In today's world of fitness and fashion, it's becoming the mode (again) to have a clean and bald look at the pubic area. Why the word ‘again'?
The ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Indians preferred this look, and perfected ways to accomplish it.
They also knew how to deal with ingrown pubic hair, so let's look at some tried and trusted ways to take care of this problem.
What is an ingrown pubic hair?
An ingrown pubic hair is one that grows at an abnormal angle and turns back into the skin, causing the formation of a pustule or papule (A small, solid inflammatory elevation of the skin that may or may not contain pus.
Also commonly known as "razor bumps"). This is unsightly and an unwanted side-effect to the bald look.
How do you get it?
There are many ways, but the most common way is to shave with a razor in the opposite direction of the natural hair growth.
The pubic hair can also be trapped beneath the skin from blockages to the hair follicle (also caused by shaving in many cases). Also the other hair removal methods such as shaving, waxing, tweezing, electrolysis, often irritate the hair follicle, and the hair becomes trapped beneath the skin.
What do I do now?
There are many ways to treat it.
The best way, as in all medicine, is prevention. In Part 2 of this series we explain how to prevent ingrown pubic hair, but now you need first aid.
So here are the proven methods, some taken from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians who had the same problem 3000 years ago.
• Understanding that the body will try to eliminate the ingrown pubic hair itself, help it along. Go to a sauna, and when you have built up a good sweat, lightly scrub (meaning exfoliate, i.e. take off the dead skin) with a "loofa".
A loofa is a marine plant that grows in the Nile, and resembles a coarse sponge. You can find it at any store that sells bath products.
• After the sauna, and scrubbing, the ingrown hair may be free (due also to the dilation of the pores while in a sauna), and have a sterilized tweezers ready (the ancient method).
Pluck them out! One by one. You must stretch the skin tightly, grips the hair close to the root, and pull it out. Ouch! But it works. After each pluck, dab on some antiseptic solution.
• If the above is not suitable for you, then you can do a three times a day compress on the affected area with a wash cloth soaked hot water (not too hot!), followed by the application of any product containing salicylic acid.
Salicylic acid is a strong exfoliating chemical that is useful to free such hair.
Ask your pharmacist to recommend such a product. There are many on the market.
• The daily use of the compress will help the body fix the problem, but also, you can apply some baby oil mixed with Aloe Vera lotion (make it yourself).
This will keep the skin from becoming further irritated, and the Aloe Vera is a natural antiseptic which will help prevent infection at the affected site.
Of course, there are salon specialists, but their methods will be expensive, and no more effective than the above.
You can also see your doctor, as in everything of this nature, the ingrown hair may not be a simple problem.
As we said, the best cure is prevention, and Part 2 of this article shows you how to prevent from ever getting an ingrown hair.
