Not only are ingrown hairs and razor bumps one of the most embarrassing issues that men face, they are also one of the most commonly misunderstood. Ingrown hairs, or razor bumps, are often mistaken as pimples. The good news is that most cases of ingrown hairs can be prevented if you take proper precautions. Even if they do slip through your preventive defense, you can still take them out like yesterday’s trash.

What is an ingrown?

Ingrown hairs are created by a hair follicle that gets trapped under the skin, which causes it to curl under. This leads to irritation and will usually create a red bump on the surface of the skin. The bump can be painful and may have the appearance of a pimple, including the presence of pus stemming from an infection that can occur beneath the skin.

How do you prevent them?

Generally speaking, following the steps that are outlined in the Shaving 101 article will not only give you a great shave, but should eliminate most (if not all) occurrences of ingrown hairs. Here are some other prevention tips…

Dead skin is often the culprit when it comes to ingrowns. To combat this, it is wise to exfoliate the skin in order to slough off the dead cells before shaving. Since your skin is constantly creating new layers under the older ones, it is good to help new skin come to the surface so the dead skin won’t trap a hair follicle beneath it.

Another cause of ingrown hairs is shaving with an electric razor or a dull blade. This will cause unnecessary pulling on the hair follicle and won’t remove any of the dead skin that can cover up a freshly cut whisker. Speaking of pulling… try not to stretch your skin out too much as you shave. A lot of guys do this and it really is better to keep the face relaxed when you are shaving so you don’t get too close. As far as blades go, a clean cut is always best so make sure to change the blade on your razor often. One rule of thumb here is don’t shave with the same blade for more than a week. If you have a thick beard, try changing it every four or five days.

Go with the flow. Don’t try to shave against the grain, rather, shave in the same direction that the hair grows. As mentioned earlier, this includes stretching your skin out when shaving it. Even though you may get a closer shave that way, if you are getting ingrowns or bumps, shaving too close can be disastrous.

How do you treat them?

The best shaving technique will probably not eliminate ingrown hairs altogether. For this reason, you should be prepared in how to treat one if you do happen to get one.

Like a pimple, you can usually “pop? an ingrown. Try not to do this too soon. Wait until it is to a point when it won’t take much effort to squeeze out the pus. When you squeeze the bump, this will usually expose the hair that is ingrown so you can try shaving the hair with your razor or removing it with tweezers. Be careful not to take skin with it when you do. Always exercise extreme caution in this situation and NEVER try to just shave the bump off of your face. You will regret this as it can cause bleeding and scarring.

Finish it off...

When you are done shaving or treating an ingrown hair, be sure to use an aftershave that will hydrate the skin and retain moisture. Avoid oil-based aftershaves that may clog pores. It is important to keep the skin moist in order to help the skin repair itself. Most importantly, adopting the right shaving technique may keep you from ever having to deal with ingrown hairs again.