We all want a smooth, clear, healthy looking face after shaving.
But all too often your clean-shaven look is ruined by razor bumps and ingrown hairs.
They’re inflammed, unsightly and painful. And when these bumps get infected, they can make your life a misery!
Read on for easy ways to calm and treat any razor bumps and ingrown hairs that you have...
And, more importantly, the steps to take to stop any new ones from appearing.
We want to make sure you get the clean shave that you deserve.
The goal - a smooth, clear, post-shave complexion
Firstly...
What is an ingrown hair?
Sometimes when you cut hairs very short (like when you shave) instead of growing back out of the skin normally the hair does a U-turn. It starts curling back into your skin and growing beneath the surface.
This ingrowing hair creates a swollen bump on your skin.
Your body can interpret the trapped hair as a ‘foreign intruder’, sending white blood cells to fight it off. That’s where the swelling comes from. This inflammation causes the bump to become red, tender and very painful!
Which is made even worse when you have to shave over the bump again the next day.
What causes razor bumps and ingrown hairs?
Ingrown hairs are almost always the result of shaving, when the hair has been cut to below the surface level of the skin.
If the hair follicle is clogged up by dead skin cells this blocks the hair from growing out normally, and it grows back into the skin, or under the surface, instead.
Most affected skin types
Whilst anyone can get ingrown hairs black-skinned and Hispanic guys tend to have thicker, stronger, curlier hair. This is more likely to curl back on itself (making you guys more prone to ingrown hairs).
Where do ingrown hairs appear?
As they’re usually caused by shaving they can appear pretty much wherever you’ve shaved! But your neck is particularly susceptible because the hair tends to be coarser there and the skin less well exfoliated.
If ingrown hairs are causing you problems, don’t worry.
There’s a lot you can be doing to treat the ones you have… and stopping any new ones from appearing.
Treating existing ingrown hairs
AT HOME TREATMENTS
Here are some simple things you can do at home to help speed up the healing process:
- Gently exfoliate the area around the ingrown hair using a mild exfoliating face wash: this will remove any dead skin cells that are blocking the hair from breaking through the skin’s surface.
- Apply a warm, damp compress: this will soften the skin and help to tease out the ingrown hair.
- Avoid shaving for a few days: just until your skin has had a chance to heal.
- Use a light, non-greasy moisturizer: this will soften your skin, soothe the inflamed area and improve the texture and tone of your skin.
- Tweeze out any visible hair: if you can see a hair near the surface try to gently pull it out with a pair of sterile tweezers.
WHAT TO DO IF THE INGROWN HAIR IS INFECTED
If a white pustule has developed around the hair then the hair follicle has probably become infected, and it’s better to deal with it now or it could get worse. If you don’t remove it the infected hair may continue to grow and cause further irritation and inflammation.
At this stage it’s best to treat the pustule first - and then remove the hair.
Treat the bump with acne medication or a topical hydrocortisone cream. This will reduce the swelling and expose the ingrowing hair so that you can easily extract it with a clean pair of tweezers.
WHEN TO CALL THE DERMATOLOGIST
Not all ingrown hairs get this bad but if the bump won’t heal, and it’s becoming more and more painful, then it’s worth calling a dermatologist.
A medical professional can give you a cortisone injection to quieten down the redness and inflammation caused by the infected ingrown hair under your skin.
But the best treatment is prevention…
ACTION PLAN: Preventing ingrown hairs and razor bumps
GENTLY. EXFOLIATE. EVERY. DAY.
It seems so easy, but really...
...the best way of preventing ingrown hairs from appearing is exfoliating your skin regularly.
This minimizes the amount of dead skin cells clogging up your hair follicles and pores, which cause the hairs to grow back into the skin.
So if you want to avoid razor bumps altogether then gently exfoliating regularly will keep your skin nice and clear.
But this doesn’t mean using a rough facial scrub!
