Get Rid of Razor Bumps

Some people call them shaving pimples because an infected razor bump can look a lot like a bad case of acne, especially if you have a cluster of razor bumps in the same area—you may even hear people call them shaving bumps. Whatever you choose to call them you should know that people with curly hair, especially black men and women, are more susceptible to razor bumps than people with straight hair because of the way razor bumps form.

Razor bumps are most often caused by a freshly shaven hair that has been cut at an angle, thus rendering it more “sharp,” that curls back against the skin, penetrating the skin and causing the body react by treating it like an infection causing painful swelling and the tell-tale red bumps physicians call pseudofolliculitis barbae. When it becomes a bigger problem, it’s known as Barber’s Rash, which is actually caused by Staph bacteria commonly found in the nose. Yeah, weird, huh? So, do you want to know how to get rid of razor bumps or shaving pimples or shaving bumps? Well, let’s get started.

How to Prevent Razor Bumps

First of all, don’t shave every day if you suffer from regular razor bumps.Give your skin about 2-3 days of rest in between close shaves with a blade. You may want to consider an electric razor or beard trimmer for the other days to make sure your facial hair doesn’t get out of control. If you’re only shaving your head or your legs, hair shouldn’t become too unmanageable to give your skin that 2-3 days of rest between shavings to avoid razor bumps.

Softening your hair with warm water will help you get a better shave and get rid of razor bumps. Because razor bumps are sometimes caused by an angular cut from a razor, it is a good idea to soften the hair to ensure a more even cut through the hair. This can be done in a number of ways, but here are two: either wait to shave until you’ve taken a shower, or you can get a wash cloth and soak it in hot water and then put it across your face for about 5 minutes before shaving. Both of these razor bump reducing strategies are relaxing, but you’ll have to make time in your busy day for both of them.

Proper shaving techniques are the key to getting rid of razor bumps. Here are some rules to follow. Always apply shaving cream (a good one) to the skin before shaving and allow the shaving cream to sit on your face for a couple of minutes before shaving to help it soften the skin and hair. Never shave against the grain of your hair, and, whatever you do, don’t shave the same area more than twice to get a closer shave. If you can avoid using those trendy 2, 3, and 4 blade razors, you should because those blades tend to lift and snap the hair back into place, giving you a closer shave and causing razor bumps.

Rinse your shaving razor with rubbing alcohol before and after every use, and change the blade at least once a week to get rid of razor bumps. Because razor bumps tend to form just after a shave, you want to make sure there are as few bacteria on your face as possible. Bacteria tend to grow on razors and blades just as easily as they grow on a toothbrush. Keeping your blades sterile with a quick wipe down with rubbing alcohol will ensure a safer shave every time, preventing razor bumps and razor burn.

If you’re still getting razor bumps, don’t pick or squeeze the bumps, and stop rubbing your face if you want to get rid of razor bumps. If your skin is particularly irritable, you may want to consider trying a local antiseptic or antimicrobial treatment (perhaps alcohol based) to help numb the area and prevent further infections. This should most certainly be done if you get nicks, cuts, and scrapes from shaving with a blade. Iodine, Tea Tree Oil, or any alcohol based aftershave will help prevent razor bumps from getting infected.
Razor Bump Treatment Products

Described as an exfoliating gel for ingrown hair, Baxter of California manufactures a fairly popular razor bump treatment product called “Razor Bump Relief.” As most razor bump products do, Razor Bump Relief uses a mixture of salicylic acid with an exclusive blend of witch hazel to help dissolve the skin above the ingrown hair, and allow the hair follicle to grow hair normally.

If razors aren’t working for you and causing you a lot of dicomfort there are other ways to getting rid of hair to get rid of razor bumps; they’re called depilatories and they work by dissolving or dislodging the hairs with chemicals. Brands like Nair are some of the more popular hair removal products available, but there is a newer prescription medication that has just come out called Vaniqa which was originally designed to help bearded and mustachioed women, that may also be used on men. Talk to your doctor to see if Vaniqa is the best way to get rid of razor bumps for you.

Something else you may want to ask your doctor about is a hydrocortisone cream to help fight the inflamation associated with razor bumps, but you must consult your doctor before pursuing this kind of treatment.
Natural Razor Bump Treatment


Living Nature Men’s Skin Care offers a line of men’s shaving creams and after shaves that are fragrance free and gentle on the skin. Not only that, but they are 100% organic and vegan approved, so far as I know. Their Soothing Plant After Shave Gel may be just the thing you need to naturally get rid of razor bumps.

Witch Hazel has been used for a very long time to help exfoliate the skin and get rid of razor bumps and razor burn, both equally. As far as I know, the only brand that flaunts their use of witch hazel in their skin care products are Dickinson Brand products, but if you have a better way to use witch hazel to get rid of razor bumps, we’d like to hear from you.

Men’s Stock Northwoods After Shave Balm comes from a line of organic, vegan men’s hygiene products that include shaving cream, after shave cream, and the after shave balm which is supposed to help reduce the amount of razor bumps you get if you apply it to the skin just after shaving. If you’re careful about being Green, these might be the natural razor bump treatments for you.