In this article we will talk about ingrown hair cysts. Have you ever had this problem or do you know anyone who has experienced an ingrown hair cyst? As you have probably heard, ingrown hair cysts can be very painful and uncomfortable, so it is necessary to treat them properly. Sometimes you will be able to remove these cysts on your own, but in some more serious cases, the surgical procedure will be needed.
In this article we will tell you something more about an ingrown hair cyst, its causes and its removal treatment. How can you get rid of this cyst? Is it possible to prevent ingrown hair cyst to appear? When should you seek medical attention? What are the most common symptoms of ingrown hair cyst? Just continue reading and you will get the answers to these and similar questions.
Before that, we will tell you what ingrown hair cysts are and which parts of your body may be affected. If you have also experienced such problem, this article may be very useful for you.
What Are Ingrown Hair Cysts?
Ingrown hairs are the hairs which are growing into the skin. These hairs usually appear on the areas of your body that are being shaved. Very soon you will notice that an ingrown hair is located in the center of a cyst.
Ingrown hair cysts are hair follicle cysts which may appear on different parts on your body, such as your face, neck, bikinis, thighs, scalp area, area near the groin, etc. It is best to get rid of ingrown hair cysts as soon as possible because they may be very painful if they get infected. If the cyst gets a bacterial infection, it can lead to serious complications.
Many people are confused when it comes to ingrown hair cysts and normal cysts. Actually, these cysts are very similar and they form lumps on the skin so it is very difficult to distinguish them. But, ingrown hair cysts are smaller than large cysts.
Also, many people are not able to distinguish ingrown hair cysts and herpes. These two conditions may also be very similar. It is possible to happen that genital herpes is confused with some embedded hairs in your bikini area or on your genitals. It is especially common for men. If they notice a hair follicle cyst on their penile shafts or around the anus, they may confuse these cysts with genital herpes.
You should be very careful in this case. You should know that herpes is the result of a virus infection. On the other hand, hair follicle cysts are usually caused by shaving or waxing. If you notice embedded hairs or lesions in your bikini area or on your genitals, you should seek medical help.
The Most Common Causes Of Ingrown Hair Cysts
Studies have shown that ingrown hair cysts appear mostly on the scalp, on the face and underarms. They may also appear in pubic area.
Improper Shaving or Waxing. Improper shaving or waxing is one of the most common causes of ingrown hair cysts. After shaving you may notice a razor burn on your skin, which will probably cause bumps and also embedded hairs. The cysts may appear on ingrown hairs if your hygiene is poor.
The best way to prevent any ingrown hair cysts on your face, underarms or in your bikini area is to cleanse these areas with soap before you shave them. Actually, you should do a pilling of your skin before shaving. This way you will prevent any bumps or ingrown hairs to appear.
Also, you should never shave against your hair growth. If you shave against the direction of your hair growth, you may cause burns, bruises and cysts to appear on your skin.
Clogged Pores. You may have heard that clogged pores are usually a cause of ingrown hair cysts. If the pores on your hair follicles become clogged, there is a big possibility that an ingrown hair cyst will appear.
Cystic acne. Cystic acne is also one of the causes of ingrown hair cysts on your face. Studies have shown that ingrown hair cysts on your face are usually a result of cystic acne. If a hair follicle on your face gets inflamed, it will be covered with pink skin and the pores will not be able to drain. This way ingrown hair cysts will appear on your face or other parts of your body.
Other Causes. Other potential causes of ingrown hair cysts are fungal and bacterial infections, makeup and some products for skin care. Also, these cysts may be caused by tightly curled hair or friction from tight clothes.
The Most Common Symptoms of Ingrown Hair Cysts
The most important symptom of ingrown hair cyst is a sac that is filled with fluid. This sac may vary from white to yellow. If you notice that the cyst has turned green, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible.
Green color of the cyst is a sign that it is infected, so it will be necessary to treat it. Common symptoms of ingrown hair cysts are also bumps, itching and tenderness of your skin. Also, it is possible that bruises appear around the cysts.
Before ingrown hair cysts appear on your skin, it is possible that you notice some dermoid cysts which can burst. The color of the discharge will be clear or yellow, but if you try to scratch the cyst, you may cause blood to come out of it. You should know that bleeding cysts might be very dangerous. You should treat them properly in order to avoid them to get infected.
The severity of the symptoms depends mostly on genetics and on your overall health. Also, your lifestyle has an important role.
If ingrown cysts on your skin get infected, it will be very painful and uncomfortable for you. The discharge will be yellow and you will notice tender bumps and redness around the cysts. Also, you may have a burning sensation on your skin because it will be irritated. You should never try to pop the cyst because it may worsen the inflammation.
The Treatment Of Ingrown Hair Cysts
Now when you know what are the causes and symptoms of ingrown hair cysts and how to distinguish them from normal cysts or herpes, we will also tell you how to treat this condition. Most ingrown hair cysts can be treated with success. But, you should know that there are also cysts that will not go away easily. These cysts can be very dangerous and even lead to cancer.
For example, if you have cysts that are lying deep in your underarms, it will not be easy to remove these cysts by yourself at home. It is important to seek medical help in order to check if these cysts are sebaceous or not. Unfortunately, studies have shown that many cysts that appear on your hair follicles or in your underarms may be cancerous.
