Ingrown Hairs - Caused Horrible Scars on my Legs

Question

I have had ingrown hairs on my legs for the last 3 years. This has caused me to (stupidly) pick them and scratch them. This has left horrible scars on my legs. it hasnt gone and its been 2 years. i keep picking them. i need to get rid of them! ive tried Bio oil and it hasnt worked. some of the marks are red, others are black. some are small others are bigger. what do i do to get rid of them? How long will it take? How do i avoid getting more ingrown hairs. i am now exfoliating and not picking.

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hello Bhavisha.  As indicated by the other physicians, the first step is to stop the picking.  You can't think about fixing the pigmentation or even getting rid of the hair until all of the sores or open wounds are healed.

	After this, we would suggest laser hair removal as this sis the long term solution to your problem.  At the same time, you can consider pulsed dye laser treatments for the red scars and q-switched Nd:Yg laser treatments for the dark scars.  Alternatively, you could try exfoliating products like Retin A or glycolic acid to speed the process of getting rid of excess pigment.  Good luck.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Great question. I see these scars commonly and would begin with exfoliating Melapads to lighten and exfoliate the skin, and daily use of Melarase PM to further enhance the lightening effect. Large areas can be treated with Kareskin Body Brightening creams including Luminase and Exfolase. Raffy Karamanoukian, Los Angeles

Scott Trimas, MD · Answer

The first answer would be to stop picking at the hairs. The next area you might consider is having laser hair removal to get rid of the hairs. It is a very effective treatment for hair removal and will help with ingrown hairs. I hope this information helps.

M. Christine Lee, MD · Answer

The best treatment for ingrown hairs is laser hair removal. It literally treats the "root" of the problem which is the hair follicle. By miniaturizing or destroying hair follicle (bulb), you'll stop getting ingrown hairs and give the skin a chance to heal therefore the scars will improve with time.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

As Dr Trimas states, try IPL or some form of laser therapy as a test area to see if the problem improvements. Also YES STOP PICKING!. From MIAMI DR. Darryl J. Blinski, 305 598 0091

Barry Resnik, MD · Answer

What you describe sounds like folliculitis, inflammation around hair follicles (generally without any particular cause). Let's break down your problem into 3 stages. The 1st stage would be to stop picking, but you already know that. At this stage of the game, picking has become a habit. My favorite remedy for habit-picking is Sarna lotion (generic OK) available in all stores as an over-the-counter product. Use it whenever you feel the urge to pick. Use it 100 times a day if necessary. It works. The 2nd stage would be to help you body stop making the lesions in the first place. You will need to see your dermatologist for medicines like erythromycin topical solution. Laser hair removal is also a very effective option here. The 3rd stage is to make the left-over marks look better or disappear. Topical fading creams, pulse dye laser for the redness, and light ablative laser treatments will help.

Ingrown Hairs - Caused Horrible Scars on my Legs

Answers (6)

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