Do ingrown hair scars go away or you have to try the various ways to get rid of them? Learn more on ingrown hair scar tissue and the various treatments or ways of getting rid scars, which could be on your legs, stomach, face, bikini or your pubic areas.
Ingrown Hair Scars
Ingrown hair scars is one of the consequence of having ingrown hairs, which are hairs that have curled around and grown back into your skin instead of rising up from it. Apart from scarring, such hairs might also cause uneven skin tone, skin infections, itchiness, red bumps, boil like sores that are painful, skin irritation, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation or even keloid scars (ingrown hair scar bump).
Ingrown hairs are caused by the end of a hair becoming caught underneath the skin while it continues growing. The area becomes infected and pus-filled, often causing people to try to pick or pop the infected area. This leads to damage and scarring, leaving behind areas of skin discoloration long after the ingrown hair has healed.
Skin is a seamless organ, like a fine cloth protecting valuable assets. Just one small tear can make a big difference in how it looks. And it’s the same with skin. Any burn, injury, or other trauma, such as surgery, can cause a scar. The truth is the scar will never completely go away. But there are some methods that can help reduce its size and change its appearance.
How Scarring occurs
Scarring is a natural part of the healing process after an injury. Its appearance and its treatment depend on multiple factors.
The depth and size of the wound or cut and the location of the injury matter. So do your age, genes, sex, and ethnicity.
Types of Scars
These are several different types of scars including:
- Keloid scars. These scars are the result of an overly aggressive healing process, usually extend beyond the original injury. Over time, a keloid scar may hamper movement. Treatments include surgery to remove the scar, steroid injections, or silicone sheets to flatten the scar.
- Contracture scars. If your skin has been burned, you may have a contracture scar. These scars tighten skin, which can impair your ability to move. Contracture scars may also go deeper, affecting muscles and nerves.
- Hypertrophic scars. These are raised, red scars that are similar to keloids but do not go beyond the boundary of the injury.
- Acne scars. If you’ve had severe acne you probably have the scars to prove it. There are many types of acne scars, ranging from deep pits to scars that are angular or wavelike in appearance.
Why ingrown hairs occur
Ingrown hairs occur more on people who have curly hair because they are essentially curly hairs. At least most people will experience having an ingrown hair at least once in their life. Ingrown hairs are also more likely to happen with people who tend to use hair removal processes quite often.
Hairs that are left alone on the body will just grow or fall out normally, but when you mess with hairs by cutting them or removing them from the root, they develop tendencies that can lead to the problem of ingrown hairs.
Anyone can get ingrown hairs and a number of factors such as ethnicity (Latin Americans and African Americans tend to have curly coarse hairs), clogged hair follicle by dead skin cells or sebum, having curly thick hair, shaving, waxing, tweezing and razor bumps can increase the chances of having ingrown hair scarring.
However, if you have the habit of squeezing, picking or scratching the raised red bumps due to ingrown hairs, you are likely to discolour your skin and end up with ingrown hair scars.
Where you get scars from ingrown hairs
Some of the common areas you are likely to end up with ingrown hair scars include pubic and bikini areas, face, legs, stomach, chin, inner thigh, etc. men tend to have ingrown hairs on their chin, neck and cheeks after shaving, there are the same areas where they are likely to develop scars.
Moreover, women tend to have ingrown hair scars on legs, buttocks, armpits, bikini areas including along the bikini line, etc.
Is ingrown hair scars and dark marks a serious problem?
Whereas it might sound a smaller problem, it is a serious one and it is giving a lot of people sleepless night.
You may develop ingrown hairs, red, brown ingrown hair scars that won’t fade. You may form multiple ingrown hairs and many of the spots are due to trying to dig them out. If you exfoliate them every day and try bleaching cream you may find them not going away.
It is very frustrating to clear or fade ingrown hair scars. If you are also, silently suffering from this problem, it is time we explored some of the best ways to remove ingrown hair scars.
How long do Ingrown Hair Scars Last
One best way to treat dark spots is to prevent them from forming. Therefore, you should always shave with some cream or gel. This reduces the risk of developing ingrown hair and razor bumps. When you do have an ingrown hair, then treat it carefully and do not shave again until it has healed.
Once you have ingrown hair scars, they will typically disappear after several months, but you can expedite the skin’s healing process by using a skin lightening cream. However, you want to ensure to use ingredients that will help the skin, not further harm it.
However, you should know that these creams have dangerous side effects. Instead, you should aim for natural and healthy ingredients that will lighten the skin without harming your body, such as liquorice root extract.
Vitamin C is another ingredient that will help, not harm, your skin. It is an antioxidant that reverses the cellular damage caused to the skin, including the damage to the cells that produce melanin. In addition to ingrown hair scars, it also promotes your skin’s natural healing process, including producing collagen.
