What to do once you have an ingrown?

[celishave]

So I see alot on here about how to avoid getting ingrowns. With my skin type, no matter the precautions I usually get one ingrown on my neck every six months. Big deal right? Well these suckers get pretty big and I have to put a bandage on when I go to work to avoid freaking people out. I also get these things right on the collar line of my dress shirts.

Obviously if you can see the hair, the proper thing to do is tweeze it out. This is not possible with the ingrowns I get. They linger for about a week and then finally release their pussey goodness in the shower once softened up.

I have read that Tendskin works for some - mainly on Amazon reviews are from women referring to "down there" so not sure how relevant it would be for me. I have tried ProActiv repairing lotion and it seems to help reduce the size of these things but I wouldn't call it a miracle. In addition I have tried simple polysporin on a bandaid and this does nothing at all left overnight. Lastly I have tried something called Prid's salve which is essentially ichtamel solution and again absolutely nothing happened.

Anyone have something that actually works once an outbreak occurs?

 

[Lakebound]

For a single hair, apply alcohol, then press a hot cloth to it. It is getting puss because it is infected and needs to be cleaned. I doubt that you can see it on your beard but if you can see it, use tweezers to lift the hair out. I cut my own hair very short and do so almost every other week. As a result, my scalp is prone to ingrown hairs. So, following my haircut, I massage my scalp with rubbing alcohol vigorously and I have found that this reduces instances of ingrown hairs immensely.

Hope this helps,

Frank

 

[Jerry-built Hustler]

Anyone have something that actually works once an outbreak occurs?

I highly doubt it. I've gone through everything you've described, and my experience is that once an infected follicle has gotten to the point you've described, it just has to take care of itself. (This doesn't apply to infected cysts, which often have to be lanced, drained and removed, but I don't think that's your problem.) All the topical treatments in the world won't work miracles. Infections take time to heal, and inflammation takes time to go down.

One option, if you don't mind spending the money, is to go to a dermatologist and see if he/she will inject it with an anti-inflammatory drug (usually a mild steroid). I had that done once (I was in the office for a different reason, but asked the guy if there was anything he could do for this thing on my neck before my date that night), and it was gone the next day. However, if the infection is significant, anti-inflammatories may be contraindicated, since the medication actually suppresses the immune response.

I still have to wonder what you're doing that may contribute to your ingrowns, and what you can do to counteract that. These days I keep ingrowns to a minimum by not shaving against the grain on my face, and never using a blade on my head or back of my neck. I keep my hair close-cropped - bordering on shaved. If I use a razor to shave it, I can almost guarantee a fat nasty on the back of my neck at the neckline. If I use clippers, that almost never happens. The difference is that using clippers keeps the hair just long enough that it can't plow back under the skin. Blade shaving back there makes it too short; the neckline is the problem spot, because the hair grows in opposing directions there, which means some of it is guaranteed to get an ATG cut. Razor shaving my face is fine, as long as I don't get any more aggressive that XTG.

Sorry I can't offer better advice. If I had some, I'd follow it myself. Best of luck.

 

[shipr]

I rarely get ingrowns but when I do get a subborn one I make a paste with water and crushed aspirin, apply it every night and it does seem to help out. (a trick learned from a Mantic59 video)

 

[niko_p]

Give tend skin a try. Use it sparingly as some people have reported their skin becoming used to it and it losing its effectiveness. The moment you see the dreaded red bump appear indicating its arrival, dab it with a cotton pad soaked in tend skin which over 24 hours or so should bring the hair to the surface.

Never ever ever squeeze..... More damage done than any hair could do alone.

Niko

 

[jrtaster]

Tendskin is not very different from the crushed aspirin routine, I think. Both are based on salicylic acid or similar.
Tend Skin is VERY expensive in my opinion. The best product I have used for the stubborn guys which rarely manage
to pop up, is a product called Clubman Bump Repair Gel. One or two of preferred vendors carry it; it's also available
on Amazon and from Merz/Smallflower.
Some controversy as to whether it has or has not been discontinued but I still see it around.
Not a miracle solution but I've had some success with it.
Good Luck with your search!