We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you lot purchase through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here'due south our procedure.

Razor bumps are ingrown hairs that develop later shaving or using other hair removal techniques, such as waxing or plucking. The medical term for razor bumps is pseudofolliculitis barbae.

Ingrown hairs develop when hair starts to grow back into the skin, rather than upwards and out. After removing hair by shaving, waxing, or plucking, the pilus may curl and plow inward. As the new skin cells abound over the pilus, it becomes trapped and causes a bump to class.

Razor bumps tin develop on any area of the body where a person shaves or removes hair, including the face, head, legs, underarms, and pubic area.

In this article, learn about how to treat razor bumps chop-chop and how to prevent them from forming in the future.

Razor bumps can range in size from modest to big, and they can exist red or have a white, pus-filled bump.

Although naught can make them go away instantly, there are several strategies that can assistance remove them faster and permit the skin to heal. We discuss these strategies in the sections below.

1. Use salicylic acid

Woman applying lotion to get rid of razor bumps Share on Pinterest
Using products that incorporate salicylic acid can help heal the skin effectually razor bumps.

Salicylic acrid is a beta hydroxy acid that helps exfoliate, or peel, pare cells. It tin penetrate oil glands in the skin to unclog pores as well every bit fight inflammation.

Salicylic acid works to convalesce razor bumps and slough off dead skin cells. This allows the ingrown pilus to make its way out of the pore. Information technology as well reduces the advent of the bump.

Salicylic acid can also help care for acne, co-ordinate to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), so it may be a proficient choice 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.

2. Endeavor glycolic acid

Similar salicylic acid, glycolic acid helps the skin peel by removing old cells from the surface of the skin. Glycolic acid is an blastoff-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 upward the skin'southward natural sloughing procedure, a glycolic acrid product can aid razor bumps clear up more chop-chop and give the peel a smoother advent.

Products that contain glycolic acrid are available to buy online.

3. Tweeze

If the ingrown pilus is visible, it may exist helpful to use sterile, pointed tweezers to pull it out.

Removing the trapped hair could get rid of the razor crash-land speedily. A person should sterilize the tweezers with booze and cleanse the pare 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 hurt the skin, causing more than irritation and infection.

A person should non endeavour to pick or squeeze the bumps, every bit they could get worse or cause scarring.

4. Employ scrubs with caution

Sometimes, a mechanical or physical scrub can remove expressionless skin cells that plug the pores and keep hairs trapped inside. These types of pare care scrub may contain sugar, common salt, basis up fruit pits, or tiny beads.

Scrubs may remove debris and free ingrown hairs by physically sloughing off dead peel cells.

Some people may have a skin reaction to the rough texture of scrubs, particularly those with sensitive or inflamed skin. If the skin is crimson, irritated, or sensitive, apply scrubs with caution.

Peel scrubs are bachelor in many drug stores and online.

v. 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 apply a skin care brush or a soft toothbrush.

A brush can assistance guide the hair out of the chock-full pore so that it does not become trapped underneath.

Brushing the area each mean solar day may aid remove electric current razor bumps and prevent new ones from forming.

People can purchase special skin brushes in some drug stores and online.

six. 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 in a higher place.

Similarly, a person may wish to steam the surface area in a hot shower or sauna.

Razor bumps are not the same thing as razor burn.

Razor burn is a type of skin irritation that the friction of the razor causes. It tends to cause areas of redness and irritation immediately after shaving.

Razor burn tin occur if a person does non properly lubricate their skin with shaving gel or cream before shaving. Information technology may too occur if the person uses a dull razor or has peel that is sensitive to friction.

Razor bumps, on the other hand, tin can develop several days subsequently hair removal, once the pilus has had fourth dimension to grow into the pare and create a blockage.

At that place are several things a person can do to help prevent razor bumps from forming.

If none of these measures help, however, a person may wish to see a doctor then they tin can evaluate the bumps.

Some prevention tips include:

Shave less often

If possible, a person should try to shave every other solar day, or even less oft. This can minimize the risk of hairs being too short to grow out of the skin, thereby decreasing the risk of ingrown hairs.

Use an electric razor

Shaving close to the skin cuts the hair very short. This increases the chance that the hair will become ingrown as it starts to abound dorsum.

A person can apply an electric razor on a low setting to go on the hair slightly longer. This makes it less likely that information technology will turn back into the skin.

Consider a retinoid product

It takes several weeks for a retinoid product to attain its full results, so it is not a quick fix. Yet, it may help forbid razor bumps as well as acne.

Retinoids come in over-the-counter creams, serums, and cleansers. A person tin as well get stronger retinoids with a prescription. Prescription retinoids include tretinoin (Retin-A), adapalene (Differin), and tazarotene (Tazorac).

Ready properly

Share on Pinterest
A person can utilize a shaving cream to lower their take chances of razor bumps.

Before shaving or plucking, a person tin can lower their gamble of razor bumps by getting the skin set up. The following steps may assistance:

  • Cleanse the skin with a product that contains salicylic acid or glycolic acrid to help clear pores and remove excess skin cells from the surface.
  • Shave only when the peel is very wet, either during or immediately after a shower. Or, identify a warm, wet towel on the area for five minutes before shaving.
  • Use a shaving cream or gel appropriate for the person's skin type. People who experience acne may wish to opt for a shaving gel that is safe for acne-prone skin. Those with dry out peel should choose a product that contains moisturizer.
  • Avoid pare care products that incorporate irritating ingredients, which could make inflammation worse.
  • Use a fresh, precipitous razor.
  • Clean the razor with alcohol before and later each use to keep information technology costless of bacteria.

Try another pilus removal technique

Some people may wish to try hair removal creams, or depilatories, which dissolve the hair and reduce the gamble 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 pare is already red, inflamed, or sensitive.

Another option is laser pilus removal. Dermatologists and other healthcare providers tin perform this technique. The AAD state that laser hair removal requires multiple treatments to produce results, but the hair tends to abound back finer and lighter than before.

Razor bumps generally do not cause serious wellness bug just their appearance can be bothersome and can affect a person's confidence.

If dwelling remedies practise not piece of work, consider seeing a physician or dermatologist to discuss other options, such as a prescription skin cream or laser hair removal.