How to Safely Remove an Ingrown Hair With a Point Tweezer
By TweezerCo · 2 February 2026 · 5 min read
Last updated:
An ingrown hair is just a hair that's grown sideways or curled back into the skin instead of out of it. Trying to remove one with a slant tweezer usually makes it worse. A needle point, used correctly, lifts it cleanly and gently.
Prep the area first
Warm the skin in the shower or with a warm compress for two to three minutes. This softens the surface and makes the hair easier to lift. Pat dry, then sanitise both the skin and your tweezer tips with isopropyl alcohol.
Lift, don't dig
If you can see the loop of the hair under the surface, slide the point of the tweezer under it and lift it out gently. Do not break the skin. If the hair won't come up easily, stop — exfoliate the area for a couple of days and try again.
Pull in one clean motion
Once the hair is freed, grip it close to the root and pull in the direction of growth. A clean motion lifts the entire follicle; a snap breaks the hair at the surface and causes the next ingrown.
Aftercare
Apply a soothing serum (anything with niacinamide or centella works well) and avoid heavy occlusive makeup on the spot for the next 12 hours. Resist picking — picking is what turns an ingrown into a scar.
Frequently asked
Can I use a slant tweezer for ingrown hairs?
Sometimes, but you'll have a much higher success rate (and less skin trauma) with a true needle-point tweezer.
Should I sanitise my tweezer between uses?
Always — wipe both the tips and the area of skin with isopropyl alcohol before and after lifting an ingrown.
What if the ingrown won't come out?
Stop. Exfoliate gently for two to three days and try again — forcing it causes scarring.
