Beeswax & Propolis Magic Salve is a multi-purpose traditional salve known to help with 100 problems in traditional medicine.
In most cases, ingrown hairs are nothing serious and should get better on their own if you allow them to grow out – this often happens once they get to about 10mm long.
Treatments that may help include:
- Applying a warm cloth a few times a day to help open your pores and uncurl the hair – try bringing it to the surface by gently rubbing the area
- Using mild soaps to clean the area, which can remove dead skin cells and help prevent infection
- Gently pulling the hair straight using clean tweezers, if it has surfaced above the skin. But don’t pluck an ingrown hair – this could cause another ingrown hair to form, or lead to an infection. (you shouldn’t pick at the skin around an ingrown hair either)
How to prevent ingrown hairs
- If you stop shaving, plucking and waxing, you’re much less likely to get ingrown hairs.
- But if that isn’t a realistic option for you, try some of these tips to help keep ingrown hairs at bay:
- Exfoliate your skin gently before hair removal, to help release any trapped hairs
- Pat the area with warm water and apply a moisturising shaving gel before shaving – this helps soften the hairs, so they’re less likely to get sharp tips
- Use a sharp, single-blade razor, and shave in the same direction as your hair growth
- Leave some stubble instead of shaving closely – this might help stop bacteria getting into your hair follicles
- After shaving, hold a cool, wet cloth over your skin to reduce redness and irritation
- Try laser hair removal instead of shaving or waxing
What’s an ingrown hair cyst?
Sometimes with ingrown hairs, you can get an ingrown hair cyst. This is usually a spot that’s turned into a pus-filled lump. The good news is that most ingrown hair cysts are nothing to worry about, and they often get better on their own.
In the meantime, treat the area gently while it heals – avoid shaving it, and keep it clean and moisturised. And don’t try to squeeze or pop the cyst, as this can cause irritation and increase the risk of infection. It’s best to see your doctor (see below) if you have a lump you’re not sure about, before trying any home remedies.
When to see a doctor
You might need to see a doctor about an ingrown hair or an ingrown hair cyst if:
- It isn’t going away on its own
- It’s affecting your daily life or confidence
- A cyst is big, catches on your clothing, is growing, leaking fluid or pus, or becoming very painful
- An ingrown hair becomes infected – it might be painful, red, swollen and spread to the skin around it
- You have a condition that weakens your immune system, such as hiv or uncontrolled diabetes, or you’re taking a medicine that weakens your immune system
- Your temperature is high, you feel hot, shivery or have symptoms of a fever at the same time a cyst develops
- You notice lots of ingrown hairs over a big area and they’re painful – this could be inflammation of your hair follicles (folliculitis), usually caused by a bacterial or fungal infection
