Ingrown hair in the armpit

With a few tips and tricks, however, the risk of ingrown hair in the armpit can be minimized. Furthermore, there are some measures that can be taken if a hair has grown in. In the following article you will find some answers to interesting questions about ingrown hair in the armpit. Also interesting for you: Removing ingrown hair

Causes of ingrown hair

Especially people with very thick, curly and unruly hair tend to have ingrown hair more often than not. This is due to the fact that such hair tends to curl in a way that favors ingrowth into the skin, rather than fine and thin hair. Unfortunately, those affected cannot do anything about this.

The hair structure as such cannot be changed. Ingrowth is mainly promoted by various methods of hair removal, especially shaving. After shaving or depilation, the hair that grows back usually has a sharper edge and therefore grows more easily into the skin of the armpits.

Incomplete hair removal also favours ingrowth of the hair. The same applies to plucking or hair removal with wax. Hair roots that are blocked by dead skin cells can also cause hair to grow back into the skin from the side instead of growing straight out of the skin. Apart from the armpit, other parts of the body are also more frequently affected by ingrown hair due to shaving. This includes, for example, the pubic area, in men also the chin, cheeks and neck.

Diagnosis

However, this is usually not necessary, as ingrown hairs in the armpit heal by themselves after a few days. In a few cases, especially with dark skin, scars may remain, which are pigmented lighter than the rest of the skin.

Symptoms of ingrown hair

Ingrown hair in the armpit is usually very unpleasant for those affected. Growing into the skin leads to an inflammation, because the hair is recognized as foreign and does not belong there. Pus forms, which collects in a kind of pimple or lump.

This lump is usually painful and reddened. A slight shimmer of the hair through the skin is also possible. You can see a kind of dark material, which is the hair that shimmers through the skin.

The surrounding skin is possibly slightly reddened. The ingrowth of a hair in the armpit can cause pus to form. This is because the hair that grows into the skin does not actually belong there.

The aim of the body is to break down the hair. It is recognized by the cells in the tissue as foreign and thus leads to an inflammatory reaction. In the course of this reaction pus forms, which leads to the formation of a kind of lump.

The skin appears tense and can shine. When pressure is applied to the affected area, the pus empties, which usually leads to an improvement in pain. The pus has a white-yellowish color and is somewhat thicker than water.

The immigration of bacteria into the skin, which are carried by the ingrown hair, also leads to the formation of pus, which is why in some cases antibiotic creams can help in the healing process. Basically, these are germs that belong to the natural bacterial colonization of the skin and are carried into the skin through the small wound that is created when the hair grows in. Abscesses are not usually caused by ingrown hair in the armpit.

Abscesses often occur in people with a certain predisposition or in wound healing disorders. However, the exact cause of the fact that some people develop abscesses more often than others is not clear. However, ingrown hairs as such are not the cause of an abscess in the armpit, although this is often wrongly suspected or claimed.

However, ingrown hairs play a role in the development of the so-called pilonidal sinus. However, this is extremely rare in the armpit and is mainly found in the region of the gluteal fold. It is an inflammation of the fatty tissue that lies under the skin.

In addition to ingrown hairs, genetic and other factors also play a role in the development of the pilonidal sinus. This can later lead to an abscess. An ingrown hair in the armpit often leads to the formation of a small lump.

The hair grows crookedly into the skin instead of growing straight out of the skin. This leads to the hair being recognized as foreign by the cells in the body, as it does not actually belong there.This activates the immune system and leads to an inflammatory reaction in the course of which pus is formed. Since the pus takes up space that is actually not there, a small swelling develops, which can be felt as a lump or pimple.

Touching the lump is usually painful and unpleasant. Rubbing tight clothes against the armpit is also perceived as unpleasant. The lump is usually slightly reddened and may shine slightly.

This might also be of interest to you: Inflammation of hair folliclesAn ingrown hair in the armpit causes slight pain. Especially touching the affected area hurts. Wearing tight clothing can also irritate the armpit and thus lead to pain. Until the ingrown hair heals on its own, you should therefore avoid wearing clothing that is too tight, so that the pain of touching the affected area does not occur. Cooling has an analgesic effect.