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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffTo help prevent ingrown hairs, use hair removal methods that make ingrown hairs less likely.
If you shave:
- Wet the hair to be removed with warm water
- Avoid close shaves and consider using an electric razor
- Use a lubricating shave gel
- Use a single-blade razor
- Use a sharp blade
- Don't pull your skin taut while shaving
- Shave in the direction of hair growth
- Rinse the blade after each stroke
- Apply cool compresses to the shaved area when you're finished
Other methods of hair removal include:
- Electric razor. Avoid the closest shave setting.
- Chemical hair remover. The chemicals may irritate your skin, so test on a small area first.
- Eflornithine hydrochloride cream (Vaniqa). Not actually a hair remover, this prescription cream decreases hair regrowth in women when combined with another hair removal method.
References
- Pseudofolliculitis barbae. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec10/ch124/ch124d.html. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
- Coley MK, et al. Managing common dermatoses in skin of color. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. 2009;28:63.
- Habif TP. Folliculitis. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 5th ed. Edinburgh, U.K.; New York, N.Y.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..X0001-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
- Perry PK, et al. Defining pseudofolliculitis barbae in 2001: A review of the literature and current trends. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2002;46(suppl):S113.
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