How do I avoid the the little red, irritated bumps in my arm pits after I shave?

Question

I have tried, shaving with special creams, gels, and lotions. I've tried using hair conditioner to shave. I've tried waxing. I've tried NAIR. I have used products for dry skin, sensitive skin - proffessional and regular products. I shave my legs and bikini area with any old stuff and I have no problems. It's just my underarms. Any suggestions? HELP!!!

Answer 1

exfoliate the area first. They are ingrown hairs. also try doves moisturizing deodorant

Answer 2

There are five billion answers to this question already, but one more can't hurt.

What you are experiencing is probably common razor rash. It happens from shaving too often, or shaving sensitive skin, or shaving skin that spends a lot of time being rubbed by clothing. I would suggest using a new razor, change it once every two weeks, shave every other day at most, and when you get out of the shower use an Invisible Solid type deodorant. No gels, or sprays. The deodorant trick also helps on bikini areas. I've done that for years, and never have the irritated bumps in my bikini area.

Another thing to try is to wear a bit more loose fitting clothing under your arms. Or if NOTHING works, get an electric razor. It doesn't cut as close as a normal razor and should help get rid of the bumps. Good luck!! =)

Answer 3

There are so many answers I hope you get to mine....Sorry my answer is so long. I would like to suggest 2 options.

1. Using a HEALTHY LIBERAL amount of baby powder instead of creams/ lotions/ gels/ soaps with a 1 or 2 blade disposable razor, GENTLY, NO WATER until finished, will leave you with a clean shaved finish without bumps or irritation.(the answer lovephoto gave was correct)

2. Use a beard trimmer or electric hair clippers. You will have to repeat frequently but is more cost effective and adjustable for the desired result. I suggest cleansing well, let dry, use clippers, follow up with an unscented after shave product immediately after if needed for skin irritation (not pure alcohol). It will just take a few times to get the technique down not to irritate the skin with the clippers and you will be teaching others how to do it.

When prepping a patient for surgery or removing hair for a medical procedure, if the patient is shaved with shaving cream or soap the skin cells are scraped off the surface and the hair shaft is cut below the normal surface area causing irritation and compromises the integrity of the skin and increases the chance for infection to occur(especially in heart surgery). However, if hair clippers are used there is less if any irritation and the skin remains intact and better able to resist infection. The bumps you are having a problem with may be due to the hair shaft being cut too short at an angle and therefore getting trapped within the outer layers of the epidermis(skin) OR bacteria/fungus is getting trapped in the pores/hair follicles forming pimples. Using baby powder (which is an "old school" technique) allows the blade to gently slide over the surface of the skin without scraping. Both of my suggestions greatly reduce the blade/cutting device from scraping the skin and cut the hair shaft AT or SLIGHTLY ABOVE skin level to avoid compromising the integrity of the hair follicle and irritating/compromising the integrity of the skin. Do not use these two techniques together.

Answer 4

1 - get a very good razor and make sure you have a good (new or almost new - preferably not one that you use on your legs if your pits are that sensitive - for the same reason guys get upset when their wife or girlfriend uses their razor for their legs then the guy goes and uses it on his face - it's too dull now so it's going to cause problems.)

2 - make sure you let the warm water run over the area you want to shave so everything gets softened up.

3 - use a good shaving cream, possibly something with an aloe or other moisturizor in it.

4 - shave in only one direction. (generally, shave from the top down, but if after a few times that isn't working for you then try the other way).

5 - give it a few minutes after you shower / shave before you put any deodorant or anything on because that could be adding to the problem, irritating the skin and clogging up the hair folicals, causing ingrown hairs.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Hmm.. I used to have more of a problem like this back when I played sports year round, possibly from the constant movement and sweating.
You must try using an extra-moisturizing deodorant first. I have noticed that when I take a shower not too long after I have applied deodorant before, the underarm skin is way more drier than normal and is harder to shave. Make sure you have washed off the previous deodorant first. Also, try shaving in one direction. I shave from to bottom, and only 3 times a week. If you shave too often, that could be causing irritation too.
Also check your razor, make sure you use a newer one all the time. And if it doesn't feel smoothe while you're shaving, then something is probably wrong. I've never been a fan of shaving cream. And I have used shampoo or conditioner before too.
I wouldn't recommend waxing or using nair.
Try letting it grow out a little more often before shaving to avoid ingrown hairs, which would decrease the likelyhood of bumps or irritation. And using a powder-based deodorant as opposed to a gel or spray would be better as well. I hope this helps!

Answer 6

One possibility is that the shaving leaves tiny micro wounds and bacteria get in, a small inflammation happens and that causes the red bumps.

I have that sometimes happening to my legs.

The best way to avoid this is to apply after shaving some disinfectant. The underarm area is very sensitive so you may not want to use the most effective substance which is rubbing alcohol. I use it - also under the armpits - put it is a 10 second mega pain.

