Inflamed hair root – causes, treatment and prevention

Inflamed hair root

An inflamed hair root can occur on any skin area where there is a hair follicle. This is the penetration of pathogens into the hair follicle beneath the skin.

What is an inflamed hair root?

Humans have hair roots almost everywhere on the skin surface. While very long, stable hair develops on the scalp, the hair on the armpits or legs is much shorter. the skinhas hair follicles almost everywhere, from which hair can develop. They lie under the skin and contain the root of the hair, from which the hair itself develops and eventually breaks up through the skin’s surface. The hair follicle is not completely closed and it is quite possible that the hair root becomes inflamed. This happens, for example, when the hair cannot penetrate the skin properly, but also after a shave or other hair removal method where the hair has been severed or pulled out. The inflamed hair follicle becomes visible when a pus -filled area forms around the point where the hair emerges from the skinfilled pimple forms. This can hurt, but eventually bursts and marks the end of the inflammation of the hair root. As a rule, inflamed hair roots are unproblematic and harmless.causes

The entire human skin is covered with bacteria of various kinds – including pathogens. This is not a problem for a healthy person with intact skin. However, injuries to the hair roots are not uncommon. They happen, for example, when shaving, which is why one often speaks of inflamed hair roots as razor bumps. This allows the bacteria already present on the skin to penetrate the skin and get to the root of the hair, where they cause inflammation.Other contributing factors are a weak immune system , heavy sweating and a lack of personal hygiene afterwards, as well as lifestyle habits that impair the skin’s natural protection. Poor or wrong diet , smoking and drug abuse also affect the skin so much that inflamed hair roots occur more frequently as a result. Chronically inflamed hair roots can also occur with existing diseases such as diabetes, as the immune system is permanently weakened.

In addition to these triggers, there are also personal hygiene reasons for inflamed hair follicles. Care products that are too moist and too greasy clog the sebaceous glands and lead to inflammation. In order to prevent this, the body would have to be able to transport toxins out of the skin, otherwise the sebum produced for this builds up in the hair follicle.

Diseases

  • substance abuse

When to the doctor?

An inflamed hair root as the sole symptom is not a disease-related condition in the medical sense. A doctor’s visit is therefore not necessary. The inflamed area will heal on its own within a few days. With the regrowth of the hair root, the inflammation also disappears.

If the inflammation occurs regularly after shaving, a change in the shaving process is sufficient. It is sufficient if the technology is checked and corrected. Changing the care products can also be helpful and alleviate the symptoms. If dry shaving is used, switching to wet shaving is recommended.

The fundamental change in personal hygiene can bring about an improvement in the symptoms. Moisturizing or greasy care products reduce the appearance of inflamed hair roots in many people.

If the symptoms are experienced as distressing, a doctor should be consulted. With this, the symptoms can be discussed and other causes can be determined. In some people, a weak immune system is responsible for the recurrence of the inflamed hair root. If it is strengthened and checked regularly, the symptoms will also be reduced.

diagnosis and course

An inflamed hair root is easy to recognize and sometimes manifests itself as a slight pain in the affected area. The inflamed follicle forms a small pimple through which either a hair penetrates – or not if it has not yet broken through the top layer of skin. In most cases, inflamed hair roots are only minimal, small pimples that burst unnoticed after a few days and then heal again. In these cases, no action is required. On the other hand, there are also more severe inflammations of hair follicles, which are manifested by large pimples that can also spread through the skin.

An inflamed hair root is like an ordinary pimple: squeezing the purulent content spreads over the entire skin and ensures that other areas can also become inflamed. A larger, possibly painful pimple caused by hair root inflammation can be treated if necessary, but it will also burst open over time and then heal. It just takes longer for the skin area to heal completely because the damage to the skin’s surface is also larger.

complications

The complications of inflamed hair roots include physical, psychological and cosmetic impairments. In the case of physical symptoms, those affected suffer from itching and a threatening expansion of the affected part of the body. Swelling forms and reddening of the skin occurs. Those affected literally feel uncomfortable in their own skin, become restless and suffer from a depressed mood. Because an inflamed hair root can form almost anywhere on the body, it causes a cosmetic blemish in areas not covered by clothing. If the affected areas of the skin are covered with cosmetics, the skin may be further irritated and the healing process may be slowed down.

There is also the possibility that the products used can trigger a hypersensitivity or allergic reaction . This increases the redness and itching of the skin. If the skin areas are further irritated by chafing or scratching, there may be additional expansion. Depending on the location of the inflamed hair roots, there may be a sensation of pain. For example, if they are on the back, leaning against them when sitting is perceived as uncomfortable. The same applies to certain sleeping positions. Some people feel disgust upon visual contact with the lumps of pus. It is an emotional stress for them when they notice the swelling and redness of the skin. They are sensitive, irritable and very sensitive.

treatment and therapy

An inflamed hair root is usually harmless, but it is cosmetically disturbing and can be uncomfortable. It makes little sense to treat the inflamed hair root itself, rather the trigger should be sought. This is of course difficult for patients with a weak immune system, because the weakened immune system makes them more susceptible to inflamed hair roots. It is best to pay attention to gentle skin care and careful depilation, but there is little else you can do. If an inflamed hair root develops into a painful problem, antibiotic creams and ointments can help in these cases. A healthy person usually does not need these, but should also refrain from popping the pimple. This would open the wound and the purulent, bacterial content of the pimple can spread over the skin. It is better to leave the inflamed hair root alone and during this time the skin is no longer depilated at this point. If inflamed hair follicles keep recurring, the method of depilation should be reconsidered and the current body care cream checked to see if they may be verycontains fat or oil. However, a distinction must be made between inflamed hair roots and skin abscesses. Multiple pimples in the same area of ​​skin are more likely to be an abscess and should be seen by a dermatologist or family doctor to determine the cause.

outlook and prognosis

An inflamed hair root has a good prognosis. Normally, complete healing occurs within a few days. In most cases, the inflammation heals on its own without further complications. Spreading is also often not to be expected. Impurities or incorrect shaving techniques can lead to a recurrence of the symptoms.

If there is a chronic inflammatory disease in the body, the prognosis is less good. In these cases, the healing path is significantly longer. In addition, if the immune system is weakened, the symptoms can spread. Depending on the underlying disease and the extent of the existing disease, healing can take several months. Without medical care, the state of health continues to deteriorate.

When the hair roots become inflamed due to an allergic reaction or intolerance to food, hygiene products, or exposure to the sun, permanent relief occurs once the causative stimulus is completely avoided. If the body comes into contact with the allergy trigger unabated, the symptoms spread and gradually increase in intensity. Fungi, clogged pores and skin diseases have a good chance of healing. The germs can be combated by administering medication and using ointments and creams. There are special therapy methods for clogged pores that successfully contribute to relief.

prevention

Inflamed hair roots in healthy people are often caused by shaving sensitive skin areas. This is especially true when long hair is severed or pulled out, such as in the intimate area. It is advisable to depilate such sensitive skin areas regularly and with a suitable depilation method, as this reduces irritation of the skin. Furthermore, moisturizing skin and body care products should be treated with caution.

The skin needs moisture, but not too much. Fats and oils risk over-hydrating the skin, causing pores to become clogged. However, the sebaceous glands have to regularly transport waste products from the skin to the outside, otherwise these substances remain under the skin and quickly lead to inflammation of the hair root. Switching to a less rich skincare routine can help keep those unsightly pimples at bay. In addition, if you have sensitive skin, we recommend a follow-up treatment after shaving with a cooling, soothing skin care product. 

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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