African American Men’s Skincare:
Treating Razor Bumps If you’re plagued my multiple razor bumps, there are some steps you can take to reduce bumps and smooth your complexion. Razor bumps are small, raised bumps that are sometimes red or brown in color. These appear to be acne but they are irritation left from shaving. Sometimes you can see a hair looped back into the skin in which case you are also dealing with ingrown hairs. Razor bumps are categorized as hair follicles that do not emerge fully from the skin. The following Black Men’s skincare tips will help treat existing irritation and help prevent future discoloration.
Exfoliation
The main cause of razor bumps and ingrown hairs is skin growing too quickly or forming over the hair follicles and trapping growing hair in the skin. Exfoliating can help remove dead skin cells and possibly help remove hair from under the skin. Try Clear Essence Complexion Soap with AHA or Medicated Cleansing Bar with Exfoliants. Both soap bars contain powerful ingredients to help remove dirt, oil, bacteria and dead skin cells.
Avoid Shaving for a few days
Shaving the already irritated skin can only worsen your problem further. If you usually shave daily, you may wish to wait a few days in between to ensure that you are not running your razor too close to the skin. When the razor drags across skin rather than cutting the hair, hair follicles can be damaged or grow back incorrectly. For this reason, make sure hair is at least a quarter inch before shaving; you apply shaving gel or cream before, and use a sharp razor.
Avoid products with Alcohol
Alcohol will simply dry out the skin and cause more pain and irritation to the affected area. Check your skin products for any types of alcohol to ensure you are not furthering your razor bump issue. Choose an After Shave with all natural and proven ingredients to calm the skin and reduce bumps such as Chimere Bump Control After Shave Gel. Active ingredients including camphor as an antiseptic, Dioscorea Villosa (Wild Yarn) Root Extract as the Soothing agent, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract – calming balm and conditioner, and Multifruit plant extracts to stimulate cell renewal.
Don’t scratch!
Razor bumps may be itchy. However, resist the urge to scratch or pick at the skin. Your hands will transfer bacteria to your face and worsen your skin complexion. Picking at the skin can also cause discoloration or darkness in the beard area. If you do have hyperpigmentation from shaving you can use Clear Essence Medicated Fade Cream for dry skin types or Clear Essence Advanced Complex Fade Gel for Oily skin.