Home Remedies for Ingrown Eyelash

When ingrown hair is mentioned, most people immediately think of the underarms, legs, bikini area and jaw line (in males) because these areas of the body are shaved — shaving is the most common reason why ingrown hair forms. But did you know that there’s also the so-called ingrown eyelash?

Even though no one shaves the eyelashes, it’s still possible for an ingrown eyelash to strike. It happens when an eyelash is misaligned and then grows back to the eyelid instead of away from it. Actually, it’s something that doctors are calling trichiasis, but everybody else simply refers to it as ingrown eyelash.

Ingrown eyelash can cause more problems aside from a red and inflamed looking growth on the eyelid. Someone who has it may feel like there’s a grain of sand in the eye. The eye may also become watery and reddened because of the irritation caused. It’s possible for the individual to end up with light sensitivity, too.

There are times in which ingrown eyelash happens over and over again — chronic, in other words. Eye specialists say that it’s something that has to be addressed right away. Otherwise, chronic ingrown eyelash may leave the cornea scarred, which can then lead to loss of vision.

A few home remedies are available for ingrown eyelash. But if the problem is something that shows up many times, it’s a much better idea for you to pay an ophthalmologist a visit. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating various problems concerning the eyes.

Here are some of the steps that may be taken if you have ingrown eyelash:

Warm Compress

Every other hour, you may place a warm compress on the affected eye for 10 to 15 minutes. This can be done by soaking a small washcloth in warm water, wringing out a little of the water, and then placing it over the eye. Make sure that the water is not scorching hot as this will surely cause more problems to strike.

Black Tea Bag

Instead of a wash cloth, a black tea bag may be soaked in warm water and then used for applying warm compress on the eyelid with an ingrown eyelash. Black tea has the ability to reduce pain and inflammation. What’s more, it has antimicrobial properties ­— it can lower the risk of an infection.

Remove the Ingrown Hair

First things first: never attempt to pluck the ingrown eyelash at home. Such task is best done by an ophthalmologist in his or her clinic. There are so many things that can go wrong if you try to pull out the ingrown eyelash on your own, and they range anywhere from causing an infection to accidentally poking your eyes.

Permanent Removal

See to it that you inform the ophthalmologist that the ingrown eyelash is chronic in nature. With such being the case, the eye doctor will suggest having the eyelash permanently removed. There are a handful of ways for the hair follicle producing the eyelash to be eliminated, including cryotherapy and electrolysis.

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