Symptoms

• The hair on the body curls back into and underneath the skin. Sores and bumps can manifest on the skin, covering ingrown hairs in layers of inflamed flesh. Depending on how deep an ingrown hair has receded into the skin, it can become visible under the surface (often appearing as a tiny curl of dark hair under the skin). Most ingrown hairs are dark and thick, which makes them easier to see in the mirror. Ingrown hairs tend to be most common in teenagers who are just starting to grow facial hair.
  
  

Causes

• An ingrown hair can occur for a number of reasons, including poor hygiene and improper shaving of body hair. Ingrown hair may also occur from wearing constricting clothing and undergarments. Although practicing proper hygiene and shaving can reduce the chances of causing an ingrown hair, the natural phenomenon can occur without aggravation to the skin or hair. Most ingrown hairs will occur when a hair is cut too closely to the skin and in a direction going against the grain of the hair. Men should shave their face downward. To avoid ingrown hairs on the neck, shave upward.
  
  

Potential

• An ingrown hair can occur anywhere on the body. Usually, however, an ingrown hair will occur in areas on the skin where hair has been shaved. The upside about ingrown hairs is that they tend to last only a few weeks at the very most. After a few weeks, the ingrown hair will fall out of the skin on its own. Ingrown hair that does not go away, or reoccurs after falling out, can be treated by electrolysis (a permanent hair removal medical treatment).
  
  

Treatment

• Removing an ingrown hair with a pair of tweezers should be followed by an application of hydrogen peroxide, and then washed off with water. The quickest way to get rid of an ingrown hair is to pick it out with a pair of tweezers. The skin should be gently picked at with a sterile pair of tweezers until the flesh allows the hair to slip out. If the hair is too deep, blood may rise to the surface of the skin. To avoid injuring yourself, go to a dermatologist. Your dermatologist can give you facial scrubs that are best for your type of skin. One of the worst things people can do is go to the store and purchase a product that hurts or irritates their skin, which will only worsen the pain of the inflamed area. A dermatologist can identify the type of skin you have and suggest the safest product for you to use.