How to treat and prevent ingrown hair at home

NBC Selected independently determines what we cover and recommend. When you click on or buy through our links, we earn a commission. Learn more .

Finding an ingrown hair a few days after shaving , waxing or epilating is frustrating. It’s caused by hair curling into and getting trapped underneath the skin, and it can be itchy and painful. Thankfully, ingrown hairs, also commonly called razor bumps, are treatable at home, similar to razor burn . But don’t expect them to go away overnight. Being patient while using ingrown hair treatments is key to preventing infection and scarring later on.

I spoke with four dermatologists to learn more about how to treat and prevent ingrown hairs. Using their guidance, I rounded up ingrown hair treatments and preventatives, all of which are either recommended by dermatologists or tested by NBC Selected staff.

Selected. Our top picks

Want more from NBC Selected? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.

What are the best ingrown hair treatments?

To recommend the below ingrown hair treatments, I chose products that dermatologists recommend, we’ve used ourselves or are highly rated and meet expert guidance. Since ingrown hairs can occur in any hair-bearing area, I note whether each product is meant for your face or body. Make sure to avoid removing hair in the area where you have an ingrown until it’s fully healed, experts told me.

Best first-aid ointment

Neosporin Original Antibiotic Ointment

Neosporin is my go-to antibiotic ointment for ingrowns, cuts and burns. It contains bacitracin, an over-the-counter topical antibiotic you can apply to red and inflamed ingrown hair, says Dr. Joshua Zeichner , the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology and an associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. The ointment also has a blend of other antibiotics that protect against infection and help heal skin, plus it can minimize the appearance of scars if you use it one to three times daily, according to the brand.

Best anti-itch ointment

Cortizone 10 Maximum Strength Anti-Itch Cream with Aloe

Hydrocortisone creams can help reduce inflammation and itching associated with ingrown hairs, says Dr. Y. Claire Chang , a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in Manhattan, New York. This option from Cortizone 10 is made with 1% hydrocortisone, which is the highest concentration of the ingredient found in over-the-counter products, according to our experts. I’ve also used Cortizone 10 on bug bites , sunburns and razor burn, and you can apply it to eczema spots . The fragrance-free ointment is made with aloe, which helps soothe skin, according to the brand.

Best roll-on treatment

Topicals High Roller Ingrown Hair Tonic

This fragrance-free salicylic acid spot treatment comes recommended by Ashley Morris , NBC Selected associate SEO reporter. “It stops my ingrowns from forming into bigger bumps and fades the dark spots left behind by old ingrowns,” she says. “The rollerball applicator is my favorite part. It applies really smoothly and the tonic dries almost right away.” The rollerball applicator also allows you to target the ingrown without touching your skin and potentially transferring bacteria from your hands to the affected area. Topicals’ clear tonic contains zinc, a mineral that can minimize irritation; glycolic acid to further exfoliate; and niacinamide to brighten the appearance of the bump, according to the brand.

Best drawing salve

Hyland’s Naturals Prid Drawing Salve

“I’ve used Prid’s Drawing Salve for everything — cystic acne , slivers and even ingrown hairs,” says Lauren Swanson, NBC Selected editorial director. “It’s very tar-like and smells gross, but it truly is a miracle worker. I slap this stuff on over ingrown hairs, put on a Band-Aid and then go to bed. When I wake up, it’s gone.” The salve is made with natural ingredients like sulfur, which relieves itch, silicea, which draws out hair trapped underneath the skin’s surface and arnica, which reduces pain and swelling, according to the brand. Make sure you cover the area you apply this drawing salve to with a bandage or gauze — it’s brown in color and can stain fabric.

Best healing serum

Fur Ingrown Concentrate

Fur’s Ingrown Concentrate contains tea tree oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties and helps prevent ingrown hairs from getting infected, says Chang. The treatment is also made with chamomile extract to minimize redness and coconut, tamanu and grape seed oils to hydrate and soften skin, according to the brand. Before applying the concentrate, the brand recommends exfoliating with the included finger mitt in the shower . Then, once you dry off, apply a few drops to bumps.

