It is a disease that can be seen in all parts of the body, which can be seen in all people, regardless of male or female. It occurs when hair or other body hairs gather in one spot or cannot come out from under the skin. While it is frequently seen in the shaved areas in men, ingrown hairs can often occur on the skin that is shaved and waxed in the same way in women. The hairs that cannot come out from where they should normally come out return to the body and cause inflammation of that area.
What is ingrown hair?
One of the areas where ingrown hairs in men is common is the face. It is common for men with frequent beard shaving to have ingrown hairs on their faces. It is more likely to occur in men with thick beards. In women, ingrown hairs are seen on the legs and genital area. However, it is less common in women than men. This is directly proportional to the amount of hair on the body.
There is always a risk of ingrown hair in the shaved or waxed area. Avoiding these actions can reduce the risk of ingrown hairs, but this is unlikely due to work life and daily routines.
Hair regrowth, medically, is called the growth of hair into the body due to the clogging of the pores of the dead skin. Apart from this, naturally curly hair or hair can grow back into the body by making a hole in the skin if they are cut short. All of these causes lead to ingrown hairs.
In men and women, ingrown hairs are often seen on the legs. Waxing the legs of women triggers this situation. In men, dense hair can grow back into the body due to the clothes worn. Again, the risk of ingrown hairs in the genital area due to shaving is high.
Although it is intense in men, ingrown hairs can be seen in the coccyx and the cleft in the upper part of the hip. In men, this area is densely hairy, hair falling from the head, dirt and residues cause this.
In women, the hair shedding from the head increases the risk of coccyx hair return. It is more likely to be seen in individuals under the age of 30, where the skin is softer, especially at younger ages.
What are the Symptoms of Hair Rotation?
Men who shave with a razor have a higher risk of getting hair on their face, neck and cheeks, and those who shave their head with a razor on their scalps. In women, ingrown hairs are generally seen in the armpits, groin area and legs. The symptoms of the disease are quite characteristic and show almost the same symptoms in all patients. The main ones are;
- Small, hard and rounded bumps (papules),
- Small, pus-filled, blister-like lesions (pustules),
- The area with ingrown hairs darkening,
- Pain due to increased inflammation,
- Redness and itching in the areas of blisters.
The symptoms of coccyx hair rotation are more intense than others. In the coccyx, large and intensely inflamed swellings occur that make it difficult for people to even sit. Spontaneous healing of this ingrown hair is much more difficult than others. The inflamed area empties itself from time to time and the intense odor that emerges is one of the most common symptoms. It makes it difficult for people to sit down and adversely affects social life in cases where treatment is not done.
What Causes Hair Loss?
It is normal for people to be hairy due to their genetic structure. This includes the answer to the question of what causes ingrown hairs on its own. It is more likely to occur in people with very curly or stiff hair. Because curly and hard hairs are more likely to grow back in the body after shaving. Since the rate of hair and the rate of hair growth after shaving are higher in individuals with high testosterone hormone, these individuals often experience ingrown hairs.
Many people with thick or curly hair get a type of ingrown hair called pseudofolliculitis. Also, people who sweat a lot There is a higher chance of clogged drains. Clogged pores also cause ingrown hairs as they prevent the hairs from coming out of the body. Drivers or individuals who sit and work a lot during the day may be at risk of coccyx ingrown hair.
Continuous friction and pressure in the same area cause the hairs to re-enter the skin. The body perceives these hairs re-entering from the outside of the skin as a foreign body and the immune system reacts to it. A cyst forms around the hairs that re-enter the skin and this area becomes inflamed. Thus, hair rotation called pilonidal sinus occurs.
How to Understand Ingrown Hairs?
Every individual has a general answer when it comes to how to understand hair regrowth. The reason for this is that everyone can often have ingrown hairs. It is mostly possible to diagnose this disease individually. Swelling, stiffness and inflammation occurring in this area after shaving or waxing facilitate the diagnosis of ingrown hairs. It can often be diagnosed quite easily by physical examination. No tests are required for diagnosis.
A little more detailed examination may be required for ingrown hairs in the coccyx. The reason why this examination is detailed is to understand the progress of ingrown hairs. Because the ingrown hair in this area can change the treatment method. While ingrown hairs in other areas are easier, ingrown hairs in this area may require surgical intervention. However, in any case, the examinations will not exceed the physical examination.
What are the Treatment Methods for Ingrown Hair? How does ingrown hairs go?
Healing of ingrown hairs is mostly spontaneous. No surgical intervention or medication is required. However, in some cases, doctors may recommend certain medications to help remove dead skin cells. In addition, if the ingrown abscess is intense, steroid creams are recommended to reduce inflammation.
The treatment of coccyx ingrown hairs is with the use of antibiotics. However, the purpose of using antibiotics is only to destroy the abscess in this area. After the abscess is gone surgical intervention is required. Because the ingrown hairs in this area are very intense and it is not possible to heal on their own. In some patients, antibiotic therapy alone may be sufficient at the onset of ingrown hairs. Otherwise, it is treated with several different surgical methods.
One of the operations of ingrown hair is cleaning the area with incision and drainage. Local or general anesthesia is required for this application. In addition, wide excision and open healing method is a surgical method applied for very advanced hair regrowth. The area is cut and emptied, and some tissue is removed along with the rotating hairs. There is no sewing involved. It is expected that the wound will close by itself in a period of 6-12 weeks by dressing every day.
Besides, today there are treatments such as micro sinusectomy, crystallized phenol treatment that prevent the patient from working less. The doctor will select the appropriate treatment for the patients according to the progression of the disease.
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