Ingrown hairs, also known as folliculitis, are a common problem for many people, especially those with coarse or curly hair. Ingrown hairs most commonly occur on areas of the body that are shaved or tweezed on a regular basis including the face, groin, neck, legs and even the underarms. Ingrown hairs develop in the underarms when hair that has been removed curls and grows back into the skin, resulting in a number of symptoms.
Itching
Itching is one of the first signs of an ingrown hair on your underarm. As the hair grows back into the skin, it creates an irritation. This irritation triggers an automatic urge to scratch in order to alleviate the irritation. Unfortunately, scratching does not help an ingrown hair, and may even make the affected area worse.
Pain and Tenderness
As the ingrown hair reenters the skin, the affected area can become infected and inflamed, resulting in pain and tenderness of the area. Your arm consistently places pressure on the armpit, which can further increase these symptoms.
Papules and Pustules
As the ingrown hair become infected, a papule or pustules can develop. Papules are small round bumps that can protrude from the affected hair follicle, and pustules are round bumps filled with pus. Both papules and pustules occur as white blood cells rush to ingrown hair site to fight off possible infections. According to the Mayo Clinic, papules and pustules are more likely to occur in deep folliculitis, where the entire hair follicles is affected.
Visible Hair
Visible symptoms of an ingrown hair can also be seen on the skin. This is seen as a loop of hair where the hair exits and enters the follicle, and no end of the hair strand is visible. You can typically locate these loops of hair by looking for red or inflamed areas on the skin of the underarm.
