Connect with others who understand.

Sign up Log in
Resources
About myHSteam
Powered By
See answer

Treating Ingrown Hair Cysts: Thighs, Pubic Area, and More

Medically reviewed by Steven Devos, M.D., Ph.D.
Written by Suzanne Mooney
Posted on July 15, 2024

Few things can ruin a day at the beach or pool faster than painful red bumps on your thighs, pubic area, and armpits. If you have tried different hair removal techniques and still have ingrown hairs, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we explain why ingrown hairs occur, how to prevent and treat them at home, and when to make an appointment with a health care professional.

What Causes Ingrown Hairs?

Ingrown hairs develop when a strand curls back into the skin after shaving, tweezing, or waxing. Also called razor burn or razor bumps, ingrown hairs often leave the skin looking red or inflamed and sometimes cause pus-filled small bumps. These bumps can appear deeper in color and more pronounced on darker skin tones.

Ingrown hairs can occur anywhere. They are commonly found in the beard area, as shown above. (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 NZ/DermNet)

Although ingrown hairs can occur anytime and anywhere you remove hair from follicles, they are most common in areas of the body with thick, curly hair, like pubic hair or hair in the neck and beard area.

Tips for Preventing Ingrown Hairs

Some people can prevent ingrown hair or reduce their frequency by making a few changes to their skin care routine.

Here are a few tips:

  • Wet your skin thoroughly with warm water before shaving.
  • Apply shaving cream or shaving gel to soften the hair.
  • Use a single-blade razor.
  • Shave in the direction of hair growth.
  • Rinse the blade frequently while shaving.

After shaving, exfoliate your skin by applying a glycolic acid lotion or aftershave product to help remove dead skin cells. Regularly moisturizing your skin can also help. When your skin is soft and flexible, hair grows through it more easily.

If you try these skin care tips and still experience ingrown hairs, consider using an electric razor. Some people find that trimming their hair instead of shaving gives them a smooth enough feel without the small bumps and red skin.

At-Home Treatments for Ingrown Hairs

Despite making changes to your shaving technique and skin care routine, you notice red, irritated skin and small bumps with hair trapped in the middle. Now what? Unless they’re infected, most ingrown hairs don’t require medical treatment. Many people have success using home remedies and over-the-counter products.

The first step is to stop shaving, waxing, and plucking to let the skin heal. Next, gently exfoliate with a washcloth to remove dead skin cells. After soaking the washcloth in warm water, gently rub it in a circular motion over the area where you shaved and the surrounding skin.

If you can see the trapped hair, you can try using a sterile needle to gently pull it out. Do not dig around for it. If you can’t easily pull out the hair, schedule an appointment with your health care provider.

Here are some additional home remedies:

  • Place warm compresses on the affected area to open the pores and soften the skin.
  • Apply tea tree oil to reduce redness and irritation.
  • Use an over-the-counter, topical hydrocortisone cream to reduce redness, swelling, and itching.
  • Apply a thin layer of aloe vera gel or coconut oil to soothe the skin.
  • Take a warm bath.
  • Wear loose cotton clothes to avoid irritation.

An internet search for how to treat ingrown hairs will bring up many results. Check the credibility of the source before you try at-home treatments. If you have questions about something you read online, talk to your doctor or a dermatologist.

It’s Not Getting Better. Now What?

If you’ve tried treating an ingrown hair at home but it doesn’t clear up, or you think it could be infected, schedule an appointment with a health care professional. Depending on what they find, they might prescribe an antibiotic ointment to treat an infection, a steroid cream to reduce inflammation, or a prescription acne medication (retinoid) to remove dead skin cells. Or they may suggest other treatment options depending on your medical history and a physical exam.

If you develop an infection, get help from a doctor. They may prescribe antibiotics to treat the infected ingrown hair. (CC-BY-SA-3.0/Amrith Raj)

In some cases, your doctor might want to use a sterile knife and tweezers to make a small incision and release the trapped hair. Do not do this at home. Leave the surgical treatment to health care professionals. Otherwise, you risk infections, complications, and scarring.

If ingrown hairs are a recurring issue, ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of long-term hair removal methods like electrolysis and laser hair removal. Also, ask if your ingrown hairs could be a symptom of something else. What appear to be severe cases of ingrown hairs can sometimes be symptoms of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) or other skin disorders.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

HS is a chronic (long-lasting) skin condition that affects the armpits, groin, inner thighs, area under the breasts, and anywhere else you have sweat glands or skin folds. Because it causes lumps, pimples, cysts, and boils and occurs in areas that are popular for hair removal, HS can sometimes be mistaken for ingrown hairs.

