If you’ve ever suffered the discomfort of an ingrown hair, you already know how much of a nuisance they can be.
The painful bumps, which are often found in places where you frequently remove hair — like under your arms and along your bikini line — are regular hair follicles that curl up and get trapped beneath the skin. These hairs often become irritated and infected resulting in redness and puss-filled pimples.
Which leaves you with two options: remove them or leave them alone and wait for them to grow out.
Alternatively, Dr. Benjamin Barankin, a Toronto dermatologist and Medical Director of Toronto Dermatology Centre, says if the hairs aren’t painful, red or swollen, you can wait for your skin to “spit it out” or for your body to “break it down.”
For more tips on preventing and eliminating ingrown hairs, check out the tips here.