Is It What You Think?
Razor bumps, sometimes referred to as razor burn, look horrible, but they also can be easily mistaken. There issues that arise from shaving down under, like folliculitis or keratosis. Both of these skin conditions are often thought to be razor burn, but they are much different and should be cared for differently.
Folliculitis comes from bacteria getting inside the small pockets around your hair follicles and becoming infected . It can cause extreme itchiness, which then leads to the infection spreading. Severe cases can sometimes cause permanent hair loss and scarring.Keratosis is a skin condition that comes from a buildup of keratin blocking your hair follicle’s opening. This protein is what you body naturally produces to protect the skin from infections. These two skin conditions are hard to identify on your own if you aren’t familiar with them, so if you have “razor bumps” that don’t disappear you, should consult with your doctor on what the true issue is.
Toss That Dull Razor
The worst thing you can do to your bikini area is try to groom it with a dull razor. If you have been using the same razor since last winter, it is DEFINITELY time for a new one. Another option is to sharpen your razor. This can save you tons of money in the long run if you shave pretty regularly. An easy trick to quickly sharpen up those blades is running it up and down a pair of jeans. Another option is to just completely ditch the razor all together. The moment I finally gave into Brazilian waxes I knew all of my prayers for razor burn-free skin had been answered. After a few routine visits I was as smooth as a new born baby!
Exfoliate
I cannot emphasis this enough! Exfoliate your newly hair-free skin daily! Two times a day, if you shower that often. Get a good exfoliator, not a cheap one. Find one that not only does an amazing job of removing the dead skin, but also keeps the skin smooth so that as the hair grows back in it has an easier time (preventing ingrown hairs). Don’t forget to moisturize! The last thing you need is dry skin.
Soothe
As I said before, moisturizing the skin after a good exfoliation is important. If you don’t think that your exfoliator offers the moisture factor as well, make sure you take an extra step to do so. Additionally you can calm the skin with aloe-vera. This will not only add moisture, but reduce any inflammation. Whatever you do, don’t rub your freshly exfoliated skin with alcohol. This will do more harm than good!