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To keep looking good is not easy when the results of shaving, tweezing, and waxing are razor bumps; but how long do razor bumps last?
Notwithstanding the fact that razor bumps can be annoying and irritating. Razor bumps are painful. Razor bumps sucks! But you already know this.
First of all, what are razor bumps and how long do razor bumps last?
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Beards and Razor Bumps
Scientifically razor bumps are known as Pseudofolliculitis Barbae. In everyday terminology, this condition is called ‘shaving bumps’ or ‘razor burns’ which men experience when they trim or shave their beards, either professionally or as a DIYer.
Some men can grow a beard easily in large part to family genetics, while other men struggle with stubbles.
Growing a beard is an exercise in patience. If you have developed enough facial hair to start the beard growing experience, then you must stop shaving and let it happen naturally, but with certain grooming and shaping practices.
Men understand the process of itching when hair is growing.
Hair growing in for any reason triggers itching in the skin because hair follicles are pushing their way through pores (telogen) from an epidermal environment into a dermal environment.
Men can keep itching down to a minimum with washing the neck and face with a mild soap, followed by a treatment of applying a gentle oil for the face or a facial lotion designed to moisturize.
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The key is not to give up, even after several weeks of struggling with thin beard hairs. Hair typically grows a half inch a month.
Beards have a way of suddenly sprouting into full bloom when you least expect it. Keep in mind that a healthy body also affects how well your beard will grow. Eating a healthy diet helps with your body producing the right proteins for beard growth.
However, if you are a heavy smoker or drinker, this is toxic to the human body and depletes your body’s proteins which hair needs to grow. Overall, if your beard does not come into fruition, remember, it’s not you, its genetics. Also, before you know it you’ll be asking how long do razor bumps last?
What Causes Razor Bumps
In addition to finding out how long do razor bumps last, we want to know what causes them. Shaving bumps occur mainly in men and women with curly hair. When men shave their hair, a curly hair can retract back beneath the skin’s surface causing inflammation or bumps on top of the surface of the skin. Also, after shaving, people may experience an acne or a dermatitis eruption usually on the face and neck of men.
Razor bumps in men is nothing to treat lightly. It can result in serious conditions like:
- Painful abscess with discharge
- Bleeding
- Scarring keloid (dark raised scars) occurrence
- Hair Loss
- Spreading infections affecting other parts of the body
- Extra follicular – when hair curls back into the skin and the body considers this a danger and reacts defensively with inflammation.
- Trans follicular – when men shave or tweeze hair follicles that are continuing to grow on top of the skin, with remnants still lying just beneath the surface as follicles continues to grow under the skin and not on top. This inflames the skin, while the body considers this action to be a harmful foreign body and responds in defense with inflammation.
- Use sharp razor blades that goes against hair follicles which gently pulls the follicles out by the roots without scraping the skin surface. Also, after each blade pass, rinse off the blades.
- Prepare your facial and/or skin surface before shaving.
Men should first wash their beard, then apply a shaving cream or gel to loosen hair follicles. - Always shave in the direction of hair growth or with the grain of the hair.
Every man has his own unique facial hair patterns. So we must study our face to see which direction the hair grain is growing.
Simply use your fingers and feel across your face to feel the direction of the hair’s growth.
When you shave, you will shave in different directions because hair does not grow uniformly. - Apply a cold compact after shaving, followed by applying a soothing facial treatment.
- 1% Hydrocortisone Cream – this is a non-prescription medication designed to effectively treat skin inflammatory conditions.
- Antibacterial Cream – this cream reduces the risk of infections and will help dry up the bumps and reduce the redness.
- Alum Block – Stores that have an area for shaving products will carry Alum Block which looks like a bar of soap.
Alum Block is a pure anticoagulant product which stops the bleeding and prevents infections that can come with razor bumps. - Glycolic Cream – Use glycolic cream to improve the skin’s appearance and texture after waxing or shaving.
This cream reduces the risk of scaring and hyper-pigmentation.
Glycolic might sting a little but doesn’t that mean that it is working? Yes, it really helps clear up the bumps on a man’s face and neck. - Retin A Cream – women know about Retin A and it works for men with razor bumps also.
This cream lessens scarring left by razor bumps because it is pure Vitamin A which smooths and heals the skin’s appearance.
The benign or superficial form of Pseudofolliculitis Barbae which men experience after shaving is due to bacteria that lives on the hairs of our skin.
Normally this staph-style bacterium is called bacterial folliculitis and it is helpful. But when disturbed by plucking, shaving, tweezing, etc., the bacteria enters the body through minute pores or cuts in the skin which causes inflammation or raised bumps.
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What Type of Razor Burns Are There?
According to the National Institute of Health, there are two main types of razor bump conditions:
How Long Do Razor Bumps Last?
Unfortunately, razor bumps can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. However, this depends on the severity of the razor bumps.
Word of caution – they are easily infected (because they are already irritated) so avoid picking razor bumps as this can make them last a lost longer.
We’ve provided some tips below on how treat razor bumps and send them packing.
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Can Razor Bumps Be Avoided?
Learning how to avoid razor bumps for men is based on how we shave. Here are some tips:
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How Can Razor Bump Conditions Be Treated?
Pseudofolliculitis Barbae treatment does not come with a one size fit all.
How to treat razor bumps comes in a variety of solutions. To soothe the burning sensation, red bumps, itchiness, tenderness, or rash symptoms of razor burns can be accomplished through at home treatments.
For example, you can use an aloe vera compact. You can also use a honey and apple cider vinegar combination to make a mask which you wash off after a few moments
However, for the more serious forms of razor bump conditions, you can buy over the counter, effective medications like the following:
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