also more likely to have ingrown hair if you have skin of color or thick, coarse or curly hair. Preventing ingrown hairs can decrease your risk of related infections. Not all ingrown hairs become infected, and they usually resolve on their own in a few days. Doctors treat staph infections with antibiotics to prevent other serious complications, such as a blood infection. The best way to prevent ingrown pubic hairs is not to shave or wax the area.

Medical tools and resources

For a severe infection, they can prescribe medication to treat it and coax the hair out. For example, prescription steroid creams can reduce inflammation, and prescription-strength antibiotic creams can treat the infection. According to the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, a person can draw out an ingrown hair by using an exfoliating scrub.

Signs of an Infected Cyst From an Ingrown Hair

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Ingrown hair may worsen at first as the hair grows back. Infected ingrown hairs can also manifest as papules, which are small, solid, raised bumps that may be red or pink in color. Most ingrown hairs will go away on their own without treatment after a few days; though, severe cases may take several weeks. Anyone who shaves, tweezes or waxes their hair can develop ingrown hairs.

You may be able to get an idea of the type of ingrown hair cyst you're dealing with depending on where it is located on the body and what it looks like. Infected ingrown hairs take a bit longer to heal as your body is busy helping the ingrown hair exit the skin while fighting the infection. But you should see signs of improvement after a few days. Alongside pain and irritation, ingrown hairs can also make you self-conscious - so it’s understandable if you want it gone as soon as possible. In the days before your medical appointment, if possible, stop shaving or using any form of hair removal.

What are the symptoms of ingrown hair?

Your new hair may grow sideways and eventually curl back down. You can try using some topical treatments—either over-the-counter or prescription from your provider—to help with healing. Natural antimicrobials like tea tree oil can also be helpful. You can help the process along with a simple home remedy. Just apply a warm, clean washcloth as a compress to soften your skin, which can help move the hair to the surface of the cyst. If you notice one or more of these symptoms, see a physician or health professional for help as soon as possible.

What Does an Ingrown Hair Cyst Look Like?

In most cases, a few changes in a person’s skin care routine can significantly reduce the risk of ingrown hairs and related irritation or cysts. An ingrown hair cyst may go away on its own or with home treatment. However, in some cases, a cyst may not respond to home treatment or become infected. If this happens, people should speak with a healthcare professional.

Treatment options

Always consult a medical provider for diagnosis and treatment. Mild folliculitis will likely heal without scarring in a few days with basic self-care. More-serious or repeat infections may need prescription medicine.

Treatment for an Ingrown Hair Cyst

You may also be at greater risk of developing bumps with ingrown hairs if you have naturally curly hair. If the cyst looks infected or didn't go away after you tried at-home treatment, see a healthcare provider. They can give you antibiotics and other treatments to keep the infection from spreading and prevent scarring. If you have chronic ingrown hair problems, it might be best to avoid shaving altogether. Instead, consider permanent ways to remove hair, like laser treatments or electrolysis. Although quite not permanent, depilatory methods, which include liquid or cream treatments like Nair, can produce long-lasting results as well.

Taking measures to prevent ingrown hairs and treating any infections promptly can help prevent these. The first sign of an infected ingrown hair is often a bump. As the infection progresses, you may see pus, and the bump may grow larger. Each strand of hair grows in a follicle beneath the skin. When people wax or shave, they only remove the strands of hair, not the follicles.

For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to use unverified natural products to treat your ingrown hair, read on. Contact your healthcare provider if you notice any signs of infection. If you notice an irritating, painful, or swollen bump on your skin after shaving, you likely have an ingrown hair.

Cysts often go away without treatment, but some require antibiotics or draining. If an individual has developed an MRSA infection that is resistant to certain antibiotics, a doctor can recommend other treatments. This may involve other antibiotics that are more effective against infections. Folliculitis is a common skin condition that happens when hair follicles become inflamed. At first it may look like small pimples around the tiny pockets from where each hair grows (hair follicles).

A dermatologist may recommend draining the fluid from the cyst by making a small incision. Sometimes, a doctor uses a small needle or blade to free the ingrown hair. An ingrown hair is a strand of hair that grows into, rather than out of, the skin. A doctor may only recommend treatment if the cyst seems infected or is causing issues such as pain. Any of these signs near an ingrown hair might indicate a staph infection.

They also occur more often in men who shave their beards. Shaving and waxing creates sharper hairs that tend to get trapped in the skin. Keep reading to learn how to recognize an infected ingrown hair, as well as tips for treating and preventing them.

Popping the cyst may release the liquid but will not get rid of the sac, and the cyst may grow back. They can figure out the type of cyst it is and drain it or remove it. Removing a hair can also cause the new hair that grows in its place to grow incorrectly.

