When your skin develops razor bumps, you're actually suffering from a condition known as pseudofolliculitis barbae. Freshly shorn hairs curl back into the follicle, causing irritation to the skin surrounding the affected hair. This triggers an inflammatory response of the body, which results in the formation of a bump. While this form of folliculitis tends to affect people with curly hair more than others, anyone can develop this condition after shaving. Treatment typically involvces two basic approaches: soothing and prevention.
Topical Treatments
As soon as razor bumps develop on the skin, treatment revolves around soothing irritation and reducing inflammation. Minor flare-ups often respond favorably to a warm compress. The heat from the compress reduces the swelling and opens the pores, which can help free the hair from the opening of the affected follicle. In more moderate, severe or chronic cases of pseudofolliculitis barbae, medical intervention is sometimes needed. Topical ointments available by prescription can reduce inflammation and free the hair from the follicle. Tretinoin is one of the more common ointments, but a doctor may prescribe adapalene or hydrocortisone.
Antibiotics
If topical ointments fail to improve the condition, or the follicle becomes infected, an oral medication may be necessary to reduce the inflammation associated with razor bumps. Tetracycline and erythromycin are the standard antibiotics for this condition. Since the body perceives the hair as a foreign organism, an inflammatory response causes the skin surrounding the follicle to swell. Both medications counteract this response.
Other Methods
It's also possible to treat the condition by having the hair removed, either through laser hair removal or electrolysis. As soon as the body is rid of the cause for razor bumps, which is the hair itself, it is impossible to develop the condition. Other than that, the condition can be improved by simply allowing the hair to grow, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.
Prevention/Solution
Prevention involves a number of basic shaving preparations to reduce the potential of "curl-back" and razor bumps. Heat and moisture can help soften the hair, reducing the sharpness of the hair tips left after shaving. Massaging the area can elevate the hairs away from the skin, so that they're less likely to curl back. And shaving with the grain of the hair can both reduce the sharpness of the hair and decrease the chances of the hair curling back on itself.
Considerations
According to the Mayo Clinic, the method of shaving can also contribute to the development of pseudofolliculitis barbae. Double and triple-bladed razors tend to provide a tighter shave, which can cause the hair to curl back upon itself. By switching to a single blade razor or an electric shaver, people often see an improvement in the condition of their skin, since the hairs are left slightly longer.
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