How to get rid of red and brown ingrown hair scars underneath belly button due to shaving and picking? (photos)

Question

A few years back I stupidly shaved the hair underneath my belly button. Fast forward, I now have ingrown hairs & red & brown ingrown hair scars that won't fade. I picked at them when I knew I shouldn't have, but I haven't for a while now. I have formed multiple ingrown hairs and many of the spots are due to trying to dig them out. I exfoliate it every day and have tried bleaching cream. I can't afford laser treatment so maybe oils or affordable prescription? I need to be able to do it at home.

Ryan A. Stanton, MD · Answer

Although the results of scar therapy vary from person to person and scar to scar, the results are considered permanent.Not infrequently potential patients avoid surgery because fear of an unsightly scar. To remedy this, I now utilize and formulate compounded topical creams to treat, relieve and minimize scars for each of my patients:• new scars• old scars• surgical scars• keloid scars• stretch marks• hypertrophic scars• hyperpigmented (dark) scars• various acne scars, and more...These scar removal creams contain prescription strength medications each individually known to reduce and/or reverse the scarring process but never before compounded together into one high potency formulation. These medications are added to a base of anhydrous silicone (the most common ingredient in everyday topical scar therapy) and Pracaxi oil, found in the Amazon rainforest and known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Many health insurance plans actually cover the cost of the creams and they can be delivered directly to the patients door step. In other words, no need for multiple trips to the doctor for expensive and painful laser treatments, or wasted money on minimally effective over-the-counter topical scar therapy gels or silicone sheets that are unsightly and/or fail to stay on. Instead, with just two applications a day my patients now perform scar therapy in the comfort of their own home.  Glad to help.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation and PIH with discoloration can 
resolve over time. Our office treats these hyperpigmentation issues 
conservatively with topical cream depigmentation protocols. In addition,
 light chemical peels and fractional ablation can help expedite the 
process. 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi TMTTB.  The  concerns you have will be addressed by getting rid of the hair first.  Once the hair is gone, you will see that you won't get any new ingrown hair and the corresponding scars.   If the red and brown spots do not resolve quickly for you, we would use a hydroquinone based bleaching product (for brown scars) or V-star/V-beam pulsed dye laser treatments to get rid of the red scars.  Your case is very straight forward and you should achieve excellent results.  To view before and after photos of other Los Angeles and Orange County, CA laser hair removal patients with ingrown hair, click the link below.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

You need laser hair removal to get rid of the hairs in combination with VANIQA cream to help the laser work better.  Additionally I would use triluma cream to help the pigmentation.  We treat this frequently in our office.  Best of luck, Dr. Emer.

How to get rid of red and brown ingrown hair scars underneath belly button due to shaving and picking? (photos)

Answers (4)

Answer: Hairs Around Belly With Pigmentation

Answer: Hairs Around Belly With Pigmentation

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How to get rid of red and brown ingrown hair scars underneath belly button due to shaving and picking? (photos)

Answers (4)

Answer: Hairs Around Belly With Pigmentation

Answer: Hairs Around Belly With Pigmentation

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Scar Removal

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.