Introduction
Body hair removal is in our society, a procedure that is part of everyday life. It becomes annoying when the next day it is noticed that small skin lesions, possibly filled with pus, which are called pustules, have formed at the place where you shave. But where do they come from and what can you do about it?
Definition
Hair that does not break through the upper layer of the skin or grows into the skin through excessive curvature continues to develop under the skin, causing skin irritation. In some cases, it can cause inflammation under the skin, which can cause complaints.
Symptoms of ingrown hair
Ingrown hair often causes no symptoms, but can cause skin irritation. These irritations can cause reddening of the skin and more or less severe itching. The appearance of this is called pustules.
In rare cases, these initial complaints lead to an increasingly strong inflammatory reaction, which can cause pus and swelling. If the inflammation continues to progress, it can lead to larger bumps in the affected areas, which can also reach deep under the skin. This is called abscess.
Causes and risk factors
Ingrown hair does not occur regularly in childhood. Relevant is the age from the onset of puberty, because at this age body hair takes an important position in every respect. Some sex hormones play a role here, which stimulate the growth of hair.
An increased production of these sex hormones also leads to increased hair growth, which is a risk factor for the development of ingrown hair. Various methods of removing body hair, such as shaving, epilating, waxing or plucking, are the biggest cause of ingrown hair. Especially the first shave at the beginning of puberty or the removal of hair after a longer period of time plays a role.
The growing hair has a firmer and harder consistency, which leads to a stronger bending or curvature. This curvature leads to skin irritation, so that the hair can grow in through contact with the skin. Likewise, the depilation methods themselves lead to direct skin lesions, which can facilitate the hair’s entry into the skin.
Dead, old skin cells can block the hair exit. The hair cannot break through the skin at this point and continues to grow under the skin. This often causes localized inflammation. If this occurs chronically, i.e. regularly, a regular scratching of this area caused by the itching can lead to scarring of the skin.
All articles in this series:
