How to Remove Bikini Ingrown Hair

Ingrown hairs can be painful but not cause for concern. Ingrown hairs often produce small lumps (nodules) or pus-filled bumps (pustules). Although annoying, ingrown hairs usually go away on their own with good care. You can remove ingrown hairs to speed up the process. While you shouldn’t pick up the hair, you can try pulling it up to the surface of your skin to pull it out. However, you should see your doctor if signs of infection appear.

Table of Contents

Ingrown hair care

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Stop treating bikini area hair until ingrown hairs heal. Do not touch the ingrown hairs to avoid further irritation or infection. When you notice ingrown hairs, stop shaving, waxing, and plucking the bikini area. Let the hair grow until the ingrown hairs are gone. ^{[1] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

You may not be used to letting your bikini hair grow free, but this will help you deal with ingrown hairs much faster.
Most ingrown hairs go away on their own in about a month. However, you can get rid of the ingrown hair faster by pulling it up to the surface of the skin.

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Avoid picking on ingrown hairs as this can lead to infection. Although most ingrown hairs do not cause infection, the risk of infection increases if the skin is broken. Leave the ingrown hairs alone so you don’t accidentally injure the skin. ^{[2] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

You may be tempted to try to pick or squeeze the hairs out, but this will only make the situation worse.

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Dab a little hydrocortisone cream to relieve itching if you have no signs of infection. Ingrown hairs often cause itching, but try not to scratch to avoid tearing the skin. Instead, apply a thin layer of over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to relieve itching. You can apply the cream up to 4 times a day. ^{[3] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Hydrocortisone cream is not safe if applied to infected skin. You should see your doctor if you notice pus, swelling, or other signs of infection.
Read and follow the directions on the medicine label to avoid taking too much.

Alternative: Instead of hydrocortisone cream, you can try witch hazel, aloe vera, or benzoyl peroxide. These products also help relieve itching, but may not be as effective as hydrocortisone cream. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Pull the hairs to the surface of the skin

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Apply a warm compress for 15 minutes to draw the hairs to the surface of the skin. Dip a washcloth in hot water, wring it out so it’s just damp, and apply the warm washcloth to the ingrown hairs for up to 15 minutes. Repeat 4 times daily if needed. This will help the hairs rise to the surface of the skin. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

You can also use a hot water bottle to make a warm compress.

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Rub soap and warm water over the ingrown hairs for 10-15 seconds. Wet skin with warm water, lather soap into hands and gently massage the area for 10-15 seconds. Finally, wash the skin with warm water to remove the soap. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Gentle massage and the warmth of the water can pull out hairs.

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Exfoliate dead skin cells with natural products for 10 minutes. Exfoliating products will remove dead skin cells above the ingrown hair, and this can help expose the hair. Rub the product on the skin and wait 10 minutes, then use warm water to moisten the product and gently massage into the skin, rubbing and rinsing. You can use some natural exfoliating ingredients as follows: ^{[8] X Research Source}

Make a paste by mixing ½ cup (110 g) of brown or white sugar with about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil.
Mix 3 tablespoons (15 grams) of coffee grounds with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil.
Mix 3 tablespoons (40 g) of salt with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil.
Mix 1 teaspoon (5 g) of baking soda with enough water to make a paste.

Alternative: Use a body scrub if you don’t want to mix it up yourself.

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Ask your doctor about retinoids to remove the top layer of skin. For stubborn ingrown hairs, you can use retinoids prescribed by your doctor to remove the top layer of skin cells. This usually helps the hairs rise to the surface of the skin. Talk to your doctor to see if this is the right option for you. You can then apply the medication as directed. ^{[9] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

You can only buy retinoids by prescription.

Remove hairs

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Clip the tweezers to the round part of the hair. Ingrown hairs will curl into a loop or appear to grow horizontally. Since the tip of the hair will be difficult to see, you should always pull the middle of the hair until the tip of the hair comes out. ^{[10] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

Use a different tool: Use a sterilized needle to pull out the tip of the hair instead of tweezers. Thread the tip of the needle into the loop of the hair and gently lift it to release the tip. However, remember not to dig into the skin.

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Twist the tweezers back and forth until the tip of the hair comes out. Using tweezers, pull the hair to the right, then rotate it to the left. Continue to rotate the tweezers until the tip of the hair comes out. ^{[11] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

If you pull the hairs out right away, it can be very painful when the hairs pop up. It is better to pull the tip of the hair out first, and then pull the whole hair out.
Make sure not to use the tip of the tweezers to dig into the skin.

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Pull out the hair when the hair tip emerges from the skin. After the hair ends come out, you can use tweezers to pull out the hairs. Clip the tweezers near the base of the hair and pull it out quickly. ^{[12] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

At this point, the ingrown hairs have been resolved.
It will be a little uncomfortable to pluck, but it won’t be too painful.

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Wash the skin with soap and warm water until clean. Wet skin with warm water, lather soap and rinse with warm water. This step will ensure that dirt and bacteria do not enter the empty hair follicle. ^{[13] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Pat skin dry with a clean towel or air dry.

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Apply antibiotic cream to the area where the hair has been plucked to help the skin recover. Use your finger or a cotton swab to dab antibiotic cream on an empty hair follicle to prevent infection and help it heal. Besides, antibiotic cream can also prevent scarring. ^{[14] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

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Change your shaving routine to reduce the risk of further ingrown hairs. Use scissors to trim your hair before shaving and soak your skin in hot water or warm compresses for 5-10 minutes before shaving. Use a mild, fragrance-free shaving cream to shave in the direction of hair growth. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Apply moisturizer and wear cotton underwear after shaving to reduce scratching.
Consider using an electric trimmer. This tool can cut the hair shorter instead of shaving it off.
Consider having your hair removed at a dermatologist’s office for permanent hair removal if you have frequent ingrown hairs. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Treating infected ingrown hairs

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See your doctor if you notice signs of an infection. Ingrown hairs can become infected, especially when the skin is broken. If you have an infection, you need to get the right treatment to heal the damage. Contact your doctor if you notice the following symptoms: ^{[17] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Pus
Painful
Red
Swelling

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Take antibiotics as directed if prescribed. If you have an infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for you. Mild infections can be treated with topical antibiotics. For more severe infections, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics. Take the medicine as directed to heal the infection. ^{[18] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Make sure to take all the prescribed antibiotics. Otherwise, the infection may recur.
You don’t need antibiotics unless you really have an infection. Antibiotics do not work to get rid of ingrown hairs.

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Do not try to remove the hair before it has healed. You need to leave the hair alone while you treat the infection. The infection can get worse if you keep trying to pull the hairs out. Ask your doctor when you can pluck ingrown hairs. ^{[19] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

It’s possible the hairs will grow back on their own after you’ve recovered from the infection.

Things you need

Hydrocortisone cream, witch hazel, aloe vera, or benzoyl peroxide (optional)
Antibiotic ointment
Hot water
Hot gauze
Soap
Exfoliating products
Sterile needle (optional)
Sharp tip tweezers

Warning

Do not try to pull the hair out, as it will be very painful and may lead to an infection.
You may have pain when plucking, but it won’t be too painful.

Steps