The treatment of ingrown hair cysts is usually based on anti-inflammatory remedies. Also, steroid creams can be very helpful. They have anti-inflammatory properties and they can reduce irritation and also swelling.
Doctors usually prescribe antibiotic creams and pills that will certainly reduce the infection. Sometimes, the only way to get rid of ingrown hair cysts are oral antibiotics that your doctor will prescribe you. If the cause of ingrown hair cysts is acne, you should use products that contain salicylic acid.
This is a popular treatment for acne and it will help you remove the cysts from your skin. Sometimes your doctor may also prescribe you retinoids or anti-bacterial injections. Anti-bacterial injections are especially effective when the bumps are tender and filled with pus. Also, there are some home remedies that may help you.
Tea Tree Oil. The tea tree oil is one of the best home remedies for ingrown hair cysts. It is a natural treatment that will heal the infected cysts for a short time. This oil has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, so it will certainly help you get rid of these cysts.
You just need to mix a little water with a few drops of this oil. Apply this mixture on the area on your body that is affected and leave it for a couple of minutes. After that period, you should rinse the affected area with lukewarm water.
You can also mix tea tree oil with aloe Vera for better results. Due to its antibacterial properties, this mixture will kill all the bacteria.
Glycolic Acid. Another thing you can do is to apply glycolic acid on the ingrown hair cyst. It is best to do it at night before you go to bed. This will certainly help you to exfoliate the skin and the bumps will be effectively cured.
How To Prevent Ingrown Hair Cysts?
There are also some tips that may help you prevent ingrown hairs to appear. You should exfoliate the skin on a daily basis and rub it using washcloth soaked in warm water. This way you will remove dead cells from your skin’s surface. The next thing you should do is to use the razor which is sterilized and sharp enough. This way you will avoid any bacterial infections. Of course, it is always best to use the razor that was not used before.
As we have already mentioned, it is necessary to make your skin moist before every shaving. Avoid dry shaving because it is the most common cause of ingrown hair cysts. You need to use a quality shaving cream that will lubricate your skin while you are shaving. Remember that it is always easier to cut wet hairs as they are much softer than the dry once.
It is necessary to disinfect the area after shaving it. You should never scratch your skin if it is irritated after shaving. Our recommendation is also to wear more comfortable clothes. It is known that too tight clothes may cause the ingrown hair cysts to appear on your skin.
If you have already got an ingrown hair, you should try to pull it out using the tweezers. Use warm compresses and disinfectant in order to kill all bacteria that may have caused the infection. Below you will see more about the removal of an ingrown hair.
How To Remove Ingrown Hair Cysts?
Before you try to remove an ingrown hair cyst, you must be sure that you don’t have any skin infection. The infection could spread bacteria all over your body.
Now we have a question how to remove an ingrown hair. If it is a single ingrown hair, it will not be difficult to remove it. If there is no infection, you can remove it by yourself. But, if the cyst is infected, this procedure should be done by your dermatologist. Now we will show you how to remove the cyst without medical help.
The first thing you should do is to wash your hands and to cleanse and disinfect the area where the cyst has appeared. You should use warm water and antibacterial soap. The soap will kill all the bacteria and other microorganisms that may cause the infection.
After that you should do the exfoliation in order to remove all dead cells. You should use warm water again and rub your skin with a hair brush or with a cloth. This way you will certainly remove all dead cells from your skin.
After that you can use warm compress and place it on the cyst. This way the bumps will dry and it will be much easier to remove the cyst.
The next step is to remove the ingrown hair from the cyst. You can simply use a pin or tweezers. You should drain all the fluid that is in the cyst and then you should use a cotton ball to swab it.
Take the tweezers and grab the hair. Then pull out the hair from your skin and disinfect this area again. Leave the affected area to get dry. It is normal to feel the pain when you pull an ingrown hair out. If there is no pain, it usually means that your hair follicle is inflamed.
When you have removed the ingrown hair from the cyst, inflamed bumps will still irritate you. Because of that you should drain them out in order to dry. When your fingers are clean, you should press the base of the cyst. After that you should disinfect the area once more.
If it is impossible to remove the cyst yourself, you should seek medical help. But, remember that a surgical removal should be used only when other treatments are shown to be ineffective. Surgery will remove ingrown hair cysts that may be too large.
However, it is known that surgery usually leaves a big scar on your skin and increases the risk of infections. Today many doctors use laser technique to remove the ingrown hair cysts.
Summary
As you have seen in this article, an ingrown hair is the hair that may appear deep inside your skin and it is usually accompanied by cysts or bumps that may be full of pus.
Ingrown hair cysts are usually caused by bad shaving habits and poor hygiene. As we have told you, the most common symptoms of ingrown hair cysts are itching, swelling and also redness.
An ingrown hair is usually located deep under the skin, so it will be very difficult to pull it out. An ingrown hair may get infected and very painful.
You can get rid of an ingrown hair if it is not too deep in the skin, or you can let the dermatologist do this procedure. Sometimes a surgical procedure will be the only solution.
We hope this article has been useful for you. We have told you how to prevent ingrown hair cysts to appear and how to treat them properly.
