Ingrown hair home remedy

Ingrown hair occurs mostly when hair is cut or removed in a way that leaves a small stub of hair, with the follicle intact. This hair keeps growing, but in an abnormal manner. It grows back into the skin, causing an ingrown hair.

It is not a very complicated problem, and most ingrown hair can disappear even if not treated. But sometimes these can get infected, causing redness, swelling, itching and even discomfort - mild or severe. While there are many creams and cures available to treat this problem, its cure can be found in our homes too.

The first step is to keep the area clean. Use a mild antiseptic soap, preferably an unscented one. Scented soaps have a tendency to aggravate all kinds of skin problems, including ingrown hair. Exfoliating the area is also important, as it will stop dirt and dead skin cells to gather around the affected area and cause an infection. While exfoliation can be easily done with a loofah or a bathing brush, care should be taken to make sure that the ingrown hair is not infected. If there is signs of infection, like pus filled sores, one should avoid exfoliation as it burst the sore. This will make the situation worst as the infection will be more likely to spread that way.

Keeping the area clean is very important. A sugar scrub can be used to keep the area free of dirt and excess oil. To make the sugar scrub, fine granulated sugar can be mixed with honey or olive oil. Alternatively, another homemade face-wash, made of common salt mixed with warm water can be used to keep the area clean. While using a scrub too, one needs to be careful that the ingrown hair is not infected and if it is, then the scrub must be done carefully and lightly - making sure that the pimple like formation does not get burst.

Do not poke or probe the affected are. Often the ingrown hair is surrounded by a bump or a pimple like formation filled with pus. If this is burst, it may lead to the spread of the infection to surrounding skin areas. Fingernails, often unclean, may lead to a small cut around the ingrown hair, actually causing an infection, when there was none.

It is also advisable to avoid shaving or waxing the area, unless absolutely necessary. The area should not be constricted and avoid smothering the infection with tight clothing.

Eucalyptus oil is said to be effective in treating ingrown hair. A few drops of eucalyptus oil can be applied on the area. Alternatively, it can be mixed with clay and applied on the area, so that it covers the ingrown hair completely. This should be covered with a light bandage and left overnight. Another type of oil that is said to be helpful is Tea tree oil. This can also be applied in a similar manner.

Turmeric is proven to have antiseptic qualities. It can be mixed with sandalwood powder and this paste can also be applied and left overnight to cure an ingrown hair. Water can be used to mix the paste, but if possible, rose water can be used too. Rose water has a soothing effect and might help alleviate the discomfort. A pulp of grated raw potato can also be applied, which is said to help with getting the infection out of the hair clump.

Another home remedy which can be tried is a mixture of homey and regular Aspirin. Honey is first softened by warming it up, and 2-3 Aspirin are crushed into it. This mixture, when mixed smoothly, and applied locally to the affected area, can help with the pain as well as cure the infection. Honey is known to be a natural anti-biotic, and it will help to apply it locally on the infection.

If the area is causing a lot of discomfort, a hot compress can help with the pain.

Sometimes the best cure of an ingrown hair is removing it from the follicle. It takes care of the problem, literally, by the root. A pair of sterilized tweezers can be used for this purpose. This has to dine very carefully, taking care that the area is not probed too much, for this will allow the infection to spread. This should also be done only if the infected area is small, indicating that one or two hairs have only been infected and removing them will solve the problem.