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How do I get Rid of Ingrown Neck Hairs?
Ingrown hairs, or hairs that have become embedded into the skin, occur commonly as a result of shaving and other hair removal methods. There are some products available for purchase that may help get rid of ingrown neck hairs, but there are also ways to remove them with common household materials. There are a few steps one should take to safely treat and remove ingrown hairs on the neck without damaging or irritating the surrounding skin. They include removing obstacles such as dead skin cells that may be obstructing the hair's growth, gently removing the hair, and cleaning and disinfecting the hair follicle and the area surrounding it.
Skin specialists recommend gently exfoliating the affected area to see if the hair can be coaxed into uncurling from the skin. Some methods of ingrown hair removal state that over a period of days of exfoliation, most ingrown neck hairs can be removed this way. Then, it is a simple matter of plucking the hair out with clean tweezers. Even if the hair cannot be removed this way, gentle exfoliation helps prevent future blemishes by removing dead skin cells and other debris that may block pores and hair follicles.
Sometimes, ingrown neck hairs may become infected and develop pus at the opening of the hair follicle. These may be resolved with gentle squeezing, but to avoid skin damage, it is better to apply an acne medication such as salicylic acid to the follicle. This treatment will likely only be effective after a few days of regular application of the acne medication.
A faster method is to apply a warm, moist washcloth as a compress to the area for a few minutes, which has the dual benefit of softening the skin and hair and causing the hair to come closer to the skin's surface to be more easily removed using tweezers that have been sterilized. It is important not to skip the warm compress if the hair appears deep inside the skin, because digging around with tweezers in an attempt to find the hair can be painful and damage the skin. In all cases, after the ingrown hair has been successfully removed, one should clean the skin thoroughly with gentle soap and warm water and apply a drop of antiseptic ointment to the area. Keeping the skin moisturized and soft may help prevent future ingrown neck hairs. One should make sure, however, to use a moisturizer that will not clog the pores and hair follicles, or risk making the problem worse.
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![Exfoliating with a wet sponge may help prevent ingrown hairs.]()
By: Africa StudioExfoliating with a wet sponge may help prevent ingrown hairs. -
![A natural exfoliator like white sugar may prevent ingrown neck hairs.]()
By: bit24A natural exfoliator like white sugar may prevent ingrown neck hairs. -
![Ingrown neck hairs can be plucked with clean tweezers.]()
By: Photographee.euIngrown neck hairs can be plucked with clean tweezers. -
![Sometimes ingrown neck hairs may become infected.]()
By: F.C.G.Sometimes ingrown neck hairs may become infected. -
![A warm compress can be applied to soften the skin, and then sterile tweezers or a needle may be used to ease the hair out.]()
By: fotomatrixA warm compress can be applied to soften the skin, and then sterile tweezers or a needle may be used to ease the hair out.
Discussion Comments
@ZipLine-- Are you exfoliating regularly?
I used to get a lot of ingrown hairs on my face and my neck before. Ever since I started exfoliating my skin on a regular basis, I haven't had any.
Some of us have thicker skin than others. I also have a skin condition called keratosis pilaris that causes my skin to be thick and bumpy. So I'm very prone to getting ingrown hairs.
I use an exfoliating scrub, as well as a loofah every time I shower to remove dead skin. It sounds like a very simple ingrown hair treatment, but it works.
@ZipLine-- That's a great way to get an ingrown hair infection!
Did you at least burn the tip of the needle to sterilize it and then apply antibiotic cream on the spot after removal?
I would avoid this method in the future if I were you. My roommate got a staph infection trying to remove ingrown hairs himself. You should see a doctor so that they can remove it in a sterile environment.
I had an ingrown hair on my neck from shaving that was really annoying me. I had to have my wife dig it out with a needle and then remove it with tweezers. It was easier than I thought, it didn't hurt at all.
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