Ingrown Facial Hair
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Ingrown facial hairs are hairs that do not grow continually and normally through our hair follicle. These can cause minor irritations but if ignored, it can also be painful.
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The hair becomes stuck and sometimes causes our skin to be irritated. A pain can be felt at the site where an in grown hair is located and sometimes it may look like a boil on your skin.
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It may be or may not be accompanied by folliculitis or the inflammation of the hair follicles due to an infection.
Symptoms of ingrown facial hair may include:
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Presence of rash
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Itchiness
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Presence of hair despite of shaving
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Infection and pus on the skin
Causes of Ingrown Hair
Ingrown hair can become stressful most especially it is visible and others might see it. What are the causes of an ingrown hair? Anything that causes hair to be broken using a sharp tip such as razors, blades, and scissors can cause an ingrown hair to occur. Sometimes an ingrown hair grows when the pore is blocked and hair cannot go out. If ignored and not treated, it can also be infected.
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Shaving is the major cause of ingrown hair, followed by waxing and wearing of tight clothes.
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Skin that lacks moisture
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Beard hair that is stiff
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Oil embedded in the hair follicles
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Collection of dead skin cells in the pores
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Genetics
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Improper technique of shaving
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Irritated hair follicle
Prevention of Ingrown Hair
Sometimes ingrown hair disappears by itself. It just needs to get out of the follicle beneath the skin’s surface. Here are some tips to prevent the growth of ingrown hair:
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Exfoliate your skin with the use of gentle rubbing pad or loofah. A clean face towel can also be a good option.
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Moisturize the skin with the use of hypoallergenic moisturizers.
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Eat foods rich in vitamin E like sunflower seeds, almonds, tropical fruits, broccoli, wheat and papaya.
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Apply skin lotions daily.
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Wash the skin before shaving.
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Use gel instead of foam when shaving.
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Do not apply too much force when shaving because it may cut the hair shorter than the dermis.
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Avoid wearing tight clothes all the time.
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For men, wash the face with warm water and avoid wearing high stiff collar shirts.
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Use warm, sterilized tweezers.
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Avoid the use of lotions that contain too much oil.
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Stay away from plucking, shaving and waxing excessively.