Preventing Ingrown Hairs - POP QUIZ!

I get a lot of questions about ingrown hairs - what they are and how to prevent them - here in the office. Ingrown hairs hurt! And they can seriously cramp your style, particularly for women in the warmer months when it may be time to break out the bikinis.

Here's a quick Pop Quiz video to help explain a little more about how we get ingrown hairs and my recommendations on how to treat and prevent them. Hope it helps!

Instagram:
@DrPimplePopper for 24/7 pops
@DrSandraLee for my work, my life, my pops

Facebook: Dr Sandra Lee

Twitter: @SandraLeeMD

Snapchat: drpimplepopper

Periscope: Dr. Sandra Lee

This video may contain dermatologic surgical and/or procedural content. The content seen in this video is provided only for medical education purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

[autinthoma]

Its lowkey wholesome and all the way fascinatinf to see how much humans interact and dont be rude to one another in a medical youtubers channel comments section

[RoySkilletz]

As a black male, I need this because when I go to the barbershop and get a haircut; I'll have them shave my neck with a single blade or electric shaver. My extremely sensitive skin under my neck is a problem. Ingrown hairs above and under the skin regularly and there is no way to control it at all. I pray these tips do me some good.

[Wizker]

TOP 10 CAUSES OF INGROWN HAIRS:

1. Too many passes with the blade. One pass, going 1-2 inches downward at a time will eliminate ingrowns.

2. Too many blades (if you are prone to ingrowns you don’t need 3 or more blades)

3. Pressing too hard on the skin with the blade. A gliding, light touch is all you need. This is likely your biggest issue. Follow #4

4. Not enough prep time. You should be using a warm/hot water prep (5 mins). Then leave the shaving creme on for more than 3 minutes to really soften the hair. The hair stubble should literally fall away with little or no pressure at all. Pressing is the problem! Be gentle ya'll.

5. Using a used blade (this one is obvious, of course).

6. Use of skin/pore clogging cremes or lotions. These keep hairs from growing up. After a shave, keep your skin bare; let it breath, and allow those newly shaved, really small, microscopic hairs to grow out just in time for the next shave.

7. Not enough exfoliation to remove excess layers of skin. Use a skin care brush designed for exfoliation as directed.

8. Shaving too many times. This rule is hard to follow especially if you have to shave for your career but if you are prone to ingrowns, try shaving with an electric clipper. The results are not super close but no one but you will know the difference.

9. Shaving against the grain. Shave in the direction of hair growth (usually down, but perform a face map to be sure).

10. Avoid tight fitting clothing around the Adam’s apple (neck) and/or below the waistline region.

[Victoria-snxd]

Back then I didn’t have any ingrowns on my legs but ever since I used an epilator I got on Amazon my leg hairs began to grow curled in, so aggravating, but this explains why thank you doctor

[JisooTurtleRabbitt]

Omg I had the biggest ingrown on my leg for about a week and a half and last night it was so big and so tight and red it was taking up a huge area of my leg, so I gently pressed around the area and omg it erupted like a volcano! I got the hair out but holy shit I’m on antibiotics and everything now because of one god damn hair! 😵

[jbmbanter]

I like the suggestion about shaving with the grain of the hair rather than against. I am 63 years old and could never shave under my chin and jaw coming up. All of the TV commercials show the macho young men shaving up from the collar to the chin but that never worked for me and if the blade is a little dull it actually really hurts.

[fbidenflagguy]

even if I don't shave at all I get ingrown hairs on my legs -Tionna

[misskim]

the only place i have ingrown hair are on my legs ( calves area ) . what i usually do is use a extractor to open it up or stratch the top surface ( its normally dry and comes off/open easily) . exfoliate legs to get rid of the dry dead skin, i then moisturizer it with bio oil or any body oil products ( i usually mixs it with my body moisturizer . Doing this help to keep my legs soft/ smooth and blackhead free. . It truly word works for me.

[JJDigitalartStudio]

Thanks for the info doc. I get them where the sun don't shine. But I quit having certain types of waxing done and now I don't get them anymore.

[ARIZJOE]

Dr. Jerome Litt, a nationally known, popular dermatologist decades ago, told me that shaving for men is crucial. 1) Always make sure your beard is moist, with a hot towel or after a shower. 2) Always use a single blade razor - never multiple blade, and throw it away and get another after a few uses to ensure the blade is sharp.

[yanais]

my legs are covered with tiny, itty bitty ingrown hairs! not infected or irritated, but really annoying when i want to wear shorts and have tiny bumps all over my legs... so even though i live in sunny Key West Florida.. i live in my jeans 😕 help!

[kamsy]

Doctor Lee, I do get ingrown hairs on rare occasion, but the odd problem I've noticed are hairs, sometimes up to a half inch long, that I can SEE growing under the very top layer of skin. I gently exfoliate before I shave my legs, but it still happens. It's almost like the hair is pressed under glass, but the glass is the topmost layer of skin! These hairs don't get infected or irritated, but they look odd and are VERY visible once they hit that 1/2 inch mark. The only way I can get them out is to use sharp tweezers to abrade the skin and pull the hair up and through that thin layer of skin; THEN the skin tends to get irritated. Am I doing something wrong? Do you have any recommendations?
Thanks in advance!
Kelly

[lifebrarian]

I used to have terrible folliculitis all over my legs. Had to see a derm for a topical antibiotic and retinoid. Now I always use a new razor and a lotion with glycolic acid seem to work best to prevent them for me.

[Wizker]

SHAVING TIPS
Sterilize tools w soap/hot water/rubbing alcohol
Only 1-2 blade razor
Shaving cream+steam 2min prep
Only pass 1-2 times per area
Don’t press so hard
Shave WITH the grain
Shave 6 days apart
No lotion/Yes aftershave
No super tight clothes
Exfoliate daily #wizkerbrush

[sares]

Could you go a video on treating folliculitis?? Please..

[tlrector]

My husband has baby fine curly hair and he gets ingrown hair all over his body. He does wash with antibacterial soap, but I think he needs to use a scrub to exfoliate his skin. His baby fine, curly hair needs help pushing through the skin. He only shaves his face and he never gets ingrown hair there. That tells me that exfoliating does help.
#smartbutnotadoc

[TheLoLo]

I get A LOT of ingrown hairs in my bikini line and i HATEEE ITTT goddamn. The hair is so stuck that sometimes it forms a cyst, seriously there is a hard ball shaped cyst under my skin and it huuuurt! 😫

[NowWhat]

what about exfoliating the skin, does that prevent ingrowns?

[melindalovest]

Dr. Lee what method of tx would you recommend for ingrown hairs on the chin? Specifically on fair skin. Thank you.

[mendyvalenzuela]

hi dr s.lee!! OMGEE!! I feel so bad 4 my hubby!! I have pulled and pricked..he has curly hair.so now I get it!! THANK U!!!