How to Get Rid of Razor Bumps (2025)

You may not need to do anything to get rid of razor bumps. In fact, these pimple-like bumps, known as pseudofolliculitis barbae, often go away on their own. However, you can reduce irritation with a compress or try topical creams.

If the bumps become infected or recur frequently, talk to a healthcare provider about prescription treatment and consider other ways to manage hair removal instead of shaving with a razor.

Self Care

Razor bumps should heal on their own as you give the hair time to grow out of the skin and the irritation to heal.

These simple self-care steps can help you do this:

• Stop shaving or plucking hair in the affected area: Shaving or plucking can further irritate the inflamed area and create new razor bumps, so it's best avoided until the skin heals. Symptoms may temporarily worsen as the hair grows out, but this will subside over time.
  
• Warm compress: Apply a warm washcloth to the area several times a day. This can help soften the skin and reduce irritation as the hair grows out. If you can't avoid shaving, first apply a warm washcloth to the area before shaving. This causes the hair shaft to swell and decreases the chance of causing a sharp tip on the regrowing hair.
• Gently exfoliate your skin: For a gentle approach, rub a washcloth on your face gently and use a loofah for other body parts to remove dead skin cells.

Over-the-Counter Treatments

If razor burns are not getting better or are worsening with simple approaches, you may want to take a more active approach. Several skin care products can help you ease razor burns.

Chemical Exfoliant

These are skin scrubs and peels that contain ingredients to help remove dead skin cells. Ingredients can include:

• Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA): These are exfoliants derived from fruit and milk sugars that help shed skin cells to improve the texture and tone of skin.
• Glycolic acid: A type of AHA, this water-soluble exfoliant derived from sugar cane reduces the curvature of the hair, which eases irritation and prevents ingrown hairs.
• Salicylic acid: This common ingredient in acne medication has shown to be an excellent pore cleaner and is an exfoliant that can be used daily to clear skin.
• Retinoids: Topical retinoids help turn over skin cells and spur the production of new skin cells. They also have anti-inflammatory properties. These qualities make them a good tool to help get rid of razor bumps.

Topical Anti-inflammatory Creams

Corticosteroids are used to treat inflammation in various. Low-potency over-the-counter topical corticosteroid cream can be used to calm inflamed razor bumps. This includes hydrocortisone cream. However, if you use this type of product on your face, it should only be used for a few days, and you must keep it away from your eyes.

Topical Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide is a topical medication commonly used to treat acne breakouts. It's an antimicrobial, so it kills bacteria that can cause an infection around irritated razor bumps. It helps unclog pores and also promotes the turnover of skin cells.

Benzoyl peroxide can be found in many skin carecleansers as well as creams and toners.

Prescription Treatment

In cases of severe inflammation that does not get better with home treatments, you should see a dermatologist. Your healthcare provider can diagnose infections, which will require treatment with topical or oral antibiotics.

You may also be given prescription-strength corticosteroids, steroids injected into the lesions to reduce the inflammation, or a combination of treatments. Steroids should be used for short periods of time. One of the side effects for people with darker skin may be a loss of pigmentation.

Natural Remedies

If simple home care isn't clearing up razor bumps and you want to avoid harsh medications, there are natural treatments that have been shown to help with skin conditions like razor bumps:

• Witch hazel is a plant-derived natural antiseptic used to treat a variety of skin conditions including itching, rash, and sunburn. There is no research directly related to razor bumps, but using witch hazel might help and poses little risk of side effects or allergic reactions.
• Tea tree oil, an essential oil derived from an Australian plant, is a traditional remedy for burns and infections since it has antibacterial and antifungal effects. It has shown some promise for treating acne, and the properties that might make it effective on that condition could make it a good treatment for razor bumps, but more research is needed.
• Aloe vera, a popular remedy for sunburn and skin irritation, is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. This has been studied in relation to acne and shows some promise. However, there is only limited data and no research related to irritation caused by shaving. Applying aloe vera, though, might ease skin irritation without causing side effects related to medication. If your skin continues to be inflamed or gets worse, though, you should see a healthcare provider.
  

Prevention

If razor bumps are an ongoing issue, consider how you can either change your shaving technique or use other forms of hair care that can allow you to avoid shaving altogether.

Modify Your Shaving Technique

If you're not already using a single-blade razor or an electric razor, make that switch. Using a razor that has two blades can also increase the chance of razor bumps.

Be sure you always use a sharp blade. Blunt blades can cause razor bumps. Change blades after five to seven shaves.

Modify your shaving technique with these tips:

• Wash your face with a gentle cleanser using a circular motion to remove dead skin cells. Rinse well with warm water.
• Use warm water to soften the hair.
• Don't dry shave. Shave in the shower or use a moisturizing shaving cream before shaving and don't let the shaving cream dry out as you shave.
• Shave in the direction the hair grows. This may mean shaving in a different direction in different areas.
• Use short shaving strokes and shave each area only once.
• Don't put too much pressure on the blade; you want to avoid shaving too closely.
• Rinse the blade after each stroke,
• When finished, thoroughly rinse off the shaving cream with warm water.
• Hold a cool compress (a washcloth wetted with cool water) over your face for a few minutes.
• Use an aftershave formulated to reduce irritated skin, not one that burns.

To make it easier to shave your hair in its direction of growth, take the time each day to train your hair to grow in one direction. Dedicate a new, soft-bristle toothbrush for this task. Each day, gently brush the hair in one direction.

Change Your Hair Removal Approach

Another way to avoid razor bumps is to allow the hair to grow in the affected area and keep it trimmed, but do not shave the hair down to the skin. For your beard and scalp, use hair clippers and leave 0.5 to 1 millimeter of hair. This will help prevent the hair from growing into the skin and causing a bump.

Another option is to use a method other than a razor for hair removal. These include:

• Waxing
• Chemical depilatories
• Laser hair removal

Summary

Razor bumps are a common inflammatory skin condition caused by shaving or plucking hair. The bumps should heal without treatment, but you can take steps to lessen the irritation with home remedies and natural treatments. OTC medication can help relieve irritation. If the bumps don't go away or become infected, you need to speak to a healthcare provider.

To prevent razor bumps or treat chronic razor bumps, you can modify how you shave or try other types of hair removal.