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Nov 09, 2023

Expert guide on how to get rid of and prevent razor bumps

Submit Δ Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission. The struggle is real. All we want to do is have fresh-shaven, smooth skin and but without fail, razor bumps and irritation often

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Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

The struggle is real. All we want to do is have fresh-shaven, smooth skin and but without fail, razor bumps and irritation often occur.

Typically, you’ll find razor bumps on the backside of your legs, though they can appear anywhere (especially in more sensitive areas), even when using some of the best hair removal tools on the market.

To score baby-soft legs (much like using a baby lotion), we rounded up an expert-backed list of the best products that can help remove and prevent razor bumps and ingrown hair.

Top brands include Aveeno and CeraVe — most commonly found on Amazon and your local retailers — but you’ll find a soiree of other dermatologist-approved items, from acne treatments to shaving gels.

To help you best understand how these unwanted ingrown hairs and razor bumps appear, we interviewed a board-certified dermatologist to give us the 411. Hopefully, with these products, you’ll say goodbye to that unwanted, textured skin just in time for the warmer months.

Razor burn is a type of irritation of the skin that occurs due to shaving. “It’s typically caused by improper shaving techniques with symptoms of redness, inflammation, pain, itch and rash,” Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, board-certified dermatologist specializing in general medical dermatology, surgical dermatology, cosmetics and pediatric dermatology, told the New York Post.

For treatment, Dr. Zubritsky recommends avoiding shaving again until razor burn has healed. “Look for products to help soothe irritated skin, like those with aloe and moisturizing ingredients,” she adds. “A topical anti-inflammatory like cortisone also works well.”

For more information — including a step-by-step skincare routine for shaving and preventing razor burn — check out our in-depth FAQ section. Ahead, Zubritsky recommends more than a dozen well-formulated products for you to shop.

“This scrub is a great way to exfoliate the skin, which can help both treat and prevent razor burn and razor bumps,” Zubritsky notes. “It contains a mix of papaya and pineapple enzymes and organic cane sugar to gently exfoliate and smooth our skin.”

What’s more, one reviewer says, “I have sensitive skin and it works wonderfully at exfoliating my skin without irritating it.”

“Not only is this product moisturizing, but it contains hydrocortisone to help reduce inflammation, relieve redness and lessen itch associated with razor burn and bumps,” Zubritsky highlights.

More, this is also formulated with triple oat, aloe and vitamin E — a soothing trifecta that your skin will thank you for.

“I love this razor because it contains an Irritation Defense Bar for a smooth shave with blades that barely touch the skin,” Zubritsky pinpoints. “It is specifically made for the pubic skin to help with shave irritation, razor burn and ingrown hairs.”

For just $15, it’s a great Amazon beauty product to snag, too, especially for coming with two blade refills to last for more than one month.

“For ingrown hairs, I like spot treating with La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment,” Zibritsky notes. “This contains micronized benzoyl peroxide (5.5%) and Lipo Hydroxy Acid to help reduce bacteria on the skin and to gently exfoliate dead skin cells.”

For more options, check out our guide to the best acne spot treatments.

“These single use pads both prevent and treat ingrown hairs or razor bumps,” Zubritsky says. “They help to exfoliate skin to slough away dead skin cells that trap hairs due to ingredients like glycolic and salicylic acids.”

After using these ourselves, it’s a dream formulation for sensitive skin — and one we recommend trying, too.

“This wash contains benzoyl peroxide, which helps to reduce bacteria on the skin which can lead to inflammation of the hair follicles,” Zubritsky says.

With more than 10,000 rave reviews for its unscented, pH-balanced formula, it’s a wonderful product to both help prevent and remove razor burn from the skin.

“This product contains adapalene, which is a retinoid that helps to increase cell turnover,” Zubritsky explains. “This gel works wonders at reducing dead skin cells on the surface, a common cause of razor bumps.”

Not to mention, this product is an Amazon best-seller with a whopping 51,000 rave reviews — and counting.

“For razor burn, be sure to choose a product that’s fragrance-free and occlusive to help heal irritated skin,” Zubritsky advises. “This product contains mineral oil, glycerin and lanolin to help heal even the most irritated skin.”

It also helps alleviate unwanted dry and cracked skin. We can’t believe this product is less than $20, too.

