Razor bumps are unsightly, annoying, painful little intruders that have become more common recently. Unlike normal shaving, don’t you just hate this? The biggest question here is how can I avoid razor bumps. Razor bumps on face, razor bumps on legs and razor bumps on neck, you want to learn how to avoid razor bumps anywhere. Check out this post about how to avoid razor bumps with tips and tricks that will leave your skin as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
A good, clean shave leaves your skin feeling so smooth and soft at first — but then come the bumps. Razor bumps are more than just an annoyance; in some cases, they can cause permanent damage if they’re not treated.
Other names for razor bumps include:
- pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB)
- pseudofolliculitis pubis (specifically when the bumps occur in the pubic area)
- barber’s itch
- folliculitis barbae traumatica
The bumps occur when curly hairs get stuck inside the hair follicles, according to Dr. Cynthia Abbott, a medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatologist with Dermatology Affiliates in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Instead of growing straight out of the follicle, hairs meet resistance from dead skin at more steeply angled pore openings and the hair curls back around inside the pore,” she says. “This causes inflamed, painful, red bumps.”
While anyone who removes hair can develop razor bumps, they’re most likely to affect African males. In fact, between 45 and 85 percent of African-American males experience PFB.
If treated early, most serious complications from razor bumps can be avoided. In some cases, however, if the bumps aren’t treated, there’s a risk of scarring. This can include keloid scarring, which consists of hard, raised bumps. In rare cases, abscesses may form, and you may need surgical intervention.
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How to prevent razor bumps
The good news is that there are things you can do to stop the bumps from occurring in many cases. Prevention techniques include the following:
Tips
- If possible, a person should try to shave every other day, or even less frequently. This can minimize the risk of hairs being too short to grow out of the skin, thereby decreasing the risk of ingrown hairs.
- Shave in the direction of hair growth rather than “against the grain.”
- Use a non-irritating shaving cream.
- Shaving close to the skin cuts the hair very short. This increases the chance that the hair will become ingrown as it starts to grow back. A person can use an electric razor on a low setting to keep the hair slightly longer. This makes it less likely that it will turn back into the skin.
- Avoid pulling skin while shaving.
- Reduce the frequency of shaving.
- Replace your razor frequently.
- Exfoliate with retinoids, glycolic or salicylic acids, or benzoyl peroxides to help clear the follicle opening. It takes several weeks for a retinoid product to reach its full results, so it is not a quick fix. However, it may help prevent razor bumps as well as acne. Retinoids come in over-the-counter creams, serums, and cleansers. A person can also get stronger retinoids with a prescription. Prescription retinoids include tretinoin (Retin-A), adapalene (Differin), and tazarotene (Tazorac).
- Some people may wish to try hair removal techniques like hair removal creams, or depilatories, which dissolve the hair and reduce the risk of razor bumps. However, hair removal creams contain chemicals that can irritate some people’s skin. A person should not use these products if their skin is already red, inflamed, or sensitive. Another option is laser hair removal. Dermatologists and other healthcare providers can perform this technique. The AAD state that laser hair removal requires multiple treatments to produce results, but the hair tends to grow back finer and lighter than before.
When making use of shaving blades
Shaving preparation: Preparing your facial hair for the shave is the first crucial step towards shaving. Make sure you wash your face thoroughly with warm water as it helps you open up the pores. Opening up the pores will help you get a good shaving experience. You can do that by either keeping a warm towel on your face, or by taking a hot water shower.
Lather up: You must use the right shaving products to prevent the occurrence of shaving rash on neck. And, using the right shaving gel or foam is step one. Make sure you use an excellent shaving gel or a foam so that you have enough lubrication while shaving.
Replace worn-out blades: Don’t get burned by bad blades. Make sure you replace the worn out blades if you see that there is dullness while shaving or if you require more strokes than usual. Changing the blades can also help minimize tug and pull during the shave. Swapping your blades in time will not only give you a close and clean shave but also keep you away from post-shave irritation and razor burns.
Aftershave rituals: Aftershave products play a crucial role in your shaving procedure. Make sure you use the right aftershave product.
Neck irritation is a problem faced by many men after shaving the neck area. Moisturizing your neck is a good way to avoid shaving rash on the neck. Also, make sure you pre-prep your skin before shaving for best results. You can use razors with lubricant strips to bring out the best from your shave. All these tips and a little care while shaving, will give you a smooth shave effortlessly. However, if the neck irritation persists for a long time, make sure to consult a dermatologist.
Treatment options
If already gotten, irritated bumps can be treated by:
Use salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid that helps exfoliate, or peel, skin cells. It can penetrate oil glands in the skin to unclog pores as well as fight inflammation.
Salicylic acid works to alleviate razor bumps and slough off dead skin cells. This allows the ingrown hair to make its way out of the pore. It also reduces the appearance of the bump.
Salicylic acid can also help treat acne, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), so it may be a good option for people who experience both acne and razor bumps.
Various products contain salicylic acid, including cleansers, toners, and lotions. These products are available in drug stores and online.
Try glycolic acid
Like salicylic acid, glycolic acid helps the skin peel by removing old cells from the surface of the skin. Glycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid.
Razor bumps develop when excess skin cells clog the pores and trap the hair inside. Glycolic acid can help get those cells out of the way and allow the hair to come to the surface.
Because it speeds up the skin’s natural sloughing process, a glycolic acid product can help razor bumps clear up more quickly and give the skin a smoother appearance.
Products that contain glycolic acid are available to buy online.
Tweeze
If the ingrown hair is visible, it may be helpful to use sterile, pointed tweezers to pull it out.
Removing the trapped hair could get rid of the razor bump quickly. A person should sterilize the tweezers with alcohol and cleanse the skin and hands with soap and water before tweezing.
If the hair is not visible on the surface of the skin, using tweezers could make the problem worse. The tweezers could injure the skin, causing more irritation and infection.
A person should not attempt to pick or squeeze the bumps, as they could get worse or cause scarring.
Use scrubs with caution
Sometimes, a mechanical or physical scrub can remove dead skin cells that plug the pores and keep hairs trapped inside. These types of skin care scrub may contain sugar, salt, ground up fruit pits, or tiny beads.
Scrubs may remove debris and free ingrown hairs by physically sloughing off dead skin cells.
Some people may have a skin reaction to the rough texture of scrubs, especially those with sensitive or inflamed skin. If the skin is red, irritated, or sensitive, use scrubs with caution.
Skin scrubs are available in many drug stores and online.
Gently brush the skin
Another option for removing dead skin cells and debris clogging the pores is using a soft brush in the areas a person shaves. Some people use a skin care brush or a soft toothbrush.
A brush can help guide the hair out of the clogged pore so that it does not become trapped underneath.
Brushing the area each day may help remove current razor bumps and prevent new ones from forming.
People can buy special skin brushes in some drug stores and online.
Use a warm washcloth
Applying a warm, wet washcloth to the skin can help soften the skin and draw the ingrown hair out, especially when a person pairs this technique with one of the other treatments above.
Similarly, a person may wish to steam the area in a hot shower or sauna.
Conclusion
We all know how to get rid of razor bumps: stop using razors entirely. But the unfortunate reality is that this isn’t always possible or convenient – we need to shave our hairs to go out into the world! So why not best prepare ourselves to properly prevent and combat these bumps?