# damn ingrown beard whisker... advice needed **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 31, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765 "2001-10-31T19:33:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/1 "2001-10-31T19:33:22Z")
I just discovered a severely ingrown whisker, on my chin. That sucker is impacted as hell. I know it’s a whisker because I can see the outline of it in my skin, but it’s really deep. It’s making a hard knot on my chin. I tried plucking the surrounding hairs to help relieve it, but no luck. I even poked it with a needle several times, it won’t come out. I have had these things before but I have always been able to get them out rather effortlessly. This one is becoming uncomfortable and I don’t want it to get infected. That thing has to come out! I don’t want to hack up my face trying to extract it though. It seems horribly trivial to go to the doctor for such a thing. Will it work it’s way out on it’s own eventually? Should I try to get it out myself? ---
**Author:** ![Kiki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kiki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiki)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/2 "2001-10-31T19:38:36Z")
Put peroxide on it to keep it from getting infected and try to grab it with a pair of tweezers. This sounds kinda gross but it may work… try popping it like a zit! If it’s full of pus the skin will break, the pus (and some blood probably) will squirt out and the hair should be visible… then you can grab it with the tweezers. [sub]I had an ingrown around my bikini line once and this is what I did to get rid of it… it worked but it hurt like a son of a bitch![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/3 "2001-10-31T20:00:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rachelle \* > \*\*Put peroxide on it to keep it from getting infected and try to grab it with a pair of tweezers. This sounds kinda gross but it may work… try popping it like a zit! If it’s full of pus the skin will break, the pus (and some blood probably) will squirt out and the hair should be visible… then you can grab it with the tweezers. > > [sub]I had an ingrown around my bikini line once and this is what I did to get rid of it… it worked but it hurt like a son of a bitch![/sub] \*\* Thanks for the advice but the hair is not literally visible where I can grab it. It’s too deep. I can see it “embossing” my skin outward. I tried squeezing it out, even after lancing in several spots, but no luck. Maybe I should get some “draw-out-salve?” I have never used that stuff. Does it really work? ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/4 "2001-10-31T21:29:58Z")
Try Witch Hazel on it for a day or two. It keeps me form getting them and maybe will hel get yours out. ---
**Author:** ![eirroc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f1d935/32.png) [@eirroc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eirroc)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/5 "2001-10-31T21:43:45Z")
I don’t know about the draw out salve, but maybe a hot flannel placed over it for an amount of time might draw it out. Just a thought, sounds sore though :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/6 "2001-11-01T04:10:03Z")
Go down past it with a needle, then lever the needle under it and push part of it up until you can grab it with tweezers. Expect some blood and a bit of pain. ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/7 "2001-11-01T04:22:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muffin \* > \*\*Go down past it with a needle, then lever the needle under it and push part of it up until you can grab it with tweezers. Expect some blood and a bit of pain. \*\* This was the first thing I tried to do. It couldn’t be done. The ONLY way to get at the damn hair is going to be slicing the spot open with an exacto knife. ☹ I am saving that as a last resort. The actual hair cannot be seen. It is far too impacted. You can’t even see a “shadow” of it. When I first discovered it, the outline of it could be seen, just like when something is under a blanket and you can see the shape of it. That sucker is not coming out without some major gore happening. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/8 "2001-11-01T14:25:45Z")
Try a warm compress. My dad had an ingrown hair on his upper lip that did the same thing. The warm compress did eventually bring it out and dad was able to pluck it. Once it was out, the pain vanished. ---
**Author:** ![Damhna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Damhna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damhna)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/9 "2001-11-01T14:30:37Z")
I hate it when that happens. Bite the bullet…grap a scalpel. Wear the 3 day scar. Trust me you do not want to know how it feels if it becomes infected. You’ll feel better straight away. Honest. ---
**Author:** ![Elvis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@Elvis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elvis)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/10 "2001-11-01T14:55:02Z")
I’m with Damhna–you’ve gotta open the skin and pull the bastard out, even though it will hurt and you will bleed. Have some styptic nearby to stop the flow of blood. Your best bet is to do it at night, so the wound will have healed a bit before work the next day. ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/11 "2001-11-01T15:25:33Z")
Hot compress. Hot compress hot compress hot compress. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/12 "2001-11-01T16:59:15Z")
I hot compress and some hydrocortisone might soften the skin enough to get the bastard to lancing level. Oooh, I hate those things. ---
**Author:** ![Deej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/53a042/32.png) [@Deej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deej)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/13 "2001-11-01T17:15:40Z")
Good hot compress: Heat some uncooked rice grains in the microwave. A cup or two of rice gets plenty hot in my microwave in about 30 seconds. Put the warm rice in a plastic bag. Or you can tie it up in a towel or washcloth, but warm uncooked rice smells funny and you can’t smell it through a ziploc. Wrap it in a small towel or a couple washcloths. Want moist heat? (I think you do for drawing out the ingrown hair and softening it and the skin) Wrap it in a damp towel or washcloth. 2 cups of hot rice will stay nice and toasty for more than an hour, so you can settle in and not have to get up every 10 minutes to rewarm it. Cheap, effective, and reusable. ---
**Author:** ![MagicalSilverKey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MagicalSilverKey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicalSilverKey)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-ingrown-beard-whisker-advice-needed/90765/14 "2001-11-01T18:19:06Z")
Thanks I will try the hot moist compress via ricebag and see what happens.