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Untreated ingrown hair

An untreated ingrown hair, one that remains under the skin as a bump, can sometimes finds a way to the skin's surface without causing an infection.

When a trapped whisker can't find a path through the skin, it remains stuck in the pore where an infection can easily occur.

When the infection/pimple ruptures, or when the pore is opened by shaving or squeezing, the hair can exit to the surface.

How to deal with a razor bump that's NOT infected

In principle, an untreated ingrown hair is best left alone - to let nature take its course.

Applying warm, wet compresses to the area several times a day softens the skin - often all the hair needs to break through to the skin surface.

After a day or two of applying wet compresses, look at the bump in a magnifying mirror. If you notice the end of the hair sticking out, grab hold of it with a sterilized tweezers and pull it out.

As well as sterilizing the tweezers, swab the area where you plan to work with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide - both before and after tweezing.

When the untreated ingrown hair gets infected

If the razor bump becomes infected, the warm compress treatment will help bring the infection to a head.

Once it comes to a head, treat it like any pimple you're going to squeeze - and you do, of course, know the correct way to pop a zit without spreading the infection or getting a scar, right?.

After you squeeze or lance the pimple (or if shaving has opened it), watch for clear fluid or blood to run out.

When you see the clear fluid or blood, it's time to remove the hair with sterilized tweezers. Since this area is already tender and painful, pull firmly and quickly to keep the pain to a minimum.

Once again, clean the entire area with hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol. This helps stop the spread of the bacteria and scarring.

After this step, leave the pore alone and keep the area clean.

Exfoliating your skin on a regular basis, with a product made for your skin type (dry, oily or combination skin), is a good way to lessen the number of blocked pores you get. That leaves you with fewer untreated ingrown whiskers. It's not a cure-all, but it does help.

If you don't know where you're going,
at least know where you stand.

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