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Shaving is necessary, whether it is a few straggler hairs on your face or your bikini line, legs, or underarms. The hair has to go. And each time you shave, you end up with those pesky red bumps. That defeats the purpose since you are aiming to have smooth skin after your shaving. But then you end up with those bumps instead. They are quite annoying, and you are desperate to know how to get rid of them. Fortunately, there are methods to get rid of those. Before delving into how to remove those bumps, let’s talk about their cause first, so you have a better understanding of why they happen.
How Do Razor Bumps Form And How Do They Affect You?
Before you attempt to remove or prevent those razor bumps, you must know what causes them to occur in the first place. Each time you shave anywhere on your body, you are shaving off the first skin layer as you cannot avoid that no matter how hard you try. As a result, after you shave, you are left with a micro-injury. You may even find that hair you attempt to shave away curls up and turns inward after your shaving sessions. It does not take long for new skin to form over the injured part, and when the new skin forms, it traps the hair. It causes a red bump that is irritated to begin, which causes itchiness, burning, and dryness.
The medical name for these bumps is pseudofolliculitis barbae, and these are the most dreaded things to face after you shave. However, some situations do worsen these bumps and increase your chances of dealing with them.
If you shave dry skin and use a dull and dirty razor blade, that in itself increases the chances for you to develop these bumps—the chances of them forming increase even more if you fail to moisturize your skin right after shaving. You also find it happening more and more since you believe to ‘shave against the grain,’ responsible for razor burn.
However, the good news is that some simple and effective ways to get rid of razor burns quickly. You can try all of the ones that dermatologists recommend or try just a few of them. Either way, you will find the right treatment for razor burns, and as long as you consistently utilize them each time you shave, you won’t be facing these bumps as a problem in the future.
How Do You Get Rid Of Razor Bumps?
Now that you know what causes razor bumps, there are effective ways of getting rid of them quickly. The first thing you can do is reduce the risk of developing severe burns by using fresh razors to shave. You won’t escape them entirely if you use those, but you will reduce the severity of them if you use new razors instead of old and dirty ones. Therefore, that is the first step to take to reduce the severity of them. Now, let’s go over the tips you can utilize to get rid of them after shaving, so you are free of them.
- 1. Splash Cold Water On Razor Bumps
Immediately after shaving, go and splash some cold water on the shaved area. That will either prevent razor bumps from showing up or removes them right away. The cold water shrinks pores, and it is also very soothing for the skin. If you don’t want to splash cold water on your skin, you can rub your shaved area with an ice cube with the same effect. That is entirely up to you, but this tip is great since it works so well.
If you end up with a razor burn from shaving your bikini line, splashing cold water is also the best solution as it will not lead to infections such as a UTI.
- 2. Apply Moisturizer To The Bumps
It is essential to apply moisturizer to your shaved skin. Even if you utilize the point above and splash your skin with cold water or rub an ice cube on it, you want to moisturize it. That is because those bumps require a hydrating solution to heal as don’t forget that they are micro-injuries. And injuries of any kind need help when it comes to healing. And since your skin has intense irritation after shaving, moisturizer is the best type of method for healing it.
- 3. Apply Aloe
Aloe is one of the best healing solutions for so many ailments that go from insomnia to razor burns. And therefore, Aloe is a great product to use to heal those razor bumps. You want to get the gel in particular, and it provides not just a soothing sensation, but the nutrients and properties in aloe help heal the micro-injuries quite well.
Aloe is also relatively safe to apply to the bikini line after a shave if you prefer to do that over cold water. Cold water may cause sensitivity to the area. Therefore, Aloe can be a good option.
- 4. Use Any Aftershave Product
You can use any aftershave product while you are shaving. It will help prevent or minimize micro-injuries. But which after shaving product is the best for you? That depends on what you are looking for, and you can even use your boyfriend’s or husband’s shaving cream as it provides the moisturizing effect you need as you shave, and it will keep your skin lubricated and protected as you shave.
You can use shaving cream as you shave your bikini line as well. But you will still require moisturizer or Aloe after shaving. Even with shaving cream, you can always end up with those bumps even though they will be minimal.
- 5. Use An Over-The-Counter Cortisone Cream
You can always try an OTC cortisone cream if you find the other recommended suggestions don’t help as much as you hope. However, they really should. But if your skin is ultra-sensitive, you may want an extra layer of relief. Therefore, an OTC cortisone cream reduces the irritation without having to go to the doctor for a prescription.
However, if you can do a patch test before purchasing the cream, do it. You never know if you develop a reaction to the cream. If you do end up with a rash or other sensitivities, that is not the right cream to purchase. In a case like that, you may have to accept the possibility of seeing your doctor so you can get a prescription cream.
Conclusion
Razor burns are terrible to deal with, and it is not a secret that they are. That is the one thing that anyone dreads after shaving. However, the good news is that razor bumps are easy to get rid of, and prevention is possible but never guaranteed. All you do is follow the advice listed in the article. Indeed, at least one recommendation will work for you.
If you have sensitive skin, you will want to consider getting an OTC cortisone cream, so you don’t have to worry about extreme irritation even after utilizing any other tips listed.