Which cream helps razor bumps?

What are razor bumps?

Razor bumps are ingrown hairs: hairs that grow back into the skin instead of outward after shaving, waxing or tweezing. They can look like pimples and feel itchy or painful. Sometimes you can see a trapped hair. The medical name is pseudofolliculitis barbae, an inflammatory reaction around the hair follicle, the pocket from which a hair grows.134

Anyone who removes hair can develop ingrown hairs, but coarse, tightly curled hair increases the risk. Common sites include the face, neck, armpits, legs and pubic area. Bumps can appear red, brown or purple; redness is harder to see on black or brown skin. Waxing is not an automatic escape route because regrowing hairs can also grow sideways into the skin.234

Choose a cream for the job you need

Moisturizing shaving cream belongs in the shaving step; creams for itching or inflammation address a different problem. Shaving cream and treatment cream have different jobs, despite the conveniently shared noun.45

For recurring ingrown hairs, exfoliation with alpha hydroxy acids, including glycolic acid, before or between shaving sessions can help reduce their formation. For swelling and irritation, a steroid cream serves a different purpose. If bumps persist, a doctor can prescribe a retinoid or another treatment rather than simply increasing the strength of an exfoliant.2

Benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin are also used for razor bumps to reduce excess buildup of skin cells around follicles. These are treatment options, not reasons to add every acne product to the same routine. When using a prescribed cream, follow its specific directions; the general nighttime advice for retinoids does not replace instructions for your medicine.12

How to shave without encouraging more bumps

Changing shaving technique helps prevent bumps or make them fewer and less painful. A smoother shave is not the same goal as the closest possible shave, however persuasive the razor advertisement looks.5

1. 1Wash the area with a cleanser that will not clog pores. Soften the hair at the end of a shower or with a warm, damp washcloth.
2. 2Apply moisturizing shaving cream or shaving gel before using the razor.
3. 3Shave in the direction the hair grows. Use short strokes without pulling the skin taut.
4. 4Avoid repeatedly shaving the same patch. Leave at least 1 mm of stubble instead of chasing a completely smooth finish.
5. 5Rinse the razor after every stroke. Do not use a blunt blade.
6. 6Rinse off the shaving cream with warm water, then hold a cool, damp cloth against the skin to reduce irritation.
7. 7Store the razor somewhere dry. Replace a disposable razor after 5 to 7 shaves, or clean an electric razor every 5 to 7 shaves.

Should you stop shaving?

Stopping hair removal is the most direct way to prevent ingrown hairs. Stopping hair removal tackles the cause, although it is a less elaborate plan than buying another bathroom product. If that is impractical, trimming hair or switching to an electric shaver can help; hold the electric shaver just above the skin rather than pressing for a close shave.236

There is no single shaving schedule for every case: reducing shaving frequency can help ingrown hairs, while shaving daily or every 2 to 3 days is another approach intended to give hairs less time to curve back. If repeated shaving keeps producing bumps, try reducing it rather than treating daily shaving as compulsory. A dermatologist can help if you cannot stop shaving.257

What helps bumps that are already there?

Apply a warm compress to ingrown hairs for 10 to 15 minutes to help them release. Gentle exfoliation can also help: use warm, not hot, water and small circular motions with a washcloth or exfoliating product. Do not scratch, pick, squeeze or pop the bumps because this can cause skin damage, infection or scarring.34

Razor bumps can coexist with eczema or dermatitis and be aggravated by them. Hair removal creams are an alternative to shaving, but they can irritate skin too. A pharmacist can help choose shaving products that reduce irritation, an itching cream or an exfoliating product; changing the hair removal method does not mean ignoring irritation.14

How long do razor bumps take to clear?

Individual ingrown hairs often heal within 1 to 2 weeks as the hair grows and releases. A more established razor bump reaction can take about 4 to 6 weeks to settle after stopping the hair removal method that caused it. Medication can start helping within a few days, but severe cases take longer. Continuing the same triggering technique can keep the problem going.13

When is a cream not enough?

Not every bump after shaving is just an ingrown hair. Folliculitis is inflammation or infection of a hair follicle and can resemble acne. Infection can coexist with razor bumps, and treatment depends on the cause and severity. Larger, increasingly painful bumps or pus are reasons to have the area checked rather than assuming an exfoliating cream will fix it.136

If shaving has caused folliculitis, stop shaving, plucking or waxing for 30 days. Warm compresses for 15 to 20 minutes, at least 3 to 4 times daily, can provide relief. Some infections need antibiotics. Persistent razor bumps also deserve assessment because they can leave dark marks and scars.17

• See a doctor if a bump or the surrounding area is very painful, hot or swollen.
• Seek medical help if you have a high temperature, feel hot, cold or shivery, or feel very unwell.
• Arrange an assessment if bumps keep returning despite changing shaving habits, do not improve with home care, or develop large pustules.