How do you treat an infected ingrown hair/cyst?

“Don’t go after an ingrown hair that you can see fully buried under the surface of the skin or that is in a firm bump,” warns Dr. Waldorf, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at Waldorf Dermatology Aesthetics in Nanuet, New York. “That requires use of sterile instruments and good visualization.” She recommends treating painful bumps with a warm compress for 5-15 minutes, then applying an over-the-counter acne spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide, followed by 1% hydrocortisone cream. The warm compress encourages the hair to come to the surface, while the benzoyl peroxide clears dead skin cells and fights bacteria, and the hydrocortisone cream reduces inflammation.