3 Ingrown hair treatments to try at home

Call an Atlanta-based doctor to treat an infected ingrown hair.

It's amazing how one little hair that gets turned around and grows back into the skin can hurt so much. To relieve the pressure and pain of an ingrown hair, head to your bathroom pantry and get creative.

1. Grab a bottle of facial exfoliator. Add a dab of the cream to the hair. Let the exfoliator soak into the skin. Then, gently scrub the area using the bristles of an exfoliator brush for your feet. This will help loosen newly embedded hairs. Then, use tweezers to gently remove the hair. Rinse the area with cool water to constrict your pores and reduce further problems.

2. Coax the hair out by using a warm compress. Soak a wash cloth in a sink full of hot water. Drain the water and use dishwashing gloves to handle the hot cloth. Ring out the excess water and apply the compress to the hair. This will soothe the swelling, making the skin recede so the hair is accessible. Pluck with a tweezers and cleanse the area with an antibiotic soap.

3. Wipe the hair with an isopropyl alcohol wipe. This will sanitize the area and encourage the skin to dry out. As the skin tightens, it will also pull away from the hair, hopefully releasing it. Then, use tweezers to remove the hair so it can't bury itself back into the skin. Finish by hydrating the area with a facial moisturizer or after-shave gel.

Is the ingrown hair being stubborn? If the problem doesn't remedy itself within a week, or if you notice any bleeding, open wounds or signs of infection coming from the sore, it's time to call an Atlanta-area doctor for a professional diagnosis and treatment.