How to Bleach Black Hair Without Damaging It Step-by-Step

Table Of Content

• Does Splat Lightening Bleach Work on Dark Hair?
• Step 12: Live your best blonde life
• TRESemmé Gloss Light Blonde Color Depositing Conditioner
• Complete Blonde Bleaching & Dye Job
• Step  8: Nourish your hair
• Step 3: Divided Your Hair Into Four Sections

It’s important to rehydrate your hair because lemon has acidic qualities that can temporarily dry out your tresses. Spritz the solution down the lengths of your hair to saturate it, from the roots all the way to the ends. But the hard, cold truth is that bleach isn’t exactly your hair’s best friend. Melanie Rud is a Chicago-based writer with 10 years of experience covering beauty.

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Does Splat Lightening Bleach Work on Dark Hair?

That’s why today I’ll be looking at how to lighten African American hair naturally. If you're going platinum blonde, you'll need a bleach that offers the maximum number of lift levels (nine), as well as ingredients that protect the hair fibers. Amino acid L-arginine helps fortify your hair and make it more elastic while a bond-building formula reduces the risk of damage.

Step 12: Live your best blonde life

Select quality products that are designed specifically for bleaching dark tones of hair. Secondly, it is important to read instructions carefully before attempting any type of dyeing process, including bleaching black hair at home. Overall, our favorite professional hair bleach is Wella Blondor Powder Lightener, a colorist-recommended formula that offers gentle lifting while minimizing yellowish tones. We also love our budget pick, L'Oréal Super Oreal Blanc Professional Powder Bleach, a dust-free powder formula with seven levels of lift. If serious lift and an all-over blonde hue are your goal, reach for this bleaching formula from Redken.

TRESemmé Gloss Light Blonde Color Depositing Conditioner

Prepare your hair before bleaching by using a deep conditioning mask daily in the week before bleaching. This will moisturize and strengthen your hair, decreasing the likelihood of damage. Under-bleaching occurs when your hair is not lightened enough during the bleaching process. Balayage is less damaging compared to traditional highlights. This is due to the fact that foil is not needed and you can use a lower volume developer.

Complete Blonde Bleaching & Dye Job

Leave it on for no more than 30 minutes, and you can achieve stage 6 or 7 hair from stage 1 in about 3-5 sessions. However, just like bleach, baking soda and peroxide can be drying. With that being said, dark hair has loads of eumelanin, making it naturally more difficult to lighten. It naturally gravitates toward the darker end of the color scale. Throughout the seven stages of hair lightening, you can expect your hair to vary widely in color. You’ll see what we mean as you progress through this section, where we’ll tell you all about the stages of lightening dark hair.

Step  8: Nourish your hair

Taking all these steps into account, you’re looking at a total time of approximately 1.5 to 3 hours for the entire bleaching process. Bleaching first turns the black hair into red, then orange, and finally blonde. For darker hair, the Light Works Balayage Kit by Madison Reed is a great option. New York City-based colorist Aura Friedman, who works with celebrities such as Lady Gaga and Sky Ferreira, also suggests skipping an at-home bleach attempt. "When you bleach your own hair, it's almost impossible to not overlap on already bleached hair, which means you could have a lot of breakages, it's just not worth the risk," says Friedman. Kandasamy also recommends making sure you use enough bleach mixture on your strands.

Some other tools you may need include a wide-toothed comb and a shower cap to cover your hair after you apply the bleach. These tools are essential for achieving black bleached hair. When you apply some kind of oil-based product, you prevent potentially discoloring or damaging your skin. Good ingredients to look out for in moisturizers that will strengthen your hair include natural oils like jojoba, olive or black castor oil, as well as vitamins like vitamin E or B. Learning how to bleach African American hair is an essential skill for those who love experimenting with hair color.

You shouldn’t leave the bleach on your hair for more than 30 minutes. If your hair has still not lifted enough after that time, rinse the bleach out and repeat the process after a day or two. If you plan on staying blond, a toner will probably be necessary.

Step 3: Divided Your Hair Into Four Sections

Colorists typically use bond-building products during and after the bleaching process to help fortify hair bonds so hair is shiny, healthy, and strong when you walk out of the salon door. Once home, continue care with bond-building products, which further help to restore cuticle health and nourish hair. “At home care after any type of lightening service is critical to keeping the hair healthy," says Tang. It’s so tempting to bleach your hair at home to save money and time, but future you will thank yourself for making an appointment with a professional.

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it might not be the right time to expose your hair to the inevitable harsh damage that comes with bleaching. It’s harder to achieve the perfect platinum shade, especially when trying to do so at home. To avoid a real challenge, keep reading to find out how you can make this process more manageable while still achieving healthy-looking (and healthy-feeling!) tresses. Fortunately, there are ways to go lighter — and do it safely. As a dynamic husband and wife duo behind Curl Centric, our passion for curly hair has fueled a transformative journey.

Compared to other bleaches, Clairol Professionals BW2 Lightener is on the stronger end of the spectrum. It can lift your hair several levels in one session, reducing the number of times you’ll need to bleach it. Lightening the hair to the desired shade of blonde is the easy part. There's plenty to do to preserve your hair's health and bright, sharp color. Olivia says after coloring the hair, keep it out of the sun and wash it less frequently.

