PLUCKY HORROR SHOW
The 6 areas you should NEVER use your tweezers after ingrown hair leaves man ‘brain dead’
GP reveals why plucking a mole hair could leave you at risk of skin cancer
A PAIR of tweezers is a bathroom essential but for some of us, they may get more use than necessary.
Other than being your trusty tool for eyebrows, you might find yourself plucking out hairs from all over your body, or even using your tweezers to squeeze the odd spot.
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But you might be causing more harm than good - yes, that redness, ingrown hair, yellow pus or even common cold could be because you used tweezers.
Dr Ann Nainan, a London based GP, has shared her thoughts on using tweezers anywhere other than the brows.
It comes after a man was on deaths’ door after removing an ingrown hair from his groin - with means unknown.
Steven Spinale was diagnosed with sepsis after getting an infection when he attempted to remove the ingrown hair from his groin area.
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TikTok videos shared by his sister Michelle show the dad fighting for his life at the end of 2022, when he was 36, even fearing he was ‘brain dead’.
He is still in recovery but out of hospital after months.
While it is an extreme case of hair removal gone wrong, it’s best to take advice from the doctors to avoid even a little pain.
1. Nipple hair
The majority of our body is covered in hair follicles, so seeing hairs crop up around your nipple is normal.
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But whether you’re self-conscious of them or just like to be hair-free, tweezers might not be wise.
Dr Nainan says: “This area is very sensitive, and plucking hairs here can irritate the skin or cause an infection.
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“If you decide to try this and the area becomes red, hot and/or swollen, see a doctor.”
If you really want to get rid of your nipple hair, just trim it with scissors.
2. Mole hair
When you see a long rogue hair sprouting out of a mole, you may be tempted to run straight for the tweezers.
But Dr Nainan says it’s best to avoid this, saying: “It's not a good idea to pluck hairs from moles because it can be hard to tell if the mole changes over time.
“Changes in moles need to be checked by a doctor to make sure everything is okay.”
Plus, plucking out your mole hair can lead to redness, soreness and even swelling.
If your mole hair is bothering you, visit your GP to get the mole checked for advice.
Signs that a mole is changing - which could be a sign of cancer - include an asymmetric border, more than one colour, changing colour, changing size, crusting, itching or bleeding.
Sharing tweezers
Sharing tweezers is not advised.
Dr Nainan says: “It's best not to share tweezers because when we use them, they can pick up germs from our skin.
"Sharing tweezers can spread these germs to someone else."
If you are sharing, make sure you clean your tweezers properly.
3. Nose hairs
Long nose hairs aren’t a problem.
In fact, nose hairs help filter out dust, germs, and other tiny things so they don't get into your lungs.
Given they are a crucial defense for bugs, is it a good idea to pluck them out?
No, says Dr Nainan, who says: “Plucking nose hairs can hurt and lead to infections.
“If you think your nose hairs are too long, carefully trim them with safety scissors or a special nose hair trimmer.”
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4. Hair around the groin
An normal at-home hair removal routine or an infection waiting to happen?
“The skin around your groin is very sensitive,” says Dr Nainan.
“Plucking hairs can cause a lot of pain and lead to red, bumpy skin or even infections. There are safer ways to handle hair in that area.”
These safer ways include shaving and hair removal creams, or waxing if you want a longer-lasting finish.
If you do choose to shave around this area, make sure you shave in the direction of the hair growth and pull the skin so it's tight as you shave.
5. Ingrown hairs
Pesky ingrown hairs can crop up in various places including legs and groin.
They can occur even with safe hair removal methods such as shaving and waxing - and the NHS says shaving is the main cause of ingrown hairs.
Dr Nainan says: “Sometimes, you might see hairs that have grown back into the skin, causing a small bump.”
The bumps may be red, sore, and even yellow if infected.
Dr Nainan says: “While it might be tempting to pluck them, this can cause irritation, redness, or infection.
“Instead, gently exfoliating the skin can help.”
Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells and allows hair to grow the way it’s supposed to, without growing back into the skin.
If using on your face, use a chemical exfoliant, which includes ingredients such as AHAs and BHA. These help to remove dead skin cells.
If the ingrown hair doesn't go away or hurts, see a doctor for help.
You could consider laser hair removal if you don’t want to stop shaving the affected area, the NHS says.
However this can be expensive, doesn’t last forever, and doesn’t work well on all hair/skin types, so research carefully.
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6. Spots
It can be tempting to pop a spot using a pair of tweezers for best precision.
Perhaps you think that it’s cleaner than using your fingers.
But Dr Nainan says that tweezing pimples can push the germs deeper into your skin, making the spot worse, or it can spread the germs to other parts of your face, causing more pimples.
She says: “It's better to wash your face gently with a cleanser and let pimples heal on their own.
“If a pimple really bothers you, talking to a doctor or dermatologist is the safest way to deal with it.”
Splinters
Finally - something tweezers are useful for, other than eyebrow hairs!
Splinters should be removed with tweezers.
Dr Nainan says to grasp the splinter with the (clean) tweezers as close to the skin as possible, and draw it out in a straight line keeping it at the same angle as it goes into the skin.
She says: “Squeeze the wound carefully to encourage slight bleeding as this will help to remove any dirt.
“Clean and dry the wound and cover with a dressing.
“If there's any chance you may have any remaining foreign bodies inside your skin, doctors need to remove it to prevent infection.”
Keeping your tweezers clean is important.
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“After using tweezers, you should wash them with soap and warm water to remove any dirt or germs.
“Then, dry them and wipe them down with a bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. This helps kill any leftover germs.”
Shaving must-dos
If you're going to shave, at least do it properly to prevent abrasion, ingrown hairs, itchiness or more.
- Wet your skin with warm water and use shaving gel
- Shave in the direction the hairs are growing
- Use as few strokes of the razor as possible
- Rinse the razor after every stroke
- Hold a cool, wet cloth to your skin after shaving to reduce irritation
- Use an exfoliating scrub to help release any trapped hairs
Try and moisutrise straight after bathing, as this helps trap moisture into the skin.
This may prevent itchiness after shaving.
The skin becomes irritated because it is being repeatedly cut at with a razor - though you cannot feel this. Try not to shave too closely to the skin or press too hard.
Finding shaving is causing persistent irritation? Try a different hair removal method, such as hair removal cream or laser treatment - which is long-term but pricey, depending on how much of your body you get lasered.