What causes ingrown hairs to leave scars?
Like a pimple, it’s tempting to want to pluck, pick, and squeeze at an ingrown hair to free it from underneath its skin prison, but all this picking and plucking can lead to hyperpigmentation and scarring. Dr. Waldorf, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at Waldorf Dermatology Aesthetics in Nanuet, New York, doesn’t recommend it, and she points out that sometimes you can end up pushing the hair in further. Depending on how deeply trapped the hair is, it may require careful, sanitary removal by a medical professional. Continuing to shave over an ingrown hair can also risk scarring.
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Ingrown Hair
Trapped hair that's curled back into the skin where it came from, causing a bump.
Also Called
Pseudofolliculitis barbae
Frequently Found On
Legs, pubic area, neck
Related Concerns
Learn More: Ingrown Hair