 "Ingrown hair can be fatal: How a US man went into coma, giving him 4% survival chance")
Removing ingrown hair may be deeply satisfying but can be complex in rare cases.
A Texas man developed a deadly blood infection after trying to remove an ingrown hair from his leg, according to Dailymail.
However, after years of intense treatment, the man identified as Steven is making an amazing recovery after falling into a coma due to potentially fatal sepsis brought on by the infection in late 2022, according to TikTok videos posted by his sister, Michelle.
Let’s take a closer look.
What happened?
Steven, a husband and father, contracted an infection while attempting to remove the ingrown hair from his groin area. It later developed sepsis, leading to serious complications like blood clots, pneumonia, organ failure, and the lung condition ARDS, or acute respiratory distress symptom.
But he couldn’t undergo surgery because doctors discovered that the infection had reached his heart and “destroyed it,” Michelle said.
Due to such complications, the man was intubated and placed in a medically induced coma to allow his body to heal.
According to Michelle, he was declared brain dead and had only got a four per cent chance at survival.
“All [the doctors] could figure out was that he was bleeding internally from somewhere. Little did we know that would be the smallest worry,” his sister Michelle wrote on a GoFundMe page.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAfter a month of procedures and treatments, Steven arose from his coma without brain damage.
He has since nearly fully recovered.
What is ingrown hair?
According to the UK-based National Health Service, ingrown hair is the bumps that form on the skin when normal hair grows back into the skin. They look like raised, itchy red or brown coloured bumps on the skin.
Ingrown hair is not usually dangerous, but it can be intensely painful.
People who shave are more likely to get ingrown hair on the face and neck, legs, armpits, chest, back, and pubic area. As per NHS, waxing, plucking, and threading hair can also lead to ingrown hair.
One may also be more likely to get ingrown hair if they have coarse or curly hair.
Ingrown hair can cause cysts, which can range from a small, painless lump to a large, infected growth. They can also lead to an infection, which may worsen or travel to the blood without treatment.
How can you prevent ingrown hair?
Wet your skin with warm water while shaving and make sure to use a lubricant.
Shave in the direction the hair is 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 hair.
Try a different hair removal method, such as hair removal cream, shaving soap bar, or long term way like laser treatment.
Do not use a blunt razor. Do not scratch, pick or squeeze ingrown hair as this can damage your skin and lead to infection.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is an extreme reaction by the body’s immune system to an infection or bacteria. The system overdrives itself, causing damage to its own tissues and organ, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
As per Dailymail, also known as the “silent killer,” it can rapidly trigger a host of life-threatening complications including organ failure, and if untreated, death.
Sepsis can affect anyone, but people who are older, very young, pregnant, or have other health problems are at higher risk.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the condition is extremely difficult to recognise and diagnose, and affects approximately 1.7 million Americans every year.
What are its causes?
Sepsis is usually caused by bacterial infections but may also be the result of other infections such as viruses, parasites or fungi.
According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people who develop sepsis have at least one underlying medical condition, such as chronic lung disease or a weakened immune system.
Nearly a quarter to a third of people with sepsis had a healthcare visit in the week before they were hospitalised, as per CDC.
What are the symptoms?
Common signs or symptoms of sepsis include fever, fast heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion and body pain.
It can also lead to septic shock, multiple organ failure and death.
How is it treated?
Sepsis is a medical emergency.
If an infection is not getting better or is getting worse, immediately seek medical attention.
Treatment for sepsis will include antimicrobials, intravenous fluids and careful monitoring.
Similar incident
In June 2023, an Australian man was fighting for his life after an ingrown hair on his neck turned into a flesh-eating disease in a matter of hours, according to Australian news site, Perth Now.
The man identified as Shawn Dell, had contracted necrotising fasciitis, a rare condition that eats away at flesh under the skin and can lead to sepsis, shock, organ failure and death.
The skin infection reportedly started when he began picking at an ingrown hair on his neck, leading to bacteria entering his body and releasing toxins into his bloodstream.
The father of four has undergone surgery three times since he was rushed to hospital to clear out the infection where an “extreme amount of dead tissue” was removed.
With inputs from agencies
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