“My first HS flare-up started with me thinking it was an ingrown hair or a bugbite,” said one member of myHSteam.

HS commonly occurs in areas where you might shave, such as the armpits or groin. For this reason, they can sometimes be mistaken for ingrown hairs. (Diverse Stock Photos)

Another shared, “I battled with HS for several years without realizing what it was. I thought I was getting a lot of ingrown hairs. I even resorted to laser hair removal. When the bumps kept coming, I saw my doctor, who referred me to a dermatologist, where I was ultimately diagnosed with HS.”

HS is not as rare as doctors once believed. The HS Foundation has found it affects approximately 1 percent to 2 percent of people in the United States. However, not all health care providers have experience with this painful skin condition. If your doctor treats you for ingrown hairs but the problem keeps happening, consider seeking a second opinion or making an appointment with a doctor specializing in dermatology.

“I was diagnosed with HS after having a horrible cyst in my armpit,” said one myHSteam member. “My doctor misdiagnosed me with ingrown hairs. When I went to a dermatologist for a second opinion, they told me it was HS.”

Here are a few HS facts. HS is:

  • More common in women than men, according to the HS Foundation
  • More common in people who are Black or biracial
  • Not contagious
  • Not caused by poor hygiene
  • Not an infection

HS isn’t curable, but it is treatable. If you have recurring ingrown hairs, ask your doctor if it could be HS.

Whether you have HS, another skin condition, or recurring ingrown hairs, you may find comfort in support groups or online forums. Connecting with others who know what you’re going through can help you feel less alone. It’s also a great way to learn about available treatment options.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On myHSteam, the social network for people with HS and their loved ones, more than 42,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with HS.

Do you experience ingrown hairs? What steps have you taken to avoid or manage ingrown hair cysts? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.

Posted on July 15, 2024
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

We'd love to hear from you! Please share your name and email to post and read comments.

You'll also get the latest articles directly to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

Subscribe now to ask your question, get answers, and stay up to date on the latest articles.

Get updates directly to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Steven Devos, M.D., Ph.D. received his medical degree and completed residency training in dermatology at the University of Ghent, Belgium. Learn more about him here.
Suzanne Mooney writes about people, pets, health and wellness, and travel. Learn more about her here.

Related Articles

If you’ve been dealing with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), you know how frustrating this skin dis...

GLP-1 Drugs for Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Can They Help or Harm?

If you’ve been dealing with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), you know how frustrating this skin dis...
4 Tips for Relieving Pain With HS Dr. Richards Huggins, a senior dermatologist in the Departm...

4 Hidradenitis Suppurativa Pain Management Tips From a Doctor (VIDEO)

4 Tips for Relieving Pain With HS Dr. Richards Huggins, a senior dermatologist in the Departm...
“This heat has me in a flare-up under my breasts, and it hurts so much. I have an appointment to ...

Can You Get a Breast Reduction With Hidradenitis Suppurativa?

“This heat has me in a flare-up under my breasts, and it hurts so much. I have an appointment to ...
Whether you’re traveling for work or planning a fun vacation, trips can be stressful if you have ...

7 Tips for Traveling With Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Whether you’re traveling for work or planning a fun vacation, trips can be stressful if you have ...
Living with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) isn’t always easy. Pain, depression, stigma, and more c...

Living With Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Members Share What It’s Like

Living with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) isn’t always easy. Pain, depression, stigma, and more c...
Traveling with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) can be difficult enough without having to worry abou...

6 Tips for Traveling With and Storing Biologic Drugs for HS

Traveling with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) can be difficult enough without having to worry abou...

Recent Articles

Taking a break to sit and rest might not sound so appealing if you’re living with hidradenitis su...

HS on the Buttocks: Managing Lesions, Sitting, and More

Taking a break to sit and rest might not sound so appealing if you’re living with hidradenitis su...
This fall and winter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects the number of ...

3 Layers of COVID-19 Protection: New Vaccines, Prevention Drug, and Tests

This fall and winter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects the number of ...
4 Ways To Reduce the Cost of Medication The price of medication affects the quality of life f...

4 Ways To Reduce the Cost of Medication (VIDEO)

4 Ways To Reduce the Cost of Medication The price of medication affects the quality of life f...
Have you ever had a hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) boil that’s looked ready to drain and wondered ...

Toothpaste on HS Boils: Is It Effective?

Have you ever had a hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) boil that’s looked ready to drain and wondered ...
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is more than skin deep. For people living with HS, the visible lump...

Understanding the Use of Ultrasound in Treating HS

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is more than skin deep. For people living with HS, the visible lump...
Many people living with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) or acne inversa have additional health cond...

Conditions Related to Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Many people living with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) or acne inversa have additional health cond...

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more: