The most common question we hear from our male skin care clients are regarding the ingrown hairs in their lower face/neck region. What causes them? How can I get rid of them? In this post we’ll answer your questions, and bring you tips for treating, and preventing ingrown hairs.
WHAT CAUSES INGROWN HAIRS?
Ingrown hairs are caused by trapped hairs in the hair follicle that have become weakened, diverted, or blocked during the hair growth cycle. The trapped hair continues to grow within the follicle causing painful pressure and inflammation of the follicles.
The inflamed follicles often become infected causing painful discomfort; they can also leave your skin scarred for months, and be harmful to your health.
As with any infection, if left untreated, it can spread to other areas of the system via the circulatory system. In severe cases a trip to the doctor for drainage, and a course of antibiotics, may be required.
Using a dull or low quality razor contributes to this condition by increasing the need to apply unnecessary pressure in order to achieve a clean shave. The excess pressure causes the blades to scrape along the skin and opening of the hair follicle, creating micro-tears.
Your skin reacts to this trauma by forming new cells at the site of injury which can cause hyperkeratosis, an overgrowth of skin surrounding the follicle, or blockage of the follicle opening.
Ingrown hairs will typically occur in areas of the body with a high concentration of dense coarse and/or curly hair, such as the beard, neck, back, or chest. Areas where the skin is under pressure or friction due to clothing or creases in the skin are also susceptible. When your hair attempts to break through the surface of the skin, it is pressure back into your skin, thus causing the ingrown hair to form.
Men with darker skin tones can develop a condition called psuedofolliculitis, another form of ingrown hairs. This is due to the texture of the hair being thicker, stronger, and tightly curled.
HOW CAN I GET RID OF MY INGROWN HAIRS?
Tips for Preventing Ingrown Hairs
Replace your razor continuously. If it’s not doing the job in a couple swipes then it is time to say goodbye!
Gently exfoliate before shaving. Start with a good exfoliation using mild AHA/BHA or enzyme based cleanser. This will gently loosen dead surface cells without the vigorous scrubbing of skin scrubs, giving you a smooth skin to glide your razor. The Daily Polishing Cleanser by Glo offers you a micro exfoliation along with the benefits of BHA- Salicylic Acid.
Prep the hair for shaving. Press a damp-hot towel into your skin after exfoliating. This will help soften the hair and open the follicles making it easier to cut through the hair.
Use a good quality barrier to protect your skin during the shave. Choose a shaving agent that contains less fragrance and ingredients that benefit your skin during the shave. Highly fragranced products can irritate the skin and cause unnecessary sensitivity. Shaving oils are a great addition to your shave regime.
Seal the skin after shaving. Following a good shave your skin is left exposed and sensitized. Using a mask or protective aftershave will give your skin a protective barrier against the elements. Try the Cucumber Recovery Mask by Glo for a lightweight protection and refreshing hydration.
Tips for Treating Ingrown Hairs
Permanent removal. For permanent treatment of this condition laser/IPL hair removal will do the trick. This process permanently reduces the amount of hair that grows in the area treated and with the right process you can also reduce scarring and inflammation. It can be performed over the entire area, targeted areas, or along your beard line for a crisp outline. Book your hair removal service with our laser/IPL expert.
Chemical Peel. Chemicals peels are a great way to dissolve the follicle blocking layers from the skin and reveal fresh undamaged layers. They also help push the trapped hair in the follicle and debris to the surface. A Grape Enzyme Peel is the go-to when treating ingrown hair and psuedofolliculitis.
Extraction of the hair . Unless the tip of the hair is visible, extraction should be performed by skin care pro. This will ensure that the hair is safely and effectively removed, with less discomfort and risk of scarring. This treatment is normally performed during a facial treatment and is the focus of the dermica MAN facial treatment.
Topical Tretinoin (Retin A) and Retinol (Vit A) derivatives . This medicinal ingredient decreases the overgrowth of skin surrounding the follicle and diminishes scarring. The Tretinol .05% by Glo is excellent treating affected areas at home. It can be incorporated into any homecare routine and is has many other benefits to the skin.
Are you longing for solution to unwanted facial and body hair? Have you considered IPL Hair Removal? Life can be easy with Dermica’s IPL Hair Removal Treatment!
Our IPL Hair Removal Treatment will deliver permanent results on any area of face and body, including male facial hair! Razor burn, ingrown hairs, and embarrassing stubble will be a thing of the past after your IPL Hair Removal session!
PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA BEFORE BOOKING ONLINE.
PLEASE ARRIVE TO YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH AREA TO BE TREATED SHAVED FLUSH TO THE SKIN.
Time frame: Dependent on size of area being treated.
Recommended sessions: 8-12
Downtime required: 24 hrs
Pre-treatment protocols:
Must not currently be on or have used Accutane or any other oral prescription acne medications in the past 12 months
If currently using any products containing AHA/BHA/Retin A/Vitamin A on the area being treated, you must discontinue usage 2 weeks prior to procedure
Must wait a minimum of 4 weeks (or up to 6 weeks for darker skin types) from last tanning (artificial or natural) AND/OR waxing session
If currently on any prescription medications, check with your physician regarding possible photosensitivity
Contraindications:
Diabetes
Pregnancy
Disorders stimulated by light
Cancer (remission under 2 years)
Epilepsy
Use of photosensitive medication and herbs
Active infection of Herpes Simplex in treatment area
ALISA for Skin Rejuvenation and Skin Tightening and Smoothing
Is your skin looking a little down these days? Want to tighten and brighten your tired skin? We recommend the ALISA photofacial treatment. ALISA is ideal for treating dull skin appearance, textural damage such as scarring, fine lines, wrinkles, and large pores.
How does ALISA work?
We treat textural damage with phototherapy. Photofacials emit light energy into the skin. The light beam destroys specified targets without damaging the surrounding tissue. This process promotes the production fresh and plump new cells, increase collagen production, circulation, and cell turnover rate. This treatment can be performed on small to large areas of the face, neck, chest, hands, and arms!
Your skin will look and feel younger, brighter, tighter, and supple.
We use Sharplight’s Formax-VP System. Their DPC technology makes your treatments safe and effective in less time. Above all, you can rest assured that your treatment is performed by a qualified technician with your comfort in mind.
PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA BEFORE BOOKING ONLINE.
Pre-treatment protocols:
Must not currently be on or have used Accutane or any other oral prescription acne medications in the past 12 months
If currently using any products containing AHA/BHA/Retin A/Vitamin A on the area being treated, you must discontinue usage 2 weeks prior to procedure
Must wait a minimum of 4 weeks (or up to 6 weeks for darker skin types) from last tanning (artificial or natural) session
If currently on any prescription medications, check with your physician regarding possible photosensitivity
Time frame: 45 minutes
Recommended sessions: 4-6
Contraindications:
Diabetes
Pregnancy
Disorders stimulated by light
Cancer (remission under 2 years)
Epilepsy
Use of photosensitive medication and herbs
Active infection of Herpes Simplex in treatment area
Take the Dérmica experience home with you! Save 15% on in-store product purchases with any skincare service. Your service provider can recommend products to fit your skin and lifestyle. Professional skincare products will help you reach your skin goals sooner.
Not sure if this is the right treatment for you?
Try our Treatment Selection Guide. It is easy to use and designed to help you select the best option for your skin goals. In addition, you can email any questions to our Ask Dermica feature. For specific concerns, we recommend attaching pictures to provide a visible aide. As a result, our professionals will be able to better determine a treatment for you.
