Ingrown Pubic Hair

What is an ingrown pubic hair?

Ingrown pubic hairs are hairs in your pubic area that grow back in the wrong direction after you shave, wax or pluck them. Instead of growing out of the hair follicle, through the surface of your skin, ingrown pubic hairs get trapped under your skin surface.

Ingrown hairs may cause discomfort and itching. They aren’t usually a big deal. But they’re at risk of infection and may need treatment from a healthcare provider.

What are the symptoms of an ingrown pubic hair?

The symptoms of an ingrown pubic hair may include:

• Itchy skin
• Soreness
• Irritation when wearing clothing
• Skin discoloration
• Swelling

What does an ingrown pubic hair look like?

The features of an ingrown pubic hair may include a bump on your skin that’s:

• Elevated (higher than the skin around it)
• Discolored (darker than your natural skin tone, brown, purple or red)

You may actually be able to see the hair that’s trapped under your skin in the bump.

What causes an ingrown pubic hair?

Removing hair from your pubic area by shaving, waxing or plucking may cause ingrown hairs. As your hair grows back, it may not grow straight out of the surface of your skin. Instead, it can curve and get trapped under your skin.

The hair in your pubic area tends to be coarser and curlier than other body hair. This texture makes pubic hair more likely than other hair to curve back into your skin instead of growing straight out.

What are the risk factors for an ingrown pubic hair?

You may be more at risk of getting ingrown pubic hairs from the following:

• Friction from clothes rubbing on your pubic area
• Shaving against the direction of your hair growth
• Using a dull razor

What’s an ingrown pubic hair infection?

Ingrown pubic hairs are at risk of bacterial infections. Symptoms of an ingrown pubic hair infection may include:

• A pus-filled bump (resembles a pimple)
• Swelling
• Pain
• Skin discoloration

Healthcare providers can help you treat infections. If you develop these symptoms with a fever, see a provider right away.

How is an ingrown pubic hair diagnosed?

You can usually identify an ingrown hair at home just by looking at it and knowing what symptoms you have. But if you’re not sure or you think you may have an infection, visit a healthcare provider. They’ll perform a physical exam to make a full diagnosis. 

How is an ingrown pubic hair treated?

Most of the time, you can treat an ingrown pubic hair at home, as long as you don’t have an infection. Home remedies for ingrown pubic hairs include:

• Warm compresses. Apply a warm, wet washcloth to the area for 10 to 15 minutes, up to four times a day. This can help soften the skin over the ingrown hair, so it comes out sooner.
• Tweezing. If you can see part of the hair sticking out of your skin, carefully grasp it with clean tweezers and gently pull. Don’t yank hard, or the hair might break off. Don’t try breaking open your skin to remove it.
• Scrubbing. Gently scrub the area with a clean, warm washcloth. This method can get rid of the top layer of skin to get the hair out.

You should stop shaving or waxing the area until the ingrown hair goes away. Continuing to remove hair on top of an ingrown hair can make symptoms worse.

If you have an ingrown pubic hair infection, a healthcare provider will treat it with antibiotics. You may need to apply a topical antibiotic on your affected skin as directed or take an oral antibiotic as directed. Make sure you follow all of the directions and continue using the antibiotic as directed, even if you feel better.

What to put on an ingrown pubic hair

It’s important to keep a regular skincare routine to prevent ingrown hairs in your pubic area. You may want to choose specific products that help calm itchy skin or gently scrub (exfoliate) that area of your skin to speed up the natural turnover of your skin cells and encourage the ingrown hair to come out.

Some common skin care ingredients may include:

• Benzoyl peroxide
• Glycolic acid
• Hydrocortisone
• Retinoids (substances with vitamin A)

Your provider may have specific recommendations for your skin type.

Can you pop an ingrown pubic hair?

Don’t try to pick at or pop an ingrown pubic hair. This can irritate it and may make the pain worse. Messing with an ingrown pubic hair increases your risk of allowing bacteria to enter your skin, which can cause an infection. It may also lead to scarring or skin discoloration (hyperpigmentation) after it heals.

How can I prevent ingrown pubic hairs?

You can minimize your risk of getting ingrown pubic hairs with a few changes to your hair removal routine. Try these tips:

• Use shave cream or gel. If you shave your pubic area, apply a shaving gel or cream first. These products reduce friction and irritation.
• Use a sharp razor. Use a sharp, clean razor every time you shave. Dull razors are more likely to cause ingrown hairs.
• Be gentle. Don’t pull your skin or press the razor down when you shave. Glide your razor over your skin without force.
• Shave in the direction of growth. When you shave, glide the razor in the same direction as your hair growth.
• Wax properly. If you use wax, apply it in the direction of your hair growth. When you pull the wax off, pull it in the opposite direction (against your hair growth).
• Pluck with care. Before tweezing, soften your skin and hair by taking a warm shower, bath or applying a warm washcloth.
• Use a moisturizer. Apply a non-greasy, lightweight moisturizer to the area after removing your pubic hair. A moisturizer can keep your skin soft and prevent irritation.
• Consider other hair removal methods. If you frequently get ingrown pubic hairs, consider permanent hair removal methods like laser hair removal or electrolysis.

How long does it take for an ingrown pubic hair to go away?

There isn’t a set amount of time that works for every ingrown hair. It can take several days to a week or more for an ingrown pubic hair to make its way to the surface of your skin on its own. But treating it with at-home remedies can help it go away sooner, usually within a few days.

An infection may take a little longer to clear up. Your provider can give you the best timeframe on what you can expect.

When should I see a healthcare provider?

If you repeatedly get ingrown hairs despite trying home remedies, see a provider. They may prescribe a stronger medication to help clear and prevent them.

See your provider if you notice signs of an infected ingrown pubic hair, which may include:

• Fluid or pus draining
• Pain or swelling around the hair that’s getting worse
• Skin discoloration that spreads beyond the area of the hair
• Skin that feels warm to the touch

Can a sexually transmitted infection look like an ingrown pubic hair?

It can be hard to tell the difference between an ingrown pubic hair and genital herpes, a type of sexually transmitted infection (STI). Genital herpes and ingrown pubic hairs can look similar, but there are some key differences:

• Timing. Genital herpes blisters appear about four days after having exposure to a person with the infection. Ingrown hairs usually show up one to two days after you remove your pubic hair.
• Appearance. Several days after genital herpes blisters appear, they break open. They leave behind painful sores that last several weeks. Ingrown hairs typically don’t break open.
• Other symptoms. Genital herpes can cause fever, body aches and dysuria (painful urination). Ingrown hairs don’t cause painful urination and rarely cause a fever unless you have an infection.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your provider about your skin concerns. They can diagnose what’s causing symptoms.

What’s an ingrown pubic hair cyst?

An ingrown pubic hair cyst is a fluid-filled sac under your skin caused by an ingrown hair blocking your hair follicle (the tube where hair grows). It can turn an ingrown hair bump into a bigger lump. It may be itchy, inflamed or irritated, especially while wearing clothing. 

Ingrown pubic hair cyst treatment

Ingrown pubic hair cysts can go away without treatment. You may be able to relieve discomfort by using a warm compress on it.

A healthcare provider can help you get rid of the cyst faster, especially if it’s irritating or infected. They may recommend:

• Using a steroid cream
• Applying an antibiotic cream for an infection
• Undergoing a procedure to drain or remove the cyst

Like ingrown pubic hairs, try to avoid hair removal on the area until the cyst clears up.