How to Keep Razor Bumps At Bay
A water colour painting of a barber shaving a man’s head, by L.E. Zoccola, 1897
Fig. A: Meet your secret weapon against nasty razor bumps, our own pre-shave solution that gives extra glide.
Fig. B: If you’re in doubt, just look how good the Houston Rockets’ James Harden looks with a big—albeit well-groomed—beard. Image: Drew Goodman
If there’s anything worse than filleting your face while you shave, it’s razor bumps.
Those little shits ruin what should be an enjoyable rite, and if that’s not bad enough, not all men get them equally. Truth is, razor bumps are endemic to African-Canadian guys, as well as dudes with naturally curly hair. That means men from other ethnicities can get them, too, just not as much. In essence, razor bumps are ingrown hairs.
Here’s the gist: Once you shave, new hairs that penetrate back into the skin after they sprout are “ingrown.” And sometimes, if pores get clogged up, that hair never comes out at all. It just stays in there, like a demonic baby. “Most commonly, it happens with hairs that have a tendency to curl,” confirms Dr. Benjamin Barankin, Medical Director at the Toronto Dermatology Centre.
“Also, it shows up in locations where hairs are compressed downward,” says Dr. Barankin. In other words, the groin and neck get it bad when it comes to this. But, in reality, bumps can appear anywhere you shave, like your legs, or the back of your head.
To all you Olympic swimmers reading, we hear and salute you.
Our southern neighbours also have it bad here; 60% of African-Americans get razor bumps. And that’s not even counting all the guys who scar from it, an effect otherwise known as “keloidal scarring,” which ends up looking like a cluster of dark, hardened bumps. “The ingrown hair is not liked by the body, and results in inflammation, soreness, pimples, and sometimes darkening of the skin or scarring.”
If this sounds like you, take a breath—it’s not a health concern.
Often, razor bumps vanish on their own accord.
Still, they’re not fun, so there’s no harm in doing something about it.
Try An… Exfoliator: We’re reticent with this one since we’re not for endorsing exfoliators; the act of shaving is a way to exfoliate, plus few of these types of products can pierce the armour of a beard, anyway. At the same time, we don’t want you to suffer; If you’re prone to having clogged-up pores, an exfoliant can wipe up all the debris that causes it. Ask your dermatologist for the best products out there, and be discerning when shopping.
Use A Pre-Shave Product (Fig. A): No matter how you look at it, shaving is the act of scraping hair and dead skin off your face with a sharp blade. The easier you make that on your skin, the better. A pre-shave solution affords you a near-perfect shave by giving a little more glide for your strokes. The smoother the shave, the better your chances are at dodging bumps.
How to Use It: Once your facial hair is soft and steamed in a warm shower, get a round of pre-shave formula on it and rub gently. Do this before the cream part. “Having well-prepared, warmed skin and a good shaving cream and fresh blade help, too,” stresses Dr. Barankin.
Trade The Disposable Razors For A Safety Razor: It’s easy—disposable razors and their multi-blade cartridges tend to tug on hair that’s coarser. Anytime that happens, you’re asking for bumps to pop up. A single blade’s better for obvious reasons, plus stainless steel is sharper and dulls slower than their disposable counterparts. Speaking of…
NO Dull Blades: Change your blades every five to six weeks, no excuses. Dull blades can’t cut, so using them is a great way to get razor bumps and razor burn.
Shave With The Grain: Shaving against hair growth is one of the top reasons men get these things. And it’s not hard to see why—when a shaving blade cuts hair going with the growth, the hair’s left flush with the level of your skin, which helps prevent it from diving back in. Go against the growth, and there’s a good chance it’ll get stuck in there.
Grow A Beard (Fig. B): “Growing a beard also prevents the issue,” confirms Dr. Barankin. And the reason behind this is simple: Remember—for the most part, bumps happen when the hair grows back in the skin once it’s cut. If you don’t cut them, you won’t get an ingrown hair. It might not solve the problem 100%, but it’ll get you pretty close.
And let’s not forget how badass beards can look. If you think about it, a few bumps can turn into blessing for your look, just like that.
Consider Laser Warfare: “When it’s really painful, or if it leaves marks and scars, we then consider laser hair removal in that area,” says Dr. Barankin. You’re looking at thousands of dollars spent before seeing results, but generally, the results are favourable.
Something to think about.
Bonus Tip: “If you see an ingrown hair, just try and guide it out with a fine needle or pin,” says Dr. Barankin." Just make sure you dip that needle in some rubbing alcohol or boiling water first, Rambo. And don’t pluck the hair right out, otherwise you’ll be back to square one in no time.
One other thing that can help is an “over the counter, hydrocortisone or topical antibiotic.” And according to the doc, a dab of benzoyl peroxide once or twice a day can get rid of them, too.
Heed all of the above, and you’ll be good.
And stop touching your face so much after you shave.
As if that was going to help.