Why Do I Get Ingrown Hairs and Razor Bumps?

It’s a red bump along the bikini line, or on your chin, or up the front of your shin, with a tiny dark loop of hair visible underneath. Everything in you wants to get a pin.

Why hair grows back in

Cleveland Clinic¹ says an ingrown hair is a strand that grows back into your skin after shaving, tweezing or waxing. Those methods don’t remove hair follicles, only the visible hair, and new growth can curl back and enter the skin, especially if the hair is thick, curly or coarse.

Anyone who removes hair can get them. Cleveland Clinic² says the risk goes up if you shave often, or if you have skin of color or thick, coarse or curly hair. They also go by razor bumps or barber bumps.

The pubic area is a hot spot. Cleveland Clinic¹ says pubic hair tends to be coarser and curlier than other body hair, which makes it more likely to curve inward, and that ingrown pubic hairs are common, especially if you shave, wax or pluck.

What they look like

The NHS³ describes bumps that are often itchy, with a hair grown back into the skin. Cleveland Clinic² lists skin irritation, small bumps with a hair in the middle, pain, itching, and discoloration that can be red, brown or purple.

If one gets infected, it worsens and can form pus, and that can leave a scar.

The one thing not to do

Don’t pick it. The NHS³ says not to scratch, pick or squeeze ingrown hairs, because that can damage your skin and lead to infection. Cleveland Clinic¹ gives the same warning for the pubic area: popping one can irritate it, make the pain worse, and raise the risk of infection and scarring.

Hair is visible in the bump, which is the temptation. Hold that thought, and read the next section.

What helps a bump that’s already there

Warmth first. Cleveland Clinic² says to apply a warm compress for 10 to 15 minutes. For an ingrown pubic hair it suggests a warm, wet washcloth for 10 to 15 minutes, up to four times a day, and gentle scrubbing with a clean washcloth. It says careful tweezing is an option if the hair is visible, and it still says not to pick or pop the bump. The NHS³ is stricter: no scratching, picking or squeezing.

Gentle exfoliating helps release trapped hairs, according to Cleveland Clinic². For stubborn cases, it lists retinoid creams, steroid creams and laser removal as options a provider can discuss. The NHS³ says a pharmacist can suggest creams, antiseptics and specialized hair-removal products.

How to shave so it happens less

The tips line up across sources.

Wet the skin and hair with warm water first. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)⁴ adds a warm, damp washcloth held on the area, which loosens the hairs and makes them swell, so they’re less likely to curve into the skin.

Use a moisturizing shaving cream. Cleveland Clinic² recommends a single-blade razor, and the AAD⁴ says to replace a disposable razor after 5 to 7 shaves. The NHS³ says a dull razor and shaving too closely are both worth avoiding.

Shave in the direction your hair grows. Both Cleveland Clinic² and the NHS³ say so, and the NHS adds minimal strokes and rinsing often. Afterward, the AAD⁴ recommends a soothing aftershave made to reduce razor bumps and irritation, and the NHS suggests a cool compress.

If you’d rather skip the razor, the NHS³ lists hair-removal creams and laser treatment as alternatives. Cleveland Clinic¹ names laser hair removal and electrolysis as permanent options for the pubic area. Our article on chin hairs covers what removal options exist for the face.

The play

Try this: the warm-washcloth shave

Hold a warm, damp washcloth on the area before you start.

Apply shaving cream, use a fresh razor, and make light strokes in the direction the hair grows.

Rinse, then apply a soothing aftershave or a moisturizer.

When to get checked

Don’t wait if

1. Same day

   Call your clinician the same day if the area becomes extremely painful, hot or swollen, or you have a fever. The NHS³ lists those as signs of an infection that needs treatment.

Cleveland Clinic¹ says to contact a provider if at-home treatment doesn’t work or an ingrown hair gets infected. For the pubic area, it lists fluid or pus draining, worsening pain or swelling, spreading discoloration and warmth as signs of infection, and says recurring bumps or cysts deserve a visit too. The AAD⁴ says that if you still get razor bumps after changing your shaving habits, see a board-certified dermatologist, because untreated razor bumps can leave permanent changes such as deep grooves and raised scars.

Book an appointment if any of these fit:

• You keep getting bumps after changing how you shave
• A bump has turned into a cyst or lump
• You see pus or fluid draining
• The area is darkening or scarring
• You’d like permanent removal and want to talk through the options

Put down the pin. Pick up the warm washcloth.