What is an ingrown hair?

With an ingrown hair, a hair does not grow out through the skin surface in the normal way. The hair can continue to grow beneath the skin surface or, after shaving, bend back and penetrate the skin again. The shape and growth direction of the hair play a particularly important role in this. A thick or strongly curled hair is more likely to grow back towards the skin than a straight hair.

Moreover, a relatively sharp hair tip may form after shaving. If this penetrates the skin again, the skin may react with a local inflammatory response. You might then see, for example, a red or dark bump, sometimes accompanied by itching, sensitivity, or a small pustule. In some cases, the hair is visible beneath the skin's surface.

Incidentally, not every ingrown hair becomes inflamed. Conversely, not every inflamed bump after shaving is automatically an ingrown hair.

Why do you get bumps after shaving?

Shaving does more than just remove the visible part of a hair. The hair is cut off close to the skin surface. With a curved or curled hair, the new tip can move towards the skin again as it continues to grow. In addition, shaving affects the skin itself. With a razor, you go not only along the hairs but also along the top layer of skin.

Applying excessive pressure, going over the same spot multiple times, using a blunt blade, or shaving very closely against the direction of growth can further irritate the skin. Sometimes, friction is added to this. Consider, for example, tight clothing around the bikini line, sportswear, or skin-to-skin contact in the armpits. The combination of hair type, shaving technique, skin barrier, heat, perspiration, and friction ultimately determines the severity of symptoms.

Therefore, there is not one single cause for all razor bumps.

What is pseudofolliculitis barbae?

A well-known condition in which ingrown hairs repeatedly cause inflammation is pseudofolliculitis barbae. The condition is primarily seen in the beard and neck area and is often referred to in English as razor bumps. The name resembles folliculitis, but the underlying mechanism is different. In pseudofolliculitis, a shaved or plucked hair grows back into the skin. The skin then reacts to the hair with inflammation around the hair follicle.

The shape of the hair plays an important role in this.Particularly curly hairs are more likely to grow back towards the skin after shaving. This can cause red or dark papules to appear repeatedly, sometimes accompanied by itching, sensitivity, or pustules. This is also the reason why treating only the visible bump is not always sufficient. When the same hair penetrates the skin again after every shave, the irritation persists.

What is folliculitis?

Folliculitis This means that a hair follicle is inflamed. On the skin, you often see small red bumps or pustules surrounding a hair follicle. Sometimes a cluster of inflamed hair follicles is found together. The skin may itch, be sensitive, or feel painful. Folliculitis can have various causes. Bacteria can play a role, but yeasts, fungi, irritation, occlusion of the skin, friction, and ingrown hairs can also cause follicular inflammation.

Therefore, you cannot always immediately tell from the outside what the precise cause is. A pustule around a hair does not automatically mean that someone has a bacterial infection.

How do you recognize the difference?

These terms are often used interchangeably, even though they describe something different. In a ingrown hair The focus is primarily on the abnormal growth direction of the hair. In pseudofolliculitis An inflammatory reaction occurs because shaved or removed hairs re-enter the skin. In folliculitis Inflammation of the hair follicle is central. There can be various underlying causes.

Moreover, in practice, these skin conditions can occur simultaneously. An ingrown hair, for example, can itself cause inflammation. At the same time, the skin may be irritated by repeated shaving. Therefore, during an assessment, I do not just look at the bump itself. I look at the direction of hair growth, the thickness and shape of the hairs, the pattern of the spots, the location, the way someone removes hair, and the course of the skin reaction in the days that follow.

That often provides more information than just the question of whether redness or a pustule is visible.

Read more about acne and inflammation within SHINE →

Why are there dark spots left behind after shaving?

For some people, the biggest problem is ultimately not the bumps themselves, but the dark spots that remain after the inflammation. We call this post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, often abbreviated to PIH. After an inflammation, pigment production in the skin can temporarily increase. As a result, the original inflammation may have already disappeared while the pigment remains visible.

When inflammation recurs after every shave, new bumps, old pigment spots, and new ingrown hairs may become visible simultaneously over time. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation can be more noticeable and persist longer, especially in skin types that naturally contain more melanin.

That is why I find it important, when dealing with pigmentation after shaving, not to look only at the pigment spot itself. After all, if the underlying inflammatory stimulus keeps recurring, new spots will keep forming.

Is a dark spot the same as a scar?

No. Dark discoloration following inflammation can be post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. In this case, extra pigment is present, but the structure of the skin does not necessarily have to be permanently altered. With a true scar, the skin structure has changed. For example, thickenings, pitting, or other structural changes can occur after repeated or deeper inflammations.

That distinction is important because pigment and scars are not treated in the same way.

Read more about pigment spots within SPOT → · Read more about scars within EVEN →

What can you do yourself to treat ingrown hairs and razor bumps?

For minor issues, adjusting the hair removal method can already make a difference.

• Use a clean and sharp razor blade.
• Preferably shave in the direction of hair growth.
• Use as little pressure as possible.
• Do not go over the same spot unnecessarily often.
• Do not try to shave extremely close if you easily get ingrown hairs.
• Avoid friction from tight clothing as much as possible immediately after shaving.
• Do not scratch, pick at, or squeeze inflamed spots.
• Use skincare that does not unnecessarily irritate the skin barrier.

When the skin is clearly inflamed, temporarily stopping shaving or epilating is often wiser than repeatedly going over the same skin.

