Ingrown Hair Cyst Treatment
It doesn't matter how often you wax or shave, dealing with ingrown hair cysts can be uncomfortable and painful to manage. Before you start feeling defeated or overwhelmed, let’s look into the root causes of ingrown hair cysts, and the best ways to prevent and combat them.
What are the causes of ingrown hair cysts?
The best thing you can do – as a professional and for your clients – is to remember to track how often and where these cysts are forming. There are a number of reasons that can help determine why these pesky bumps are forming and how to prevent them in the future.
Shaving commonly causes these cysts to form
When speaking with clients, if they reveal that they often shave the area(s) of concern between waxing appointments, advise them that this could be a significant contributing factor towards their bumps.
While shaving is a relatively quick and convenient way to remove hair, it leaves the skin more susceptible to razor bumps, folliculitis, and ingrown hair cysts. The reason these occur is due to the angle in which the hair is cut at the surface of the skin. If the hair growth becomes trapped, bacteria and sebum can accumulate, creating these cysts.
Curly hair sometimes curls into itself, forming ingrown hair cysts
In a similar predicament, explaining to those with curly or coarse hair types that their new regrowth may also become entrapped and cause cysts is important. Customers with curly hair may not be aware of how their hair can affect the quality of their skin.
Keratin buildup may be the cause of a cyst forming
Less commonly discussed is the presence of excess keratin resulting in the formation of pilar cysts. This issue may be hereditary and occurs when too much of the protein known as keratin fills the pores and blocks the sebaceous glands. Advise your client to keep the area clean and use exfoliating products like an aha scrub to clear buildup to prevent frequent occurrences.
Hair follicles can become clogged with dead skin cells or bacteria
Similar to keratin buildup, your hair follicles can also become congested with dead skin cells and bacteria. This type of cyst is common but not much is known as to what causes them to occur. In certain instances, those experiencing epidermal cysts may need antibiotics to mitigate the amount of bacteria present and treat ingrown hairs.
Pressure on your skin can cause hair to grow inward
Bikini bumps? Probably a result of your new hair growth encountering repeated friction, resulting in the hair being pushed back into the hair follicle. To prevent this and ensure that your clients hair grows back as it should, recommend loose fitting clothing around the pubic area and other areas of concern after a wax. Waxing can also lead to cystic ingrowns due to improper aftercare. It's important to maintain a good regime while performing hair removal to ensure the skin is clear from dead skin build up. Use an exfoliator as well as a chemical treatment 2 times a week.
How can ingrown hair cysts be treated?
Understanding why these cysts occur is only half the battle. After discussing symptoms and pinpointing the cause of your cyst(s), you and your clients can begin the process of removing the cyst all together, while also discussing how to prevent ingrown hairs all together.
Over-the-counter drugs can be prescribed
Unfortunately, some cysts can’t be banished by simple at-home remedies. In rare cases your clients may need to be directed to a healthcare professional for special over the counter products that assist in aiding with ingrown hair cysts and other cyst treatments.
Warm compress can help the area around the cyst
Never doubt the power of a warm compress! Adding mild heat to the area through a warm compress can alleviate inflammation and aid in reducing the overall size of the cyst. In the event that there is swelling, try alternating between warm and cold compresses to minimize any pain or discomfort.
Exfoliating the area will help immensely
Oftentimes cysts form from an obstructed hair follicle. The easiest way to prevent these obstructions is through routine exfoliation. Not only will this prevent dead skin cells from piling up, it will ensure any regrowth has ample room to break free from the follicle and grow as it should.
Enso is here to educate about cysts and help prevent them!
Beautiful skin is achievable through the appropriate hair removal methods and tailored skincare. Here at Enso we understand how valuable knowledge can be – that’s why we hope to be a reliable provider for a number of topics about waxing, and all your other hair removal needs.
