What if ingrown hair gets infected

If you have an infected ingrown hair, an over-the-counter antibiotic cream -- such as a cream containing bacitracin -- may be useful. Do not shave the area until all symptoms are gone.

When you resume shaving, move the razor in the direction of hair growth and use a sharp, single-bladed razor to reduce the likelihood of another ingrown hair.

See your doctor if your infected ingrown hair does not significantly improve in a few days or if it is getting worse 3 4. Seek prompt medical care if you develop a fever or notice that the redness and warmth is spreading beyond the initial area. Your doctor may remove the hair with sterile tools and prescribe antibiotics -- usually a cream applied to the skin but sometimes pills as well 3 4. Dawn Runge holds a Doctor of Chiropractic and master's degree in nutrition. She has written more than 60 articles for a weekly health and fitness column owned by AOL News.

She has also competed in fitness competitions, and enjoys dancing and reading. She resides in Orlando, Fla. Monitor the health of your community here.

More Articles. Diseases and Injuries. Picking or popping an infected ingrown hair also increases your risk of complications. Instead, gently scrub the area with warm water and soap. This can help ease the ingrown hair out of the skin on its own. Learn more: How to handle: Ingrown hair on the legs ». Most of these complications can be avoided by taking measures to prevent ingrown hairs and treating any infections promptly. Mild ingrown hair infections often clear up on their own without treatment.

Your doctor can identify an infected ingrown hair through a physical examination of the skin. No other tests are typically needed for diagnosis. Antibiotics may be prescribed in severe cases.

These are used if you have large, pus-filled, or open sores. Your doctor can also provide tips for lifestyle changes that may reduce your likelihood of ingrown hairs. Picking or popping the ingrown hair will only increase your risk of infection because it exposes the follicle to bacteria. Picking the skin can also cause scars. Many cases clear up on their own without any interference. Mild cases of infection may clear up on their own after a few days, but severe cases can take a couple of weeks.

After the infection has cleared, you may have a scar or discolored skin that can last for several months. Learn more: Treating and preventing ingrown pubic hairs ». Preventing ingrown hairs in the first place can decrease your risk of related infections. When shaving or waxing, try the following tips:. If you continue having infected ingrown hairs in the same area, such as the face, you might consider ceasing at-home hair removal.

Talk to your doctor about whether you may benefit from laser skin treatments and other long-term hair removal methods. Ingrown hairs on your face are painful and annoying. Here's how to prevent them from happening. It is common for some people to be affected with infected ingrown hair but when it occurs leaving it untreated can lead to infections and irking situations.

Read to know what causes ingrown hair cysts and how to treat infected ingrown hair? At times, dead skin clogs a hair follicle and this forces hair to grow opposite or sideways under the skin rather than out and up.

It can as well happen when you cut curly hair too short, this sharp end of the hair may pierce the skin leading to ingrown hair and infection along with it.

These dead cells may unintentionally clog the hair follicles leading to the backward growth of the hair. Ingrown hair is quite common in the regions where hair removal is common like legs, face, chest, scalp, armpits, and pubic area.

Shaving creates sharp edges in this type of hair, especially if the hair is dry when shaved. When a hair penetrates your skin, your skin reacts as it would to a foreign body — it becomes inflamed. Razor bumps pseudofolliculitis barbae affects men with curly beards. It develops when shaved hairs curve back into the skin, leading to inflammation. To help prevent ingrown hairs, avoid shaving, tweezing and waxing. If that's not an option, use these tips to make ingrown hairs less likely:.

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