Lately, you have been noticing some strange bumps on your face that don’t look like pimples or hives, chances are pretty good they could be ingrown facial hairs. These painful, itchy, and red bumps occur when sharp edges if the facial hair curl around and simply start growing back into the skin after they have been removed with tweezers, waxing, or shaving. In some instances, a clogged hair follicle could cause the hair to grow sideways rather than upward, resulting in that sharpened end of hair penetrating and growing under the skin.
Today we are going to discuss the causes, prevention, and the removal of ingrown facial hairs:
The Causes of Ingrown Facial Hairs
Although anyone can get ingrown facial hairs, the problem tends to be worse in people who have very coarse and curly hair. As the facial hair grows, it tends to bend back instead of continuing outward and upward. Once it bends back, the sharp edge of the facial hair simply pierces the skin and continues growing under the skin. This is especially common after the hair has been shaved because the edge of the hair is now razor sharp.
People who tend to have higher levels of sex hormones usually have excessive hair growth, and they see these painful bumps on the skin after shaving more frequently. Latinos and African-Americans also see more razor bumps, or pseudofolliculitis, due to the fact they tend to have thicker and curlier hair. The ingrown facial hairs can be caused by waxing, shaving, or plucking the hairs.
Prevention of Ingrown Facial Hairs
Although any sharp facial hair can make that quick turn and begin to grow under the skin, there are many things that you can do to prevent this from happening in the future. By taking a proactive stance against the ingrown facial hairs, it will go a long way in you reducing those painful red bumps from appearing all around your face and neck.
The following ingrown hair prevention steps are simple to implement and will go a long way in keeping your face clear.
• Be sure that each time that you shave you are using a single-blade sharp razor.
• Make certain that you are shaving each time in the direction that the facial hair is growing.
• After you are done shaving, apply a cool and clean washcloth to the skin to reduce any irritation.
• Before you shave, wet your skin with warm water and always use a lubricating get or cream.
• Evey night you should rub the neck and face in circular motions with an exfoliating scrub or wet washcloth to tease out those ingrown hairs.
• Try to use as little strokes as possible when shaving to lessen the chances of hairs growing back into the skin.
• When using an electric razor, hold it slightly above the skin when shaving.
• Make certain that you are rinsing off the razor blade after every stroke.
It might be difficult at first to incorporate all of these prevention methods, so try one at a time and watch closely to see if those little red bumps begin to disappear. Once you develop a shaving routine that results in the least amount of those ingrown hairs from returning, stick with it and then focus on a few of the others that we have mentioned here. Before you know it, that area will be smooth and free of those little ingrown hairs.
Tips for Removing an Ingrown Hair
Chances are pretty good that you are going to develop one or more ingrown facial hairs in your life, so it is important you learn how to remove them before the red bump gets too big and painful. If you shave on a regular basis, then you are more likely to be dealing with ingrown hairs, and these removal tips will certainly help to keep them from coming back in the near future. If you start implementing some of the prevention tips we discussed earlier, you will be working to remove those stubborn little hairs less frequently.
1. Removal with Sharp Device
One of the most common ways to remove a single ingrown hair, use a sharp device like tweezers or a sterile needle. It might take time to coax that curly hair closer to the surface, just avoid digging into the skin for it. Chances are good a loop of the hair is very close to the skin surface, so if you can get the needle or tweezers tips in that loop, you can snag it and pull it out more easily.
2. Using a Warm Compress
Place a warm compress over the area where you have the ingrown hair. The heat of the compress will soften the skin and help to bring that hair closer to the surface. In many cases, the heat alone was enough to get the edge of the hair to come back to the surface where you can grab it with tweezers. If the facial hair is embedded too deep, simply run that compress under hot water again and hold on the skin surface. Eventually, that wild hair will be easier to pull from the skin.
3. Exfoliating the Skin
A simple way to nudge that ingrown hair to the surface is to exfoliate the skin. Two times a day, use an exfoliating brush and scrub on the face to remove dead skin cells, oils, and dirt, that could be trapping the hair under the surface.
This process will loosen the hair from under the skin surface and make is easier for you to grab with your sharp tweezers or sterile needle. The best time to exfoliate the skin is at night when you are not under pressure to rush out the door.
So now you know all about what causes ingrown facial hairs, how to prevent them from growing in the first place, and what steps you can take to remove them from being trapped under the skin. By taking better care of your skin and shaving with a sharp razor, you can reduce the likelihood of those little red bumps from developing in the first place.
Do you have any new or better way to remove these annoying ingrown hairs? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments bellow.
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