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Razor bumps are common to men with coarse or curly hair. Curly hair sometimes curls back toward the skin and can puncture the skin and become ingrown. This leads to razor bumps and skin irritation, which can be very painful. The technical name for razor bumps is pseudofolliculitis barbae (often abbreviated PFB). Shaving, waxing, tweezing, electrolysis, and other hair removal methods often irritate the hair follicle to the point of causing an eruption like skin reaction. These reactions appear as bumps, which at the very least are an embarrassing sight if not a stinging reminder lasting days. Everyone loves a smooth, close shave. However, a close shave is the biggest cause of unsightly and painful razor bumps.

Where Do Razor Bumps Come From?

Shaving with a razor blade irritates the skin causing inflammation and swelling. This reaction is a normal bodily defense mechanism. Razor bumps affect most of men of African Origin, Hispanics, Arabs and a small percentage of Caucasians. In the past, the only solution for razor bumps was simply to decrease the number of times a person shaved or to grow a beard. More recently, people have begun using cortisone and moisturizers and topical antibiotics to eliminate their razor bumps.

As a result of painful razor bumps men tried to look for alternatives such as:

• Shaving Powders (Depilatories)
• Electric Clippers

But these alternative methods had disadvantages, which outweighed the benefits:

• Powders are messy and smelly
• Cannot be used daily
• Contains Barium Sulfides, a skin irritant. Can cause rashes and chemical burns
• Electric Clippers do not provide a close, smooth shave