Does scrubbing help with ingrown hairs?

On the internet, scrubbing is almost standardly mentioned as a solution for ingrown hairs. I am more cautious about that. The idea behind it is understandable. When superficial keratinization is reduced, a hair can sometimes grow through the skin surface more easily. However, with already red, damaged, or inflamed skin, vigorous mechanical scrubbing can actually cause renewed irritation.

A suitable exfoliant can be beneficial for some skin types and during a quiet phase, but even then, stronger or more frequent use is not automatically better. In the case of active inflammation, the priority is to restore the skin's balance and prevent new damage.

Why reducing hair growth can help

When the same dark, thick hair repeatedly grows back into the skin, the irritation persists. Long-term hair reduction can therefore be a complementary approach: not only treating the inflammation afterwards, but also reducing the number of hairs that can grow back in.

Can IPL help with ingrown hairs?

That is possible, but not for every form of folliculitis or every red bump. IPL hair reduction is particularly interesting when dark and sufficiently strong hairs repeatedly become ingrown and thereby cause the inflammatory reaction. By reducing the amount of hair and allowing hairs to grow back finer, the chance of the same hairs penetrating the skin again can also decrease.

In the case of an active infection or an unclear inflammatory picture, I do not automatically start with IPL. First, it must be clear what is going on and whether the skin is calm enough to treat safely.

The difference between IPL and laser

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) uses a broader, filtered light spectrum; a laser operates within a specific wavelength range. In both cases, melanin in the hair is a key target. Dark, strong hairs generally respond better than white, gray, or very light blonde hairs. Results vary depending on the technique, body area, and individual.

Why a course of treatment requires multiple sessions

Hair goes through different growth phases and is not all optimally sensitive to light treatment at the same time. Therefore, treatments are repeated at intervals.The number of sessions depends on, among other things, the body area, hair thickness, hair color, hormonal influences, and the individual response.

IPL hair reduction for Medicadermis

At Medicademis, I work with the following for hair reduction: Lumenis M22 IPL system. Beforehand, I look at more than just whether someone wants to get rid of their hair. I assess, among other things, skin type, hair color and thickness, the body area, existing pigmentation, any inflammation, previous skin reactions, medication, and exposure to sunlight.

Dark and strong hair is generally most suitable for IPL because it contains sufficient melanin to absorb the light energy. White and gray hair contains virtually no melanin and is therefore not suitable for IPL hair reduction. Very light blonde hair also generally responds less well. This also means that not every form of unwanted hair growth is automatically a good indication.

View the options for IPL hair reduction in The Hague →

Ingrown hairs on the face

A dark, thick terminal hair on the chin is not the same as fine downy hair growth on the cheek. Therefore, I assess with extra care which hairs on the face are suitable for IPL; not every form of facial hair growth is a good indication.

The bikini line

In the bikini area, thick hairs, regular hair removal, heat, and friction come together. If ingrown hairs are the primary cause of the complaints, hair reduction can be beneficial. I do not simply ignore actively inflamed skin.

Legs and armpits

Hair can also grow under the skin on the legs and in the armpits. In the armpits, heat, moisture, and friction also play a role. With suitable dark, strong hairs, hair reduction can help reduce the cycle of hair loss, ingrown hairs, and inflammation.

Pigment spots after ingrown hairs

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) can remain visible for months after the inflammation has cleared. Some spots fade on their own; for stubborn discoloration, targeted care or treatment may be considered. Limiting the recurring inflammatory stimulus remains important.

When should you see a doctor for inflamed hair follicles?

Not every inflammation around a hair follicle belongs in the care of a skin therapist. Contact your GP if the skin inflammation clearly spreads, if you feel unwell, if the symptoms do not disappear after about two weeks and cause significant discomfort, or if the inflammation keeps recurring.

Larger, painful inflammations or a skin condition with an unclear cause also warrant medical assessment. Therefore, if I have doubts during an intake as to whether the skin condition falls within my area of ​​expertise, I do not simply start treatment.

Conclusion: do not treat every razor bump the same way

With ingrown hairs, the direction of hair growth is central; with pseudofolliculitis, the inflammatory reaction to a recurring hair; and with folliculitis, the inflamed hair follicle. The distinction determines whether adjusting the shaving routine, skin recovery, medical assessment, or long-term hair reduction makes the most sense.

What can I do for you as a skin therapist?

At Medicadermis, I don't automatically start with IPL, a peel, or a product just because someone has bumps after shaving. I want to first understand why they occur. I look at the skin, the hair, the way you remove hair, and the pattern of the symptoms.Are ingrown hairs actually visible? Are the hair follicles primarily inflamed? Is the skin damaged by frequent shaving? Has post-inflammatory pigmentation already developed? And are the hairs causing the problem suitable for light treatment?

Only then does a choice of treatment become logical. When the hair itself repeatedly triggers the inflammation and the hairs are suitable for treatment, IPL hair reduction can become part of the treatment plan. In the case of damaged or actively inflamed skin, however, skin recovery or a medical assessment may be more important first.

And sometimes my advice is not to treat at all. I find that assessment more important than starting treatment as soon as possible.

Read more about related skin questions

About the author

Charlotte de Deugd is a skin therapist and owner of Medicadermis in The Hague. In her practice, she treats unwanted hair growth, ingrown hairs, acne, and pigmentation problems, among other things. She combines skin therapeutic assessment with medical light technology and targeted advice for home use.