Razor bumps are caused by hairs that grow into the hair follicle wall or into the skin after shaving. These hairs are considered ingrown hairs. When a hair becomes ingrown, the body begins to fight it off. This causes irritation and a bump that may be painful or itchy. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, approximately 60 percent of black men will suffer from pseudofolliculitis barbae, or razor bumps. The areas most commonly affected are the neck and beard area. Failure to treat razor bumps can lead to other dermatological problems such as skin darkening, also known as hyperpigmentation, and scarring.
Step 1
Allow your hair to grow for 30 days. Skin Sight states that once the hair grows out to a certain length, the hairs won’t become ingrown. The ingrown hairs may worsen at first, but eventually they will begin to heal.
Step 2
Keep the area around the razor bumps clean by washing up to twice per day with a mild cleanser. This minimizes the risk of infection.
Step 3
Apply a warm, moist compress to the bumps. Do this three times every day. Medline Plus notes that these compresses encourage the bump to drain, which promotes healing.
Step 4
Treat inflammation. Merck recommends using a topical antibiotic or a one percent hydrocortisone product. These are available over-the-counter. Only apply one product at a time. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for applying the product.
Step 5
Lift ingrown hair tips when you can see a portion of the hair visible above the surface of the skin. The University of Mississippi recommends using a toothbrush to tease the ingrown hairs out of the skin. You can also use a toothpick or sterilized needle to lift the hair tip out by placing it under the visible portion of hair and pulling up gently.
Step 6
Apply a glycolic acid based lotion at night to gently exfoliate skin cells and encourage healing.
Things You'll Need
- Mild cleanser
- Hot compress
- Antibiotic
- Hydrocortisone cream, one percent
- Toothbrush
- Toothpick
- Needle
- Glycolic acid based lotion
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