Ingrown Hair on Side Burns
Nowadays, many men use their side burns to elevate a hairstyle or add a hint of mysterious masculinity to their outward appearance. Usually, the hair decorating this part of the body is rather coarse and subject to ingrown hairs – when hairs burrow or curl back into the skin. When the sharp tip of a hair makes contact with the surface of the skin – you better watch out for the consequences, which can range from mild to severe reactions.
Appearance
When hairs become trapped under the skin, localized inflammation is one of the first signs you will see regarding ingrown hairs [1]. The skin may become red or display a rash that depends on the color of your skin. Sometimes, a bump that is painful to the touch will appear. If your ingrown hair becomes infected, pus will collect on the surface of the skin. Other symptoms include itchiness, constant tenderness, mild pain, and a stinging sensation.
Causes
Reach for the razor that has been sitting in the medicine cabinet for an undetermined number of months or quickly shave your side burns using your friend’s blade and you will increase your risk for developing ingrown hairs during the regrowth phase. Additional typical causes to note when you’re trying to avoid this common condition, includes:
a) Rough Hair Removal:
Removing the hair found in the side burns region can cause irritation to the hair follicle, which can lead to ingrown hairs. Depending on your level of skin sensitivity, it is suggested to weigh the pros and cons of using waxing, tweezing, electrolysis, or electric shaving as your primary method of hair removal.
b) Unsanitary Razors:
Keep skin irritation and ingrown hairs away when you use clean razors each time you remove hair from the side burns. Rubbing alcohol is a decent solution to revamp and sanitize razors, blades, clippers, and shavers.
c) Dull Razor:
Using a dull razor means that a shaver must press harder to remove hair, as the extra pressure can cause ingrown hairs to form.
d) Stubborn Hairs:
Wrestling with stubborn hairs in the side burns region can cause ingrown hairs to form after a fresh shave. Use warm water and lubricants (like creams, foams, and gels) to soften the skin and hair before a shave.
e) Shaving Against the Grain:
Not following the direction of hair growth when shaving the side burns will leave behind jagged hair tips, which has the highest potential of curling back into the skin or growing out of follicles at a sideways angle.
f) Hair Type:
The kind of hair you possess will play an important role in whether or not you face an increased risk of suffering ingrown hairs after shaving the side burns. Individuals with coarse or curly hair are more susceptible to encountering hairs that curl back into the skin or grow out of follicles at an angle.
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