How to Bleach Black Hair at Home Without Damage DIY Guide

Table Of Content

• How to Bleach Black Hair in 10 Easy Steps
• Bleaching Natural Black Hair vs. Dyed Black Hair
• Lightening Dark Hair Is a Gradual Process
• How to Bleach Black Hair: 8 Steps
• Suave Essentials Refreshing Waterfall Mist Shampoo
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• Mix the Lightener and the Developer in a Mixing Bowl

We also consulted experts, such as professional stylists, for their opinions. We then used this research to choose the best picks to inform this article. Matrix Light Master is de-dusted for easy, mess-free mixing while also minimizing the bleach particles that get into your airways. It spreads smoothly and offers up to seven levels of controlled, precise lift.

How to Bleach Black Hair in 10 Easy Steps

This will allow your hair some time to recover from your first bleaching session. Toner will need to be mixed with the developer to work (follow the directions on the packaging). Purple shampoo can be applied without a developer and may give you the results you want.

Bleaching Natural Black Hair vs. Dyed Black Hair

To make four sections, use the pointy end of your applicator to split each of the two large sections in half. Then, run the pointy end “from the top of your head to the back of your ears” on either side to create a line that splits each section down the middle. “This will make it much easier to stay clean and not get overwhelmed trying to [bleach everything] all at once,” notes Walker. These areas are your hairline, ears, the back of your neck, and elsewhere on your face or shoulders.

Lightening Dark Hair Is a Gradual Process

Yes, you may apply coconut oil before a hair bleaching treatment as it can protect your hair proteins and provide nourishment. Wondering how long you should wait between bleaching sessions? That said, hair care professionals advise that you wait for “as long as you can” simply because excessive bleaching can damage your hair.

Coat your hair in this and wrap everything up in a shower cap before you go to bed. Spray the contents into your locks until your entire head of hair is saturated and wet. Dilute ACV with either chamomile tea or water and put your mixture into a spray bottle. All you have to do is infuse ground cinnamon into your regular conditioner and use the concoction as a hair mask. Be careful not to detangle or comb your hair when the concoction is still in it.

Be sure to check your hair every 10 minutes to see how it’s progressing. Remember, bleaching is a serious process and should be treated as such. Using the wrong products or incorrect techniques can cause severe damage your hair. Bleached hair requires regular maintenance to keep it looking fresh.

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Mix the bleach according to the instructions on the packaging. Permanent is usually more difficult to remove than semi-permanent since its molecules are larger, so multiple rounds of bleaching may be necessary. So don’t rush into changing up those luscious locks just yet—plan ahead instead for a successful transformation. StyleCraze provides content of general nature that is designed for informational purposes only.

These natural, alternative methods for lightening your dark hair are terrific if you’re on a budget or simply don’t want to put your hair through the stress of bleaching it out. "Choosing the best lightener and developer is challenging," says color specialist Jodana Geary. "Pro bleaching products typically have more lifting power to them," explains celebrity colorist Matt Rez. However, he advises against using them at home and instead says to ask your stylist if they can lighten your hair with a particular brand. Now that you’ve mixed your bleach successfully, you can move on to the next step needed to bleach black hair. This is the step where you set a timer for the bleaching process.

Here are some ways in which you can dye black hair without bleach. The first step involves mixing your bleach and developer according to the instructions. Mix the ingredients as per the quantity mentioned in the manual. Then start by applying the bleach from the roots to the ends.

Read the directions on the bleach packet thoroughly to know how much of the developer you will use. Bleaching hair section by section allows your strands to be fully saturated so your entire head will be evenly dyed instead of some sections being splotchy or muddy. If you need to bleach again, you should wait at least a day.

If you are attempting an at-home job, then remember that patch tests are essential—especially when using hydrogen peroxide or bleach powder. The duration of bleached hair depends on the quality of bleach used, the natural hair texture, the frequency of hair washes, and the post-bleach hair care regimen. Typically, bleached hair lasts for 4-8 weeks, but with proper maintenance and care, it can last up to 6-8 months. It is necessary to allow your hair to recover between sessions. Use extra virgin cold-pressed coconut oil to repair some of the damage.

You want a super-strong formula that is also dust-free to reduce flyaway Clairol Basic White is a great choice for creating highlights. The extra-strength powder is de-dusted to minimize particles in the air, and, thanks to a moisture-sealing humectant, it stays consistently creamy after mixing. It is advisable to avoid using a hair dryer, flat iron or any other heating tool in the process of drying or styling your hair right after bleaching it. Air drying is beneficial firstly because it allows you to preserve your curl pattern. If you want curly platinum blonde hair, air drying may be helpful.

And it makes it easier for you to apply the bleach without having to be too cautious. Oiling your hairline is essential because it creates a barrier between the bleach you are going to apply and your skin. Once your hair has been nourished and hydrated, you should put your hair into multiple twists in order to create sections that will make it easier to bleach. You will want to make sure your hair is healthy before you go about doing this.