Clipper bumps are ingrown hairs that develop following shaving, waxing or plucking. Bumps can either be razor or clipper bumps. Medically, razor bumps are called pseudofolliculitis barbae.
In this article, I shall take you through a complete guide to clipper bumps and unveil bumps causes you don’t know about.
Clipper bumps are those ingrown hairs develop when hair starts to grow backward into the skin instead of upward and out. Following the removal of hair by shaving, waxing, or plucking, the hair may curl and turn inward. And because the new skin cells grow over the hairs, they become trapped and result in bumps.
Clipper bumps can be found on any area of your body where you shave or remove hairs like the face, head (even bumps at the back of the neck), legs, underarms, and pubic area.
Razor bumps and razor burn
Remember, razor bumps are different from razor burn:
Razor burn is different from razor bumps. Razor burns are skin irritation resulting from the friction of the razor, characterized by redness and irritation of your body immediately after shaving.
Razor burns occur because you don’t properly lubricate your skin with shaving gel or cream before shaving. Also, Razor burns can occur from use of dull (old) or if you have skin that is sensitive to friction.
It takes several days after hair removal for the razor bumps to develop because the hair has had time to grow into the skin and create a blockaded
I apologize to you for this article so lengthy. However, take your time and read it very well. I promise you that you would definitely learn how to treat razor bumps quickly and also prevent the bumps from recurring in the future.
Bumps are not an ailment or something that has to be cured permanently. You need to understand your skin. Look for a method that suits yours as I have discussed herein.
Clipper Bumps Treatment
The size of clipper or razor bumps vary, from small to large. The bumps may be red or have a white, pus-filled bump.
However, it is unfortunate that bumps don’t go away instantly without treatment. But whenever the right treatment is given to the bumps, they will go and the skin heals well.
Clipper bumps care measures:
1.Use salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid which has the capability to exfoliate, or peel the skin cells and also penetrate the oil glands in the skin to unclog pores as well as lower inflammation.
Therefore, those products that have salicylic acid content can be used to heal the skin around clipper or razor bumps.
Salicylic acid for clipper bumps works by alleviating razor bumps as well as causing slough off of dead skin cells. This in turn enables the ingrown hair to find its way out of the pore, thereby lowering the bumps’ appearance.
A group of experts from American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) have confirmed that salicylic acid can help treat acne, and could serve as a good option for people who experience both acne and razor bumps.
Variety of products with salicylic acid contents are available in the market, e.g. cleansers, toners, and lotions. So you don’t have an excuse for not winning over your bumps.
Alternatively, salicylic acid is one of the active ingredients in aspirin.
Just buy an aspirin tablet over-the-counter; put about 5 to 8 tablets in drops of water to dissolve, make a paste and rub it on that area. Allow to dry then rinse. Repeat that daily! It cures bumps.
2.Check out for glycolic acid
Similar to salicylic acid, glycolic acid makes the skin peel by removing old cells from the surface of the skin. Glycolic acid is called an alpha-hydroxy acid.
Razor bumps form when excess skin cells clog the pores and trap the hair inside. Glycolic acid can help get those cells off the way and let the hair come to the surface.
As it accelerates the skin’s natural sloughing process, a glycolic acid product can help razor bumps clear up more quickly and give the skin a smoother appearance.
3.Tweeze
When ingrown hair is visible, it may be helpful to use sterile, pointed tweezers to pull it out.
Know that removing the trapped hair could get rid of the razor bump quickly. You should sterilize the tweezers with alcohol and cleanse the skin and hands with soap and water before tweezing.
But when the hair is not visible on the surface of the skin, using tweezers could make the problem worse. Tweezers could injure the skin, causing more irritation and infection.
Don’t ever attempt to pick or squeeze the bumps, as they could get worse or cause scarring.
4. Cautiously use scrubs
If you have sensitive skin, you should use scrubs with caution.
A mechanical or physical scrub sometimes can remove dead skin cells that plug the pores and keep hairs trapped inside. These skin care scrubs may contain sugar, salt, ground up fruit pits, or tiny beads.
Scrubs do remove debris and free ingrown hairs by physically sloughing off dead skin cells.
People may have a skin reaction to the rough texture of scrubs, especially those with sensitive or inflamed skin. When the skin is red, irritated, or sensitive, use scrubs with caution.
5.Gently brush the skin
Using a soft brush in the areas a person shaves is another option for removing dead skin cells and debris clogging the pores.
You can use a skin care brush or a soft toothbrush for this. Using a brush can help guide the hair out of the clogged pore so that it does not become trapped underneath.
Daily brushing the area may help remove current razor or clipper bumps and prevent new ones from forming.
6.Use a warm washcloth
Just applying a warm, wet washcloth to the skin can help soften the skin and draw the ingrown hair out, especially when you join this technique with one of the other treatments above. You may also wish to steam the area in a hot shower.
7.Use natural product like aloe Vera gel
Aloe vera gel can cure bumps. You only need to wash that area very well with warm water and soap — brushing off the bumps and then applying the gel twice daily consistently for one to two weeks,the bumps get off. And for the black spots that are left after clipper bumps heal, use anti-spot gel to remove it.
Prevention of Clipper bumps
To help prevent razor or clipper bumps from forming,there are various things a person can do, there are several things a person can do. And if none of these measures help, however, a person may wish to see a doctor so they can evaluate the bumps.