Razor Bumps

What are razor bumps?

Razor bumps, also called ingrown hairs and medically known as pseudofolliculitis barbae, are small, irritated bumps that can appear on the skin as a result of shaving, waxing, or plucking hair. They occur when strands of hair curl back on themselves and grow into the skin. Razor bumps are most common among individuals with coarse or curly hair.

Are razor bumps harmful?

Razor bumps can be painful and itchy, and their bumps often end up scarring the skin. When scratched, ingrown hairs can lead to a bacterial infection.

What’s the best solution for avoiding razor bumps?

While shaving is the biggest culprit of razor bumps, or ingrown hairs, they can also result from tweezing or waxing unwanted hair. The only sure-fire way to eliminate these itchy bumps is to permanently remove unwanted hair with a laser procedure.

What does laser hair removal entail?

Laser hair removal is a simple and pain-free office procedure in which a laser beam is applied to a target area of the skin, which it then penetrates to destroy hair follicles. Once a follicle is destroyed, it can no longer produce hair. Laser hair removal is extremely safe and does not entail any downtime. Because the laser device is able to pinpoint follicles, surrounding tissue is left healthy and intact. Only actively growing hair follicle can be destroyed. Therefore, multiple treatments are usually necessary to accomplish desired hair reduction goals. The total number of treatments needed depends on the amount of hair and the size of the area being treated. In general, patients attain desired results within 6-8 sessions. Between 70% and 90% of patients who undergo laser hair removal enjoy lasting results.

On which areas of the body can laser hair removal be used?

Hair removal is effective on most body parts. Among those most frequently treated are the:

• Bikini area
• Underarms
• Legs
• Arms
• Face (most often the upper lip)