Ingrown pubic hair treatment

Fashion concerns of today may encourage many women to consider removing hair from the pubic area. While this as a look is centuries old - the ancient Greeks, Indians and Egyptians have been known to practice hair removal from the pubic area, it is necessary to avoid a tardy job and end up in pain.

Shaving or waxing of the pubic area can cause hair to break beneath the skin, causing it to grow abnormally. It starts to grow 'inwards' into the skin and is called ingrown hair. This forms an unsightly bump on the skin where hairs get stuck and can exhibit redness, swelling and can even cause pain. These bumps are also highly pone to infection, which will definitely increase the pain in large proportions. Pubic hair is also denser and coarser than hair on other parts of the body, making it more susceptible to this condition.

Ingrown pubic hairs are formed when hair is torn off and loses its tapered end. The end of the hair becomes very rough and sharp. As it grows, it cuts the skin surrounding it, causing redness and irritation. It also fails to grow normally, cutting back into the skin.

To avoid ingrown pubic hair, certain steps can be taken. Begin with the cleanliness of the process. It is best to clean the area with an exfoliating scrub before shaving or waxing. This helps to remove dead skin and dirt from the area, making sure that hair removal will be smooth. If the area is to be shaven, make sure that the razor and the blade are impeccably clean. If waxing is done, it should be done with disposable strips. Also while waxing, one should be careful that the hair is being removed from the roots and no part of it left inside the skin to grow into ingrown hair. After shaving or waxing, an antiseptic lotion should be applied, which not only soothes the skin but also makes sure that even the smallest of cuts, if any, do not get infected. This also makes sure that even if ingrown hair is formed, it is not infected.

In-spite of the precautions, there is a possibility that ingrown hairs will occur. This is due to the concerned area being prone to such afflictions. In this case, there are ways and means to take care of the problem.

Identify the bump or sore as an ingrown hair, which can be confused with any other rashes or pimples. An ingrown hair will have a part of hair visible through the sore. Once established that it is indeed ingrown hair, further course of action can be planned. Most ingrown hairs do not need any treatment but start growing normally with time. However, if it is causing discomfort or embarrassment, it should be dealt with promptly.

If only a single hair is affected, the best way is to pluck it out with tweezers. A pair of fine point tweezers - also called needle point tweezers, should be used for this purpose. Start by sterilizing the tweezers with some alcohol. Proceed to hold the hair from as close to the skin as possible, without jabbing the skin. While a firm grip has been gathered, proceed to swiftly pluck it out. Take care to ascertain that the hair has been taken out from its follicle. If not, it will continue to grow abnormally into the skin and cause a rash like appearance. Some alcohol or antiseptic should be rubbed on the area after plucking the hair out.

If the ingrown hairs seem deep into the skin, heat or steam may help to open up the pores of the affected area. This can be safely attained in a hot-tub or sauna bath. Once the area has been given steam treatment, and the pores have opened, one can proceed to pluck out the hairs like described above. This way will also make sure that the swift pain that accompanies the plucking movement will be less intense as the hair will not have to be plucked with great force.

Alternatively, ingrown hair treatment lotions can be used. These creams are proven to be almost always effective in curing ingrown hair and stop further growth. These can be bought over the counter-though consulting a dermatologist in case of recurrent ingrown hairs is wise. The treatments mentioned above are however, not permanent solutions. For those who can afford it, hair removal with electrolysis can be a permanent method of hair removal. This option ill not come cheap, but will ensure that the problem of ingrown hairs do not occur at all.

While these treatments work, the discomfort of the affected area can be relieved by applying a hot compress. It is also advised to wear loose-fitting underwear and clothes to help the area heal. It is also best to avoid any method of hair removal while the ingrown hairs are not cured completely.