Definition

Noun: A hair that has curled and grown back into the skin instead of rising up from it. This typically occurs after shaving, waxing, or other hair removal methods and can cause a small, often painful, bump that may become inflamed or infected.

Usage

An "ingrown hair" is a common dermatological condition. It is used to describe the specific problem and the resulting skin lesion. - I think I have an ingrown hair on my neck from shaving. - To prevent ingrown hairs, exfoliate your skin regularly. - The doctor said the red bump was just an ingrown hair.

Advanced Usage

• "To become ingrown": This verbal phrase describes the process of a hair growing back into the skin.
  • When hair is cut too short, it can easily become ingrown.

Variants and Related Words

• Ingrown (adjective): Growing abnormally into the flesh. While often used with "hair," it can describe other things like an "ingrown toenail."
  • He suffered from a painful ingrown toenail.

Synonyms

• Encapsulated hair: A more clinical term for a hair trapped under the skin.
• Razor bump: A common synonym, especially when caused by shaving. (Note: "Razor bump" is often the visible symptom caused by an ingrown hair.)

Related Phrases

• Pseudofolliculitis barbae: The medical term for the chronic condition of razor bumps or ingrown hairs, often seen in the beard area.
  • Some men are prone to pseudofolliculitis barbae due to curly facial hair.

Noun

1. a hair that does not emerge from the follicle but remains embedded in the skin (usually causing inflammation)