Best overnight treatment

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion is my favorite overnight treatment for ingrowns. It dries them up while I’m sleeping and makes them appear much less red and swollen in the morning. The lotion has salicylic acid to remove dead skin cells sitting on top of and around ingrown hairs, and calamine, an ingredient that reduces itching and irritation, according to the brand. You dip a cotton swab into the pink sediment at the bottom of the bottle and dab it directly onto the ingrown. The lotion dries quickly but leaves a light pink, chalky residue behind, which is why I prefer to use it at night.

How I picked the best ingrown hair treatments

The best way to treat an ingrown hair is to free the trapped hair from underneath the skin in two steps (listed below). Consider the following while shopping for ingrown hair treatments:

What are the best products to prevent ingrown hair?

Best body wash

Cetaphil Body Wash

Anyone prone to ingrowns on their body may want to consider a salicylic acid body wash, which reduces the amount of bacteria on skin and ensures it’s clean before you remove hair, says Weinstein. This fragrance-free option is made with moisturizing ingredients like glycerin, shea butter and soybean oil. It also has a gentle, creamy, lotion-like consistency and it doesn’t get sudsy, in my experience. It comes in a pump, which I find helps me control how much body wash I’m dispensing.

Best face wash

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash

If you get ingrowns on your face (especially after shaving facial hair), experts recommend opting for a gentle acne face wash like this one, which contains salicylic acid. It has a jelly consistency when it comes out of the pump, but it gets foamy as you massage it into your skin with your fingers or a facial cleansing brush , in my experience. The face wash helps eliminate oil buildup on skin and unclogs pores, according to the brand.

Best exfoliating spray

Billie Ultimate Skin Solution

I use Billie’s Ultimate Skin Solution to treat and prevent ingrowns on my legs and underarms. The spray contains salicylic acid and aloe vera to dissolve built-up dead cells while calming the skin, according to the brand. I find that the spray bottle makes this solution easy to apply to large and small patches of skin, and it dries quickly. The spray also doesn’t leave behind a sticky residue and never causes my sensitive skin to sting after application.

Best liquid exfoliant

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

After you shave, apply a BHA-based product to close the hair follicles that opened when they were exposed to warm water, says Weinstein. Doing so prevents bacteria or dirt from getting into the follicles. This chemical exfoliant from Paula’s Choice has salicylic acid (a BHA) and green tea extract to calm redness. The formula is lightweight and feels refreshing on my skin when I apply it using a cotton pad. It also absorbs into my skin quickly, so I can layer other products on top of it, like moisturizer . While the exfoliant is mainly meant for your face and neck, you can also apply it to other parts of the body post-shave.

Best witch hazel toner

Thayers Witch Hazel

Those with very sensitive skin may not be able to tolerate BHAs to close hair follicles after shaving. Witch hazel is an alternative ingredient that does the same job, but it’s gentler on skin, says Weinstein. Thayer’s Witch Hazel Facial Toner comes recommended by Cory Fernandez , NBC Selected commerce editor. He applies it with a cotton pad immediately after shaving, and when he does so consistently, he notices that less ingrowns pop up on his face. The hydrating toner has an alcohol-free formula that minimizes the appearance of pores, as well as evens skin tone and texture, according to the brand. It’s available in different versions with additional ingredients like rose petal , coconut water , lavender and cucumber .

Best moisturizer

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

Moisturizing should always be the last step of a hair removal session, experts told me. CeraVe’s cream is a noncomedogenic option for the body, face and hands . It’s made with hyaluronic acid to help skin retain moisture and ceramides to support the skin’s outer layer, according to the brand. The cream earned the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance , meaning it’s suitable for sensitive skin.

How I picked the best products to prevent ingrown hair

The type of skin care routine you swear by matters when it comes to hair removal, says Weinstein. If your skin isn’t in good shape when you remove hair, new hair won’t grow back normally. Preventing ingrowns mostly centers around caring for your skin before, after and in between hair removal sessions. Here are some factors to consider when shopping for products that help you do so:

How to avoid getting ingrown hair while shaving