i have ingrown hairs very deep under the skin around my ...

soak soak soak! you would do well to soak in a bath tub if that is possible make the water as warm as you can stand it and stay in until it is cold (15-20 min) repeat this often but try for 3x day if can. if no tub try sloppy wet wash cloth to soak the area. The soaking will help to open up the follicle. occasionally you will get a stubborn area of folliculitis that causes a carbuncle or boil which may need to be lanced by the doctor to relieve the pressure

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DrStephanie

i think this might be the boil or carbuncle you mentioned. It's more of a LUMP instead of a BUMP, lol. The rest of them aren't as deep, right under the surface (there is no inflammation, just a layer of normal skin). Will the hair penetrate the skin by itself? I can see them, they grow right sideways under the skin it's disgusting. I found out it's common with people with curly hair and go figure, I've had thick, curly hair all my life. I've heard that antibiotics can help. I really don't want to shave that area, and I'm wondering if you condone laser hair removal. I know it's expensive but the problem is getting so much worse, I've probably got around 20 right now. Would insurance help pay some of that? I have blue cross. Anyway, sorry to write a novel about my little cosmetic problems, just want to be sure what to do about this. Thanks again. Oh, and PS. - What does it mean to "lance" it?

lancing means to have it opened - usually with a scalpal and numbing medicine. The soaking will hopefully allow the hairs to penetrate the skin themselves. You need to stop shaving the area for at least several weeks. Antibiotics may not be needed as this is more of a foreign body reaction than an infection, so as the hairs release it will resolve. Laser hair removal is a great option although not as permanent as they lead you to believe. Often a yearly touchup is needed but it still decreases the problem greatly. Blue cross typically does not cover any of this expense and you are looking at about $500-1000 depending on your area of the country.
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DrStephanie