You can remove the dark spots from razor burn and ingrown hair, but it starts by ensuring you shave properly. You also want to take care of any damage to the skin right away.
How to get rid of Ingrown Hair Scars on Legs
Scars usually remain on the legs after healing of the ingrown hairs. They may form dark and raised spots or keloids. The scarring of the legs may cause you some embarrassment and even lower your self-esteem. Therefore, there are various treatments that you can employ in eradicating the scars as follows:
- Exfoliate your legs daily. Soak your legs in warm water for 20 minutes and use a rough exfoliator such as exfoliating gloves, rough washcloth or a coarse paste. Exfoliators are obtained from the supermarket to soften and get rid of the dead skin cells of the scars. It also helps to prevent ingrown hair that may cause scarring after healing.
- Make your legs protected by applying a moisturizer twice daily. Take enough fluids and water to keep your body hydrated. This helps to heal the scars naturally. Protect the damaged skin against high sunrays intensity by applying sunscreen until the scars heals completely.
- Avoid shaving your legs during the treatment process. Shaving causes new ingrown hairs scars that results to irritation after healing. Treating the scars works best on the hair that is removed by waxing. Only focus on treating the scars alone and not new ingrown hairs.
- Apply an ingrown hair prevention lotions that is obtained from the chemist. It contains antibacterial properties that helps in preventing infection that may cause an infection. Apply it daily after hair removal procedures to prevent scarring.
- Tone the affected areas using vitamin C which is found in substances like lemon. Slice it into pierces and obtain a juice from it. Use a cotton ball to apply it on the scars.
Cream for Ingrown Hair Scars
There are various beauty products that are effective in treating the scars that results from ingrown hair. You need to be very careful while selecting a cream for scar removal. Some of the creams may have negative side effects to your health. Therefore, you need to consult your dermatologist before buying the cream.
Some of the creams and serums are found in the pharmacy shops. You are not supposed to use some of this creams if you have a sensitive skin as it may cause skin irritations and other complications. Use as directed by the manufactures instructions or as directed by your doctor.
Surgical removal or treatment
There are numerous ways to treat deeper ingrown hair scars depending on your particular case. These include skin grafts, excision, or laser surgery. In a skin graft, the surgeon uses skin from another area of your body. This is often used in people who had burns.
If you’ve got scarring that impairs function, surgery can help address the functional problems. If you’ve recently had surgery that has caused scars, it is best to wait at least one year before making a decision about scar treatment. Many scars fade and become less noticeable over time.
Injections
You may get steroid injections to treat scars that stick out, such as keloids or hypertrophic scars. Your doctor may use this on its own or with other treatments.
Other types of injections, such as collagen may be useful for some types of pitted scarring, although these are not usually permanent solutions.
How to get rid of ingrown Hair Scars on Stomach
There are many different methods used to get rid of ingrown hairs scars. Most people, especially men who have hair on their stomach have tried to dig out an ingrown hair with a pair of tweezers at one point or another. This can be dangerous and cause infection. You should never dig into the skin with any kind of utensil. Other than this method, exfoliation tends to work the best.
Preventing the growth of ingrown hairs with exfoliation
The best way to get rid of ingrown hairs scars on the stomach is to prevent them from happening in the first place, and the best way to do that is to exfoliate every time you are going to go through a process of hair removal.
What is exfoliation? It is actually the roughing up of the outer layer of the skin so that dead, dry and flaky layers of the skin come off. There are many ways to exfoliate your skin. First, you can consider using a utensil for the shower or bath, wash cloth or exfoliating gloves.
You will also want to purchase an exfoliating body scrub. These scrubs and creams usually have small bead in them, sugar or salt. These small and fine pieces act as little pieces of sand to sand away those dull and ugly layers of skin.
Finally, remember to make sure that you never exfoliate your skin every day, due to too much abrasiveness on your skin that may cause irritation or even infection. Exfoliating once every week or once before every time that you remove hair is good.
How to get rid of Ingrown Hair Scars on Black Skin
Those people who have black skin may be safe a little bit when it comes to visibility of the ingrown hair scars as they usually appear in black colour. Apart from that, black skin is no exception for ingrown hairs. Unfortunately, these hairs especially when picked at can cause unsightly scars.
To get rid of ingrown hair scars on a black skin is imperative to remove the ingrown hair from the area as well.
Here are steps to be followed:
- Soak a washcloth in equal parts of water and vinegar and put the cloth on the affected areas for 10-15 minutes.
- Exfoliate the area so the skin obstructing the hair growth is as smooth as possible.
- If you can extract an ingrown hair yourself, wipe the area with alcohol and use sterile,
clean tweezers to pluck out the hair.
