Oh, those pesky razor bumps. Nearly everyone who shaves will get them at some point: small, tender raised bumps that look almost like a rash. They're caused by curly hairs that are growing inward, and they can happen on any part of your body that you shave. Razor bumps are bothersome enough that you may want to try waxing. Unfortunately, though this may help alleviate some people's condition, it isn't a perfect solution.
Causes of Razor Bumps
Razor bumps are technically called pseudofolliculitis barbae, and are most often seen on the necks of men who shave regularly. However, they can appear on any shaved body part, particularly where the hair is curly. According to beauty blog "Daily Glow," when the hair follicle is cut and immediately pierces back into the skin, it causes irritation and inflammation. Your skin reacts as though the hair were a foreign object and creates an inflammatory reaction to ward off potential infection. This is unnecessary and unsightly, but your skin doesn't know or care.
Shaving and Razor Bumps
Shaving is the most common factor that leads to pseudofolliculitis. When you shave, you should actually try to avoid cutting the hair too short, as this can aggravate your skin. If you tend to get razor bumps, the New Zealand Dermatological Society recommends shaving in the direction the hair grows. You should also use a single blade razor instead of double, and avoid stretching your skin. If you still suffer from folliculitis and growing the hair out is not an option, you may want to try waxing.
Waxing and Razor Bumps
Waxing removes the entire hair, foliicle and all. Hair can take weeks to grow back, during which time your skin may stay smooth and bump free. However, BlogHer reports that this isn't the case for everyone. Some people's skin becomes irritated immediately after waxing, breaking out in what looks like a rash. The rash usually fades in about a day. After waxing, your skin closes over your hair follicles, and may become thickened after the trauma of waxing. When the hair begins to return, it can create ingrown hairs that look very much like razor bumps.
Prevention
The only sure way to prevent razor bumps is to let your hair grow. However, you can reduce their effect by keeping your skin clean and exfoliated, particularly in the first days after you shave or wax. The New Zealand Dermatological Society recommends using a lotion containing glycolic acid, which will exfoliate your skin gently. You can also use a gentle exfoliating scrub approximately three days after a waxing treatment. Apply tea tree or lavender oil daily: Their antimicrobial properties will help fight skin infection. If you wear clothing over the waxed area, keep it loose to reduce perspiration and irritation.
Treatment
If you have folliculitis, you probably want to make it go away immediately. "Daily Glow" recommends soaking the affected area with a warm, wet washcloth or towel. Moisturize with a gentle lotion and apply tea tree oil and aloe vera to fight infection and help your skin heal. If your bumps are more severe, try a mild hydrocortisone cream. If none of this works, you should stop shaving and waxing until your skin has fully healed, and talk to your doctor about how to keep razor bumps away in the future.
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