Instead choose a gently exfoliating face wash that includes a natural alpha-hydroxy acid, like Lactic Acid.
This combines two tasks into one – cleaning and exfoliating at the same time.
Exfoliating Face Wash for Glowing Skin
Washing with our exfoliating Daily Face Wash keeps your face fresh and clean - and dead skin cells never have the chance to build up and block your hair follicles and pores.
Plus it's gentle enough to use twice a day (even if you have sensitive skin).
It includes hydrating Glycerin and soothing Aloe Vera so it won’t leave your face feeling tight and dry.
In addition, our Daily Face Wash includes purifying Tea Tree Oil which helps to regulate sebum production, keeping oily skin under control.
We’ve got more about exfoliating your skin, and how it fits into your shaving routine here:
“A Man's Guide to Exfoliation: FAQ's"
"Is it best to exfoliate before or after shaving?"
Along with exfoliating, there’s other steps you should be taking to stop ingrown hairs and razor bumps from developing. These will also reduce razor burn and irritation...
Improving your shaving routine
4 key tips when shaving which prevent ingrown hairs, razor bumps and razor burn
#1: Prepare your skin
- Open your pores first – try to shave after your shower. The hot and humid atmosphere will open up your pores and leave your skin nice and relaxed. Alternatively apply a hot towel to your beard area first, like a professional barber would.
-
Massage in a nourishing, protective shave cream – this will create a protective barrier between your skin and the blade, softening the hair so that the razor will cut them on the first pass.
The cream protects your skin and prevents any razor burn. It also provides lubrication for the shaving process itself, softening your beard and helping to maintain your skin's hydration level too.
Our Protective Shave Cream is enriched with moisturizing Glycerin and Shea Butter to nourish and protect your face throughout your shave.
Shaving cream also helps the hairs to stand up slightly making them easier to cut.
DON'T use an alcohol based shave gel though. This will dry out your skin, creating more dead skin cells and encouraging ingrown hairs.
Best Shave Cream to Prevent Ingrown Hairs
Our nourishing formula also includes Apricot Stone Oil to soften your beard for easier shaving too.
We've also added Aloe Vera to soothe your skin, and purifying Tea Tree Oil to help reduce any redness and irritation.
Like all of our products, our Protective Shave Cream is dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic and non-irritating.
It has also undergone and passed the rigorous European Cosmetic Regulations.
Plus it’s cruelty free.
So now with your pores relaxed and open, your skin nourished and protected, and the hairs standing up, your razor will glide easily over your face – with no irritation.
#2: Choose the right razor
Stop using multi-blade razors. They cut too effectively and cut the hairs below the surface of the skin. As the hair grows back there’s more chance it will curl back on itself because the tip of the hairs can’t break through the surface.
Use a traditional single blade razor instead.
A razor like this will cut the hair level with your skin’s surface – and not below it. So the hair can grow back normally.
It’s also easier to change the blade regularly on a single blade razor, and therefore make sure that it’s always super sharp.
#3: Shave Direction
Always shave WITH the grain.
Shaving against the grain not only aggravates your skin causing irritation but it also distorts the hair follicles making ingrown hairs more likely.
#4: Moisturize afterwards
It can take up to 48 hours for your freshly-shaved face to fully heal, and keeping your skin well hydrated during that time is the best defence against irritation and dryness.
By storing your moisturizer in the refrigerator, you can get an immediate cooling and soothing effect too. This will effectively, and gently, close your pores much better than a toner or aftershave.
In fact, do NOT use an astringent toner or alcohol based aftershave. Not only will these really sting - but they’ll also make your skin feel unbearably dry and contribute to more dead skin cells clogging your pores!
While most creams will immediately hydrate your skin, you can up the ante by using a moisturizer that will soothe, relieve and repair your post-shave skin at the same time.
Hydrating Moisturizer for Smoother, Firmer Skin
There are many healing ingredients to look for in a moisturizer, and we chose Aloe Vera, Allantoin and D-Panthenol for our Hydrating Daily Moisturizer.