- Other treatments that help with ingrown hair scarring are topical antibiotics. They help reduce the scratching and picking at the ingrown hair which can lead to scarring. Retinoid, which are a strong type of vitamin A, exfoliate the skin, which lessens the chance of ingrown hairs forming.
- Wax or shave hair after bathing, as hair is softer and easier to remove.
- Exfoliate regularly. Exfoliation helps remove dead
skin cells and prevents ingrown hair from developing. - Use an antiseptic after cleansing and exfoliating. Antiseptics can prevent ingrown hairs from
becoming infected, which will lessen the chance of scarring. Natural antiseptic options are tea tree oil, aloe vera gel or witch hazel, which can also help
to soothe and protect the skin. - Ingrown hair scars can be massaged with cocoa butter and vitamin E oil to help fade them over time.
Home Remedies for Ingrown Hair Scars – Removal Naturally
There are also some ingredients that are effective in treating both the infected ingrown hair and its scarring. Using this ingredients, you are able to get rid of the scars fast and effective at the comfort of your chair. Most of them are found within your kitchen while others can easily be found in the grocery store that is near your location.
They include the following:
Baking soda
This is effective on how to get rid of ingrown hair scars on neck and other parts of the body that are affected with this condition.
Procedure
Take two teaspoon of baking soda and mix with a few drops of water to make a paste. Apply on the affected areas and rinse it away with cool water after 5 minutes.
Baking soda can also be mixed with other ingredients to make a strong paste that is very effective in diminishing the scars. A mixture of baking soda, cinnamon powder, honey and some lemon juice can also be applied on the scars for faster results.
Lemon juice
It is known for removing various skin blemishes such as the scars, dark sports and hyperpigmentation’s. It works by softening and exfoliating the dead cells and dirty on the skin. It is effective when used daily until the scars goes away.
Procedure
To use it, you simply obtain the juice from the fruit and apply it directly on the scars or on the affected areas.
Alternatively, cut the lemon fruit into slices and rub it directly on the scars. Give it enough time to penetrate the skin before you wash it away with water. Lemon juice can also be mixed with honey, almond oil and milk to make a more powerful paste for the scars.
Oatmeal
Is also an effective remedy in treating the scars on the skin. You simply use cooked oatmeal, lemon juice and honey to make a paste. Apply on the affected areas and leave it for a couple of minutes to penetrate the skin. Rinse it away using a cool water. Apply this remedy twice daily for better results.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can also be used in eliminating the scars on the skin. Dilute it with a few drops of water and use a cotton ball to apply it on the scars. Leave it for a couple of minutes before you wash it away with water.
Honey
Honey has various properties that are effective in treating skin conditions including the scars. It was used from traditionally in treating different skin conditions.
Procedure: Apply a few drops of pure natural honey on the scars and spread it in a circular motion using your finger.
You can also mix honey with lemon juice and apply it directly on the scars. Leave it for some time and wash it away using a cool water. Apply it twice daily until the scars fades away.
Cocoa butter
Cocoa butter is effective on how to remove ingrown hair scars and other blemishes on the skin. It also moisturizes and gives your skin a youthful look by smoothening and making it soft. To fade away the scars apply it twice daily on your skin. According to home.
Vitamin E oil
Vitamin e oil or capsules contains anti-oxidants that are effective in removing scars and other skin blemishes. Clean the affected areas well and apply this oil on your skin. Allow to penetrate the skin for a couple of minutes before washing it away with water. Repeat this procedure daily until the scars fades away.
Aspirin
Take two or more aspirin and dissolve it in a few drops of water. Add two teaspoon of honey in the mixture and stir well to make a paste. Allow it to stand for some time, apply it on the scars and leave it there for 10-15 minutes before washing it away with warm water.
Papaya
Papaya juice is also an effective remedy in treating and fading away the scars. Using this remedy, you simply blend the papaya and extract a juice from it. Apply it directly on the affected skin. Leave it for some time before washing it away with water. Apply this remedy twice on a daily basis until you see the results
Yogurt
Yogurt is effective in clearing all the skin blemishes such as the scars, dark sports and other conditions. Wash your skin to make it clean and apply this remedy on the affected areas. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then you wash it with water afterwards. Repeat the procedure daily for better results.
Cucumber juice
Slice the cucumber into slices and extract a juice from it. Mix the juice with some yogurt and apply it on the scars. Leave it for 20 minutes to penetrate the skin before washing it away using a normal tap water. Repeat the procedure until you obtain the best results.
Olive oil
Olive oil works best in eliminating the scars that are left after the healing of ingrown hair cyst. It can be applied on various areas that are affected including the legs, neck and bikini areas. Apply the oil on your hands and massage the affected areas 2 hours before taking shower.