Ingrown Beard Hairs

Ingrown beard hairs are tiny, mildly painful pimples from recently-shaved hairs that curve and grow back into your skin. This happens most often in Black men with very curly hair. Women who shave their bikini area may get the same kinds of pimples from ingrown hairs.

Ingrown Beard Hairs (Pseudofolliculitis Barbae)

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The hair follicles in the beard region are inflamed. These symptoms are caused by irritation and inflammation aggravated by shaving but not by an actual infection. This finding is typical of pseudofolliculitis barbae, which is usually chronic.

Image provided by Thomas Habif, MD.

Pseudofolliculitis Barbae

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This photo also shows inflamed hair follicles in the beard area and neck that are caused by the irritation of shaving.

Photo courtesy of Karen McKoy, MD.

Ingrown beard hairs are caused by short, sharp hairs curling back and puncturing your skin. Your skin gets irritated and you get a pimple-like bump.

Treatments include:

• Having you stop shaving for a while

• Applying warm compresses to the ingrown hairs

• Releasing the ingrown hairs with a sterile needle or toothpick

• Applying corticosteroid or antibiotic creams

• Taking antibiotic or corticosteroid pills, if you have severe swelling, redness, and pain

One way to prevent ingrown hairs is by not shaving and letting your beard grow, or by removing your beard with:

• A liquid or cream hair remover

• Electrolysis, which involves destroying hair follicles with electric current

• Laser treatments

If you shave, use proper shaving methods:

• Wet your beard first

• Shave in the direction the hair grows

• Avoid using multiple strokes to get an extremely close shave