Razor Bump Remover

What causes razor bumps? Hair grows inside tubes in the skin called "follicles." When shaved, the tip of the hair is left with a sharp point. As curly hair grows, this sharp tip curve back and pierce the skin. The medical term for this cause of PFB is "extrafollicular penetration" (Diagram1). Razor bumps can also form when shaving to close to the skin causes the whiskers to be clipped off below the skin surface. This allows the hair to penetrate the inside of the follicle instead of following its normal path to the skin's surface. This can occur more often with curly hair. The medical term for this cause of PFB is "Transfollicular Penetration" (Diagram 2). The body treats all ingrown hairs just as it would a splinter or any other foreign object by producing an inflammatory pimple-like bump. Often, if the condition occurs over an extended period of time, the skin will respond by producing unsightly dark spots at the sites of the PFB bumps. Unfortunately, these dark spots can take many months to fade. Since most African-American men have curly, coarse hair and curved follicles, they frequently suffer from razor bumps. This is also true for people of Mediterranean descent. It should be noted that razor bumps affect anyone who has curly hair or who has hair follicles oriented at oblique angles to the skin surface, which makes it easier for the sharp hair tips to re-enter the skin. The key to controlling PFB is to minimize hair re-entry back into the skin (and subsequent inflammation) by reducing the sharpness of the hair tip and to leave the hair at the appropriate length after shaving (see Diagram 3 below.)

 Diagram 1.Extrafollicullar Penetration 

 Diagram 2. Transfollicular Penetration

 Diagram 3. Ideal Condition

Clinical tests prove that shaving every 2 to 3 days actually reduces razor bump formation. Skipping daily shaving gives hair a chance to grow and re-enter the skin to form bumps. The Diagram below illustrates what happens 3 to 4 days after you shave.(bump formation) By day 3 or 4 the itching & irritation you are feeling is an indication that the hair is re-entering your skin. TIME TO SHAVE!!

Bump Formation