Ingrown hairs
An ingrown hair is a hair that fails to emerge as it grows and curls back into the skin. The body treats it as a foreign body, and a red, painful bump…
Prescription review online
A doctor will review your case and issue a prescription if medically appropriate.
Talk to a doctor online
Discuss your symptoms and possible next steps with a doctor online.
On this page
Medicines commonly prescribed for Ingrown hairs
For informational purposes only. Always consult a doctor before using any medicine.
Dosage form: CREAM, 0.5 mgActive substance: betamethasoneManufacturer: Galenicum Derma S.L.U.Prescription requiredDosage form: CREAM, 2 %Active substance: fusidic acidManufacturer: Laboratorios Leo Pharma S.A.Prescription requiredDosage form: TOPICAL SOLUTION, 64 g betamethasone dipropionate / 100 gActive substance: betamethasoneManufacturer: Organon Salud S.L.Prescription required
An ingrown hair is a hair that fails to emerge as it grows and curls back into the skin. The body treats it as a foreign body, and a red, painful bump appears, sometimes with pus. It is very common after shaving and waxing, particularly with curly hair. It almost always resolves on its own, and what really changes things is altering your hair removal technique rather than treating each bump separately.
How it looks
- a small red bump with a coiled hair visible inside or beneath it;
- sometimes with a point of pus, resembling a spot;
- pain or itching;
- on darker skin it leaves persistent brown marks;
- if it recurs in the same area, scars or keloids can form;
- typical sites: neck and chin in men; groin, armpits and legs in women; also the nape and buttocks.
Why they happen
- curly or very thick hair: it emerges curved and re-enters easily;
- close shaving or shaving against the grain, which leaves the hair cut to a point below the skin surface;
- waxing, tweezing or epilating, which breaks the hair and disrupts its growth direction;
- thickened skin or a build-up of dead cells blocking the follicle;
- tight clothing and friction;
- sweating and moisture;
- some hormonal conditions that increase hair growth.
What to do with a specific one
- leave it alone for a few days: most resolve on their own;
- warm compresses for 10 minutes, two or three times a day: they soften the skin and help the hair emerge;
- gentle exfoliation around it, without scrubbing the inflamed bump itself;
- if you can clearly see the loop of hair emerging, you can free it with a sterile needle by lifting the loop outwards, without pulling it out or digging under the skin;
- do not remove hair from the area until it settles;
- a cream with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to reduce inflammation;
- a topical antibiotic if there is a small amount of pus.
What not to do: squeeze it, open it with an unsterilised needle, dig around looking for the hair or pull it out with tweezers. That leaves a scar, worsens the inflammation and often means the next hair ingrows too.
When to see a doctor
- the lesion is enlarging, very painful or filling with pus — there may be an abscess;
- redness is spreading, with warmth or fever;
- ingrown hairs appear constantly and are limiting you;
- scars or keloids are forming;
- there are persistent dark marks;
- many papules and scars are forming in the beard area — this is pseudofolliculitis barbae, which has its own management;
- repeated painful nodules in the armpits or groin that discharge and leave tracts — that is not ingrown hair but hidradenitis suppurativa, needing different treatment;
- in a woman, body hair has increased markedly: a hormonal cause is worth excluding.
How to prevent them
This is the real treatment.
If you shave
- soften the hair first with warm water for a few minutes;
- use gel or foam, never dry;
- shave in the direction of hair growth, not against it;
- do not stretch the skin to get a closer shave;
- one pass per area;
- a sharp, clean blade, changed frequently;
- rinse with cool water and apply an alcohol-free lotion;
- shave less often and leave the hair slightly longer if you can;
- an electric razor that does not shave as close reduces the problem considerably.
In general
- exfoliate the area two or three times a week, with a gentle product or a mitt;
- moisturise daily: supple skin lets the hair through more easily;
- underwear and trousers that are not tight, preferably cotton;
- shower after exercise;
- if you wax, always pull in the correct direction and do not go over the same area twice;
- laser hair removal: the most effective long-term solution for anyone with the problem repeatedly, because it removes the hair that ingrows;
- depilatory creams as an alternative, testing on a small area first.
Common questions
Is it a spot? It looks like one, but the mechanism is different: here the problem is the hair, not sebum.
Can I pull the hair out with tweezers? Pulling it out makes things worse. At most, free the loop without extracting it.
Will the marks fade? They fade with time, more slowly on darker skin. Sun protection and azelaic acid help.
Does laser remove them entirely? It reduces the problem greatly, though several sessions and sometimes maintenance are needed.
Does stopping shaving work? Yes, it is the most effective measure, though not always practical. Two or three weeks without shaving usually clears the area by itself.
Online consultation
In an online consultation the doctor reviews photographs, distinguishes an ingrown hair from folliculitis, a boil and hidradenitis, advises on treating the inflamed lesion, and helps you redesign your hair removal technique so the problem stops recurring.
This material is for information only and does not replace a medical consultation.
Consult with a doctor about Ingrown hairs
Discuss your symptoms and possible next steps with a doctor online.
Medically reviewed by
Reviewed on Jul 28, 2026
Online doctors for Ingrown hairs
Discuss your symptoms and possible next steps for Ingrown hairs with a doctor online.