They are all excellent natural ingredients that will soothe your skin and restore the hydrolipidic protective barrier.
In fact, to nourish and repair your skin after shaving, our Hydrating Daily Moisturizer is one of the best moisturizers for men out there!
It's incredibly hydrating, but it's also very light.
And it's packed full of the best anti aging ingredients!
One of the keys to smooth, clear, younger-looking skin is to keep it well-hydrated. So try to moisturize your face every morning and night. As well as after your shave.
Our Hydrating Daily Moisturizer is designed to lock in moisture and is clinically proven to dramatically increase skin hydration levels for over 8 hours after application.
It contains Hyaluronic Acid (the gold standard of moisturizing agents) to provide long-term hydration and keep your freshly-shaved skin smooth and supple.
At the same time it reduces fine lines and wrinkles, restores elasticity and improves skin texture.
Leaving you with a smooth, even-toned complexion.
Plus it’s super-light, absorbs instantly and won’t leave a greasy film on your face.
OTIS Protective Shave Cream stops ingrown hairs developing
For more on achieving the perfect, painless shaving experience see our article here: “SHAVE: 9 tips to give you a pain-free shave".
Skincare ingredients to look for that can help with ingrown hairs
- Lactic Acid: Lactic Acid is the most gentle of the natural Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHA’s) and great for exfoliating away the dead skin cells that cause razor bumps and ingrown hairs.
Our exfoliating Daily Face Wash includes Lactic Acid and is gentle enough to use every day (even if you have sensitive skin).
- Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera is the best at soothing any type of irritated skin.
And Aloe Vera is perfect for calming razor burn and reducing inflamed ingrown hairs. It’s even more soothing if you keep the gel nice and cold by storing it in the refrigerator.
You can use aloe in gel form, or straight from the plant.
But the easiest way is by using our prestige men's skincare products, which all include Aloe Vera.
Our Daily Face Wash, Protective Shave Cream and Hydrating Daily Moisturizer are all enriched with Aloe Vera to give you all the soothing and healing benefits of this incredible plant.
For more on the excellent skin benefits of Aloe Vera see “Why Aloe Vera is So Great For a Man's Skin".
- Tea Tree Oil: Tea Tree Oil not only leaves your skin feeling cool and refreshed post-shave, it also helps calm redness and irritation.
In addition, it has antiseptic and purifying properties, as well as being anti-inflammatory. So its excellent at helping to treat razor bumps, and really effective against acne too.
Our Daily Face Wash and Protective Shave Cream are both infused with Tea Tree Oil to help purify your skin daily.
The Takeaway
Follow these tips to keep your clean-shaven face looking smooth and blemish-free.
How to treat existing ingrown hairs:
At home -
- Gently exfoliate the area around the ingrown hair with an exfoliating face wash
- Apply a warm, damp compress to help tease out the trapped hair
- Avoid shaving for a few days to let the skin heal
- Use a light, non-greasy moisturiser to soften your skin
- Tweeze out visible hair with clean tweezers
If the ingrown hair is infected:
- Treat the bump with acne medication or a steroid cream
- When the swelling has reduced, extract the hair with sterile tweezers
If the razor bump won’t heal:
- See a dermatologist for a cortisone injection
But the best treatment is prevention, so …
- Gently exfoliate your skin regularly
-
Improve your shaving routine
- Prep your skin well, and use a nourishing, protective shave cream
- Opt for a single blade razor
- Shave WITH the grain
- Always moisturize afterwards with a soothing, hydrating face moisturizer
And finally, some skincare ingredients to look for:
- Lactic Acid – to gently exfoliate your skin
- Aloe Vera – to soothe and heal
- Tea Tree Oil – to calm redness and irritation. This also purifies and acts as an anti-inflammatory.
You don’t have to let an ingrown hair or razor bump ruin your day!
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All you need to sta looking handsome.
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