Thread: good for red bumps?

Witch hazel my friend, I use the Thayer,s to smell good going out, but it's too expensive to use all the time, then I use Dickinsons, I use a lot of it; works great for just about everything that bothers you.

Sorry, but those red bumps (aka razor bumps) are ingrown hairs, and there's no lotion that will get rid of them. They are caused by shaving hairs under skin level, and are best avoided by using proper technique. Try avoiding ATG and stick with XTG, working on it until you can get a good shave with that alone.

I've had the same problem with bumps. Lathering properly seems to help and showering right before a shave is the best way to get the beard soft. The other thing that helps me is using a balm then after the balm dries, I add a little cornstarch baby powder that has aloe and vitamin E. Helps with the irritation a bit. Give that a shot.

I agree that the bumps are ingrown. Making sure that those hairs are properly shaved off helps for sure. Good point.

My dermatologist told me that the only 100% effective way to get rid of them if you are going to continue shaving is to take antibiotics. Your skin is treating the hair turning back on itself as a 'foreign body', but it fails to tackle it by producing white (blood) cells.

I was also told "don't shave" as an alternative to that... But we don't want to talk about that on these forums!!

Sounds like your dermatologist is a moron. Antibiotics only kill bacterial cells. They don't kill foreign bodies like hairs. He needs to go back to medical school.

I will agree with the other guys that this is probably an ingrown hair issue. I have two patches on each side of my neck like this. Here is what works for me.

I started my shave prep as I like to think of it the night before a morning shave.

Night before

1. Wash face really well (I like noxzema but anything will do.

2. While drying you face with a towel scrub the problem area with the towel ( this will inflame it a bit)

3. Apply witch hazel mix ( witch hazel with 10 uncoated 325mg aspirin broken up in it). Let dry

4. Apply neosporin w/ pain killer to trouble spot

Morning of shave

1. Wet face and apply lather.

2. Prep razor

3. Wash off lather and reapply

4. Shave

5. Clean up and shower.

6. Apply alum let sit and wash off ( I do this in shower)

7. Dry and apply after shave of choice.

Keep the pressure extremely light. If you already think you are very light, go even lighter. I get the same thing on one side of my neck and around my mouth if I get careless and use too much (read: any) pressure.

Has anyone tried the aspirin treatment for bumps? I found it after doing a google search. Basically you dissolve or mix an aspirin with water and apply it to the problem area. I havent tried the remedy myself so I was curious if anyone had.

Originally Posted by jsnd

Has anyone tried the aspirin treatment for bumps? I found it after doing a google search. Basically you dissolve or mix an aspirin with water and apply it to the problem area. I havent tried the remedy myself so I was curious if anyone had.

Very interesting. I'd never heard of that before, but the next time I find a stray razor bump I might have to give it a try. Thanks.