Razor Burn Debaucle

July 26, 2005 8:00 AM

Yesterday, I foolishly shaved my entire nether region. While it looked lovely immediately afterwards it is now an itchy, rash-ridden, horror show. I need some suggestions on how to make the itching stop and the bumps go away fast!
posted by dagnyduquette to Health & Fitness (13 answers total)

I recommend Nivea After Shave Mild Balm. Ever since I started using this immediately after shaving (and a little bit on a daily basis if I don't shave), I almost never get shaving burn or bumps.
posted by Rothko at 8:04 AM on July 26, 2005

people swear by tendskin, but it's expensive, and according to paula begoun it's basically just crushed aspirin or some other anti-inflammatory suspended in glycerin. she claims you could probably get the same results--the prevention of razor bumps and ingrown hairs--by making your own aspirin and water or aspirin and nonirritating lotion mixture and applying it topically. i'm not sure if that's safe though, just sayin' what she's said.
posted by ifjuly at 8:19 AM on July 26, 2005

It's after the fact, but this earlier thread may help.
posted by brheavy at 8:24 AM on July 26, 2005

Baby powder is your best friend. Apply generously and often.
posted by TBoneMcCool at 8:37 AM on July 26, 2005

There is a product called Bikini Zone available at most drugstores/Wal-Mart which does a good job reducing the inflamation and stopping the itching. It will make everything feel much better.

If your concerns are cosmetic, that's going to take a bit longer. Once the initital inflamation dies down, you should gently exfoliate the area (with a loofah or a washcloth)every day. Dead skin cells lead to clogged hair follicles which lead to ingrown hairs and bumps and pain; exfoliating prevents that. Applications of a lotion with a gentle exfoliant like alpha-hydroxy acid or lactic acid can also help.

Big date tonight? Embarassed by the bumps? I hear porn stars use Visine to get the red out of theirs. The effect isn't very long-lasting, but it's better than nothing.

And in future, try waxing.
posted by junkbox at 8:38 AM on July 26, 2005

I second the Nivea balm - someone here at work mentioned using it and I am a new convert. Which is impressive because I HATE HATE HATE most lotions and anything that still feels greasy more than 5 minutes later. This doesn't and it actually sooths my skin.

Interesting the comments about aspirin/glycerine and visine. Aspirin I would expect works as a blood thinner and visine's going to work by constricting any blood vessels.

As far as waxing vs shaving, to get back to porn stars, most porn stars shave. You just need to do it in such a way as not to torment your skin. The issue always comes down to the fact that if you want super close and smooth you have to go against the growth direction. However that's what most torments your skin. Porn stars are shaving to best look good to you, the viewer, not to feel best for their partner(s).
posted by phearlez at 8:57 AM on July 26, 2005

I used to shave a girlfriend for her (and it was always a wonderfully intimate activity). The first couple times resulted in razor burn, but eventually her skin acclimatized to the shaving and I could shave her repeatedly, against the grain, with no problems. Your mileage may vary.
posted by randomstriker at 9:20 AM on July 26, 2005

Instead, do sugaring.

Said advice comes from an Egyptian lady, who claims that brides are rendered hairless from head to toe (well, perhaps not all their scalp hair!) the day before the wedding.

I figure any culture that's been removing hair for eons probably has the technique figured out.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:15 AM on July 26, 2005

As ifjuly mentions upthread, you can approximate Tendskin pretty easily -- crush 8 aspirins into a fine powder and mix into about 1/3 cup of witch hazel. (It'll separate a bit, so put it all in a little bottle and shake before you use it each time.) I've found dabbing it on razor burn helps a lot. Bikini Zone is also good, as is a dab of hydrocortisone and some aloe vera gel.
posted by scody at 11:05 AM on July 26, 2005

I'd expect any crushed pills would have a good amount of filler in them. You can get powdered aspirin mail order or in pet supply stores which might have less filler and mix better.
posted by phearlez at 11:45 AM on July 26, 2005

This has been a godsend for me in situations like this. It works as a preventative and a cure. It also doesn't feel like pouring alcohol into a wound, which bikini zone gel does for me, making the irritation worse.
posted by phox at 12:51 PM on July 26, 2005

For future reference: to avoid itches and bumps after shaving your lady or gentleman parts, simply apply deodorant to the recently-shaved area. Just regular old deodorant like for your armpits. I have no idea why this works but I read it from a stripper on the intronet and I've never had the problem since.
posted by audrey the bug at 11:02 AM on July 27, 2005

I also recently took my first foray into the clean-shaven world, and, like you, I immediately thought it was a HUGE MISTAKE.

I know you are looking for quick fixes, and for that you should follow everybody else's advice here (especially the deodorant tip - unscented works best). But if this is a look that you want to maintain for a while and you can get by with quick solutions in the interim, within about a month the problem pretty much fixes itself. Your skin gets used to the razor, and life improves tremendously. The end of pain and suffering is near.

Good luck.
posted by intoxicate at 5:55 PM on July 27, 2005