There are a lot of wound disinfectants available in the supermarket like from bandaid - which do not hurt. You could give that a try. Just apply directly after shaving, let it dry, wait a bit and then proceed with deodorant and such.

Answer 7

Some of the hairs on your body grow out at a very shallow angle - Almost parallel with the skin. When you slice them off very close with a razor, some of them end up with the sharp tip of the hair slightly below the surface of the skin. Then, as they continue to grow, instead of growing *out* of the skin, they grow *under* the top layer of skin, causing irritation and inflammation. These are what are known as 'razor bumps'. You can see the hair under the skin, if you look closely.

If they've been allowed to continue growing for a few days it's best to pluck the hair out with tweezers. Don't scrape the skin to get at them. Regular use of an exfoliant may help. Apply an antiseptic afterwards.

I think daily shaving reduces the incidence of bumps - The shaver cuts the hair again before it has a chance to bury itself into the top layer of skin. I recommend that you have a soapy shower every morning, dry well, apply talc and shave with a single or dual foil electric shaver. It only takes 5 minutes and you pretty much stay smooth all the time, which is a lovely feeling. The talc is important because it lets the shaver glide easily over your skin, giving you a smooth comfortable shave.

Try it :-)

Answer 8

I've never shaved my arm pits. I would if I were a bodybuilder: my life dream. But even then, I've heard that most of them get waxed cuz it lasts longer than razors, electric, or NAIR. BUT, since I am a skinny guy, my adam's apple is a little more noticeable than other guys my height (6'5"), cuz I don't have as much mass. Therefore, I used to always have problems shaving with a razor there and on my chin. The chin I still haven't found an answer for cuz there's fat under the skin there, but the redness and irritation I always got from the razor on my adam's apple I finally figured out. I always shave down, which is what most people think is the way to go if you want to avoid irritation. This is true if you don't know how to do it right. I started shaving up JUST around my adam's apple instead of down or both, which I tried first, and since shaving up cuts the hairs closer to the skin (against the grain), if you master it, you shouldn't get irritation. I'd start out slow. That's what I did. Just do it slowly. Take your time and I've always used Schick Extreme 3 (3 blades) and shaving gel (can't think of the brand name; but it turns into foam after you apply it to your face).

Answer 9

First, let the hair grow out a little more than usual-push it to the point where you can't stand it anymore. Second, exfoliate the skin before you shave. Third, use an abundance of shaving gel. Last, make sure you don't put on too much deodorant-it can build up and cause a rash. You also may be allergic to ingredients in the products you are using. If nothing works, consider talking with a professional.

Answer 10

Blades cut really close, most of the double, tripple, quadruple, etc. shavers actually pull the hair out to then cut it below skin level - which gives you that extra 'smooth' shave. However, sometimes the follicle does not find its way out the 'old hole' and becomes an ingrown hair. If you have sensitive skin like you, then you get the little infections.

There are two ways to dealing with the problem:

1. Treat the sympton (the infection) -lotions, exfoliating, Neosporin, this oil, that tincture.....etc, etc, - I am sure every trick in the book has been mentioned in the earlier repsonses.

2. Eliminate the cause. While some areas are shaved for 'smoothness' to the touch, your armpits are not - they just need to 'look' clean, not feel extra extra soft. So start shaving with a mens' electrical razor. they do not cut as close as a blade and the result does not last as long, but they cut hair above the skin and drastically reduce the problem.

For good results - the area needs to be really dry (medicated baby powder right before shaving works well). the razor foil and knives need to be clean and steril - use their cleaning supplies. Braun makes one that cleans and disinfects itself in a little station that comes with the razor. Resist 'hunting down' every tiny little stray hair, by going over it 150 times - that can irritate your skin and cause a problem. When done avoid soap and chemicals on the area for a while. Lots of water works most of the time. You can experiment with some after shave gel, or witch hazel (find one with very little alcohol). Everybody is different there.... so you have to experiment, but it sounds like you are used to that process....

Last but certainly NOT least - your problem might not be caused by shaving but by your Antiperspirant.... quit using Antiperspirants -- just use deodorant - not as effective or long lasting, but clogging your sebaceous glands with aluminum oxide is not the greatest thing in the world if you have sensitive skin. Antiperspirants do not stop your glands from secretion of sebum, they just block the pores - so if blocked over an extended period of time infected cysts may develop. Deodorants do not stop you from sweating, but mask the smell produced by sweat eating bacteria.... sweat itself is completely odorless.

hope that helps....

Answer 11

Certainly soaping well first or using a shaving cream helps, but I think the real answer to your problem is a good razor (preferably one with at least a triple blade and it should be made specially for women). Schick has one called Intuition Plus...it's for women; has three blades; and a skin conditioner with Shea Butter built in around the blades. They also make one with four blades which is the one I use - called Quattro.

Whenever I use one of my husband's disposable razors (on my underarms OR on my legs), I get a bad rash.

Waxing preparations and Nair are both much too strong for the sensitive underarm area.