Often, an ingrown hair will go away on its own. If it doesn't go away, an ingrown hair can become infected, darken the skin, or leave behind a scar, especially if you've been scratching or picking at it. If an ingrown hair is bothering you or has become infected, your doctor can make a small cut in your skin with a sterile needle or scalpel to release it. Your doctor may also prescribe medicine such as:
The gold standard for hair removal is laser. The 810 nm diode laser, the intense pulsed light device (PL), and others are very efficient at hair removal.
- Steroid medicine that you rub on your skin to bring down the swelling and irritation
- Retinoids (Retin A) to remove dead skin cells and reduce the skin pigment changes that can occur from ingrown hairs
- Antibiotic that you take by mouth or rub onto your skin to treat an ingrown hair infection