“I love this product because not only does it moisturize the skin but it contains salicylic acid to help exfoliate the skin,” Zubritsky highlights. “It’s great to [help] prevent razor bumps by reducing dead skin cells which can clog pores.”

With more than 23,000 positive reviews on Amazon, CeraVe is wonderful to grab, much ado to its formulation containing three essential ceramides to help nurture the skin barrier.

“Areas of the skin that develop irritation from shaving are more susceptible to burning in the sun, potentially resulting in hyperpigmentation of the skin,” Zubritsky explains. “I love this SPF 50 Sunscreen Oil from Sun Bum because not only does it help to hydrate your skin post-shave but it also protects it from UV damage.”

For more options, check out our guide to the best mineral sunscreens.

“My go-to shaving gel is the Therapeutic Shaving Gel from Aveeno,” Zubritsky shares. “This is a gentle shaving gel without fragrances which helps to prevent additional irritation and allows for a smooth shaving experience with reduced trauma to the skin.”

Not to mention, it’s one we resort to as well for our sensitive skin — along with nearly 22,000 other satisfied shavers on Amazon.

“If you’re shaving correctly but still getting razor burn or bumps, try switching to a trimmer instead,” Zubritsky suggests. “Trimmers are less aggressive on the skin and cause less irritation.”

Even better, this well-reviewed option — with nearly 3,000 happy shavers, may we add — is specially designed to tackle even the thickest of hairs, all while being easy to rinse and clean when finished.

“This gel from Sun Bum is not just meant to cool skin down after a sunburn — it’s also great at [helping to] reduce irritation due to razor burn,” Zubritsky adds. “It contains vitamin E and aloe in a gel formulation to rehydrate skin and ease the pain of a burn.”

For more options, check out our guide to the best after-sun lotions and treatments.

Ahead, Zubritsky dishes out the deets on how to both treat and prevent razor burn, with helpful information to keep in mind when shaving and taking care of your skin.

For prevention, there are a few easy tips to follow to prevent ingrown hairs and razor bumps, as outlined by Zubritsky.

Ingrown hairs are everyone’s no-no, and Zubritsky shares how they initially appear on the skin.

“Ingrown hairs, also known as pseudofolliculiti, is caused by hair that grows back into the skin, resulting in inflammation, pain, redness and bumps,” she explains. “This occurs because the body treats this hair as a foreign object and responds accordingly.”

Ingrown hairs are typically caused by shaving, waxing or plucking hairs in an attempt to remove them. “It’s most common in areas where we shave, like the bikini area for women or the beard area for men,” she adds. “This area is particularly prone to razor bumps because this hair is thicker, coarserand curly and tends to grow back into the skin.”

For treatment, Zubrtisky recommends avoiding shaving again until the ingrown hairs and razor bumps have healed.

“Warm compresses work well to help loosen up the hair,” she tells The Post. “Exfoliation also is a great way to treat and prevent. I like using alpha and beta hydroxy acids a few times a week to remove dead skin cells.”

Occasionally, if there is an infection, a physician may prescribe a topical antibiotic or a prescription steroid to reduce inflammation. “Never attempt to pick, pull, or pop at your ingrown hair; this may result in permanent scarring or infection,” Zubritsky warns.

Of course, how often you choose to shave is an individual preference and entirely dependent on your skin and hair type.

“Those who tend to grow hair more rapidly and want to achieve a hairless look, it’s likely fine to shave every day if desired as long as there is no irritation, redness, rashes or bumps,” Zubritsky assures. “However, those with sensitive skin or poor shaving techniques may find that every day shaving is too much and leads to razor burn or razor bumps.”

Ideally, you should change your razor blade every five to seven shaves, Zubritsky recommends.

For best results, always choose a fragrance-free shaving gel or cream when shaving. “Look for products with soothing ingredients like aloe, hydrating ingredients with humectants like hyaluronic acid, or exfoliating ingredients like alpha or beta-hydroxy acids for the safest shave,” she notes.

According to Zubritsky, you’ll want to avoid products with heavy fragrances or scents as well as irritating alcohols or comedogenic oils which can further irritate the skin.

“It’s best to apply a moisturizing product immediately after shaving when the skin is still damp,” Zubritsky says. That said, applying to damp skin helps to hydrate and moisturize the skin better than applying to dry skin since it locks in hydration.

Check out the New York Post Shopping section for more content.