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How to Get Rid of Ingrown Pimples

Contributor
By Kelly Sundstrom
eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)

Ingrown pimples happen when hairs in the follicles become trapped underneath the skin, causing inflammation and infection. Ingrown pimples are common in areas that crease or are shaved frequently, such as the bikini line, under arms, or face. To relieve ingrown pimples and avoid having them return, it is important to follow a few steps to treat and prevent ingrown hairs.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Baking soda
  • Granulated sugar
  • Hot water
  • Washcloth
  • Tweezers
  1. Step 1

    Scrub the skin to remove dead skin cells. Dead skin cells can sometimes cover over hair follicles in areas that receive frequent shaving. This can trap the hair when it starts to grow out, which can become infected and produce an ingrown pimple. Exfoliating the skin regularly will prevent the skin from covering the follicle opening, thereby preventing ingrown pimples from forming. Wet the area that contains the ingrown pimples-or the area that is shaved frequently-and massage in a mixture of 1 tbsp of baking soda and 1 tbsp of granulated sugar. After 2 minutes, rinse the area well with water.

  2. Step 2

    Soak the skin to open the follicle. Soaking the skin will open up the follicles to allow the entrapment to be relieved. There are a few ways to soak an area that contains ingrown pimples. One of the most effective ways is to apply a steaming cloth to the skin. To apply a steaming cloth, soak a washcloth in hot water and wring it out once it has cooled down enough to handle. Place the steaming cloth on the area that is ingrown and leave it there until the cloth cools. Repeat this process a few times to ensure the follicles are opened.

  3. Step 3

    Lift the trapped hair using tweezers. If the follicle is opened enough to see the trapped hair, use tweezers to carefully pull up the hair. It usually appears as a loop of hair in the skin. Gently slide the tweezers under the loop and pull. One end of the hair will slide out of the skin. Leave the root of the hair inside the skin so that the skin can heal around it.

  4. Step 4

    Avoid shaving or waxing the area until the skin recovers. Constant shaving or waxing of the skin can exacerbate ingrown pimples and cause more hair to become trapped under the skin. Refrain from shaving or waxing the skin. If it is necessary to remove the hair for a specific reason, use a depilatory cream, which softens the hair under the skin. This will help keep the hair from becoming entrapped.

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