ICD-10 Guide

Ingrown Hair

ICD-10 Coding for Ingrown Hair(L73.9, L08.89)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYDermatology

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Ingrown Hair?

Essential facts and insights about Ingrown Hair

Key Clinical Considerations:

Localized redness and inflammation around hair follicles
Presence of pus or fluid-filled lesions
Itching or tenderness in the affected area

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Patient history of hair removal methods
Description of lesions and affected areas
Treatment provided and patient response

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Use L73.9 for follicular occlusion; avoid using unrelated codes.
Common errors include misclassifying as acne or other skin conditions.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Acne vulgaris
Pseudofolliculitis barbae

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Dermatology

Specialty Applications

Individuals with coarse or curly hair
Patients in dermatology clinics and primary care settings

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Document the location, size, and characteristics of lesions.

Billing considerations?

Ensure accurate coding to reflect the severity and treatment provided.

Ingrown Hair

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?

Ingrown Hair

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?