Nobody wants them, but we all get them: razor bumps. They’re irritating, painful, embarrassing… the list goes on and on. Lucky for us, there are a few tips and tricks for preventing these pesky little bumps from appearing after shaving! This guide to easily preventing razor bumps in the future explains just what they are and why they appear (because if we want to prevent something it’s best to understand what it is we’re really dealing with), and gives you a few tips to try yourself to keep these bumps away for good.
We all know they’re no fun, but what exactly are razor bumps? It’s easy to lump all types of skin irritation caused by shaving or hair removal into one term, but you might be surprised to know that razor bumps are actually different that razor burn. Razor burn (sometimes called razor rash) looks and feels different than razor bumps, although the names get used interchangeably in most cases because they’re both a result of shaving.
Razor burn can cause painful or itchy red rashes and tenderness on your skin, while razor bumps are more pimple-like bumps that appear on the skin after shaving and can be irritated, painful, and red. Both conditions are not desirable, although they are different things!
Razor bumps are caused when hair that has been trimmed or cut by a razor continues to grow but decides to curl back into the skin and grow under the surface rather than grow out normally. Razor bumps can look slightly different between people depending on hair type and skin sensitivity, but typically the hair that has begun to grow under the surface causes red and irritated bumps.
Luckily, there are a few ways we can try to keep the trimmed hairs from curling back into the skin and causing irritation!
Razor bumps most commonly appear after removing hair with a razor blade. If you’re looking to eliminate them in the future, try switching to a different hair removal system, like waxing! The chances of trimmed hairs growing back into your skin are much less with other removal methods. If that doesn’t appeal to you and you want to stick with your traditional shaving, always make sure you’re working with a sharp razor blade!
I used to be so bad about switching out my blades and shaving with dull razors, and I always wound up with razor bumps. It was so frustrating, so I began making more of an effort to keep my razors in good condition and I’ve seen fewer bumps! Just like you’d switch out your toothbrush, you should be switching out your razors to make sure you’re working with a sharp enough blade.
Exfoliating before you shave is a really helpful and important step to preventing razor bumps. It’s recommended that you exfoliate a day or two before you plan on shaving if you can think that far ahead (I can’t!). Exfoliating right before you shave may cause more harm to your skin than you’d think because the scrubbing of the exfoliator and the shaving of the razor is a lot for even the least sensitive skin to handle.
That being said, if you exfoliate the day before you’re removing layers of dead skin cells and dirt that can clog up pores and hair follicles, which help you get a better shave and lessens the chances of the hairs growing back into the follicle!
Something you should do every time right before you shave is clean the area to be shaved with soap and warm water. The soap helps remove dirt and the warm water helps to open up pores and the hair follicles, which makes the shaving process easier on your hairs and reduces the odds of ending up with unwanted razor bumps.
I like to wash my skin with my hands rather than a cloth or scrubber to avoid any excess exfoliation, especially if I’ve exfoliated the day before (which I should have!). Too much exfoliation isn’t a good thing, especially if you’ve got sensitive skin. Cleaning your skin first? Always a good thing!
We’ve all been tempted to do the dry shave every once in a while when the whole shaving process feels like too just much. It can seem like a harmless idea to skip out on using any shaving cream or gel, but don’t do it! It can greatly increase the likelihood of razor bumps and razor burn and honestly, how much time are you saving by skipping it anyway?
Using a razor with shaving cream or gel is much better for your skin and can soothe rather than irritate like a razor would on its own. Without a buffer between your skin and the razor, there’s a greater chance for cuts and irritation, so later it on!
This tip may go against everything you’ve ever known about shaving, but it seriously helps when it comes to preventing razor bumps! You’re first concern might be not getting a close enough shave doing it this way, and I totally hear you. It’s true that shaving against the direction of hair growth gets you a closer shave, but it also increases the chances of razor bumps and discomfort.
When you shave with your hair growth, there’s no harsh tugging on the hairs and the chances of them curling back into your skin are much less! It may take an extra pass or two, but shaving in the direction of growth is much gentler and a great way to prevent those nasty bumps.
Moisturizing after you shave anywhere is a really important step for overall skin health but also for preventing razor bumps in particular. Applying a moisturizer after can help to calm your skin and adds hydration that may have been lost while shaving.
The moisturizer adds an extra protective barrier against irritation and razor bumps and leaves your skin extra soft and glowy after shaving, and who wouldn’t want that?
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