Yes, ingrown hairs often go away on their own over time. However, they may cause discomfort, redness, and swelling in the meantime. If an ingrown hair becomes infected, it might turn into a painful, boil-like sore.

Here are some steps you can take to help an ingrown hair heal:

1. Avoid shaving, waxing, or plucking: This can help prevent further skin irritation.

2. Warm compress: Apply a warm, wet cloth to the ingrown hair to soothe the area and potentially draw the hair out.

3. Exfoliate: Gently scrub the area with a mild exfoliant to help remove dead skin cells that might be trapping the hair.

4. Creams or lotions: Over-the-counter creams or lotions designed to reduce inflammation and speed up healing can be helpful. These often contain ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

5. Avoid picking or squeezing: It might be tempting, but picking or squeezing the ingrown hair can lead to further irritation, infection, or scarring.

If an ingrown hair doesn't improve over time, becomes severely painful, or shows signs of infection, you should see a healthcare provider. In some cases, a doctor might need to make a small cut in your skin with a sterile needle or scalpel to free the ingrown hair.

To prevent future ingrown hairs, try to exfoliate regularly, use a sharp razor when shaving, and shave in the direction of hair growth. For persistent problems, you may want to consider other hair removal methods, such as laser hair removal. At KLYNIK we specialise in laser hair removal. One of the best benefits of laser hair removal is reducing ingrown hairs. As the laser emitted destroys the follicles which cause the ingrown hairs, once all the follicles are removed you should no longer suffer with this condition. It is a very popular treatment and we have excellent results. To find out more on the benefits of laser hair removal for ingrown hairs book an appointment with our laser experts.