Ingrown hairs are a common skin problem for humans and easily remedied, but what about when your almost entirely furry pet gets one?
In a video posted to TikTok by the Woke Equestrian, which has received over 19 million views, Bessie the cocker spaniel is seen with a large ingrown hair on her forehead. Her owner then proceeds to pull the grisly hair out with tweezers, which she says is the "biggest" she had ever seen.
"I got the rest out, a tiny hole was left and now it's healing," the owner's text says.
In another video, Bessie is looking well and giving her owner high fives. "Bessie wanted to show you she is perfectly well and loved," the text says.
"Be it a dog or human," says pet advice site WagWalking, "ingrown hairs have many similarities." These hairs are caused by clogged hair follicles and are more common in those with curly hair. They are often the result of shaving too close to the skin and can result in itchy red bumps.
Newsweek spoke to a veterinarian about how to treat ingrown hairs in dogs. "I hate to be the party pooper in the viral TikTok video, but my gut feeling is that is not a straightforward ingrown hair diagnosis," Julie Buzby said.
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"I suspect that the dog has a cyst on its head, with ingrown hairs as a component of that, and ultimately the dog will need that cyst surgically removed to cure the problem. Otherwise, the internal walls of the cyst will continue to secrete material, hairs may continue to be trapped and the pimple popper cycle will just repeat over and over," she said.
What Is an Ingrown Hair on a Dog?
"An ingrown hair is a hair which is trapped under the skin instead of growing outward," Buzby told Newsweek, "The ingrown hair causes a significant inflammatory reaction, much like a splinter or other foreign object trapped under the skin. So a bump usually forms, and the body secretes material around the hair."
What Causes Ingrown Hairs in Dogs?
One of the causes of ingrown hairs can be pressure on the skin. "They can occur on the elbow and legs of big, heavy dogs who regularly lie on hard floors," said Buzby. "This can actually press hairs into the skin and set up for a cascade of issues related to inflammation and secondary infection."
Ingrown hairs can also be caused by allergies or endocrine diseases.
"For example, incessant licking, as is common in dogs with allergies, can cause ingrown hairs by driving the hair back into the skin with the tongue," Buzby said.
Are Ingrown Hairs Dangerous?
All dogs can get ingrown hairs, according to WagWalking, but the Chinese shar-pei breed and poodles are more prone to the condition.
"I would not consider ingrown hairs dangerous in the classic sense of the word, but it can certainly cause the dog discomfort as the inflammation worsens," Buzby said. "It can become itchy, and the lump can even rupture. If that happens, not only is it messy and gross but it can cause an even more dramatic inflammatory reaction, where the area looks much worse than it did initially."
How to Treat a Dog's Ingrown Hair
Contrary to the TikTok video, Buzby does not recommend removing a pet's ingrown hair yourself.
"What the veterinarian discovers in the process of cleaning up the area and removing the hair and debris will be a helpful clue for diagnosis and creating the treatment plan," she said.
For treatment, the veterinarian will likely clean up the draining tract. Oral or topical antibiotics may be prescribed.
A stock image shows a sad-looking dog. A video of a dog with a huge ingrown hair has been viewed over 19 million times on TikTok. A stock image shows a sad-looking dog. A video of a dog with a huge ingrown hair has been viewed over 19 million times on TikTok. adogslifephoto/Getty Images"Because of the intense inflammation associated with ingrown hairs, sometimes veterinarians need to prescribe a short course of steroids—for example, prednisone—to get the reaction to calm down," she said.
"Topically, benzoyl peroxide shampoo, which is follicular flushing and helps draw out the gunk that has built up in the hair follicle, might also be a useful part of the treatment plan," Buzby said.
Newsweek has reached out to @thewokeequestrian via TikTok for comment.
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