Ingrown Hair

An ingrown hair is a strand of hair that grows back into your skin after shaving, tweezing or waxing. They may be painful or itchy, and they commonly appear around your face, legs, armpits and pubic area.

Ingrown hairs are sometimes called razor bumps, shave bumps or barber bumps.

Who does ingrown hair affect?

Ingrown hair is very common. Anyone who shaves, tweezes or waxes their hair can develop ingrown hairs. If you shave often, you’re more likely to have ingrown hairs.

You’re also more likely to have ingrown hair if you have skin of color or thick, coarse or curly hair.

How does ingrown hair affect my body?

The beard area of your face (neck, cheeks and chin), legs, armpits and pubic area (bikini line and inner thigh) are most likely to develop ingrown hairs. However, they may also appear on other parts of your body, including your scalp, chest, back, abdomen, inside of your nose (nostril), eyebrows and buttocks (butt).