Q. What do you do when you constantly get ingrown hairs down there and they swell or hair keeps growing under the skin? Would you know how to cure or prevent the reoccurrence? Brandi H.
A: What you are describing are commonly called razor bumps. These are raised, sometimes inflamed, areas which occur one or two days after shaving. Razor bumps occur because the hair is shaved so close to the skin that the cut end of the hair is actually below skin level. Without the hair shaft protruding through the skin, the skin will sometimes close over the hair’s pore. With further hair growth, and no pore to pass through, the hair pushes the skin upward resulting in a tiny bump, a “razor bump”. Sometimes a cut hair may curl before exiting the skin, resulting in a red inflamed area, which many also call a razor bump, although technically this is more of an “ingrown hair”. In either case, the cause is the same. The hair is cut short and lies below skin level.
One trick to help prevent razor bumps is to shave in the same direction that the hair grows. This works because shaving in the direction of hair growth leaves the hair longer and often the hair shaft is left protruding through the skin. The downside is that you will feel a fine stubble after shaving, since the hair is left a bit longer.
Another idea is to use a good moisturizing lotion. You might want to try the Bikini Shaving formulas offered by Hair Care Down There. They have been exclusively created to address just the problem you are talking about.
Greg Damery, MD, FACOG is board certified in OB-GYN and practices in Sarasota, Florida. He also provides aesthetic services to men and women and brings us a professional view of skin & hair care down there. Due to his schedule, he will not be able to answer questions personally. But please send your questions to: info@haircaredownthere.com and Dr. Damery will answer them in this column every month. So stay tuned.)
|