If you’re feeling the pain from a rough shave, you might be suffering from razor burn or razor bumps. Luckily, there are a number of easy ways to treat these skin conditions at home and bring immediate relief. With the right shaving strategy, you can also learn how to prevent razor burn and razor bumps from happening again. Let’s dig into some frequently asked questions about these common shaving ailments, including:

• What’s the difference between razor bumps and razor burn?

• How to get rid of razor burn

• How to get rid of razor bumps

• How to prevent razor burn and razor bumps

What’s the difference between razor bumps and razor burn?

Razor burn refers to irritated, red skin that’s caused by shaving. You’ll typically notice razor burn shortly after shaving, and it can look like a red rash or tiny red bumps. You can get razor burn anywhere on your body that you shave, from your face to your ankles or anywhere in between. Because your skin is irritated, razor burns might itch, hurt, sting or—as the name suggests—burn.

Razor burn is not to be confused with razor bumps, which are inflamed hair follicles, also known as folliculitis. Folliculitis (razor bumps) occurs when hair follicles become infected with bacteria, viruses or fungi, resulting in pimple-like bumps. Ingrown hairs can also lead to folliculitis.

How to treat razor burn

If you’ve had a rough shave, you’re probably wondering how to get rid of razor burn fast. Here are three of our go-to razor burn treatment to keep handy if you shave regularly:

FixMySkin 1% Hydrocortisone Healing Body Balm

Treating your razor burn with hydrocortisone can help calm inflammation, reducing both redness and swelling. This medicated balm contains 1% hydrocortisone and soothing moisturizers such as shea and cocoa butters. You can use it anywhere you shave, including your face, head and body. It comes in a convenient melt-proof stick formula you can easily tuck into your pocket, backpack or travel bag, making it the perfect razor burn treatment to use on the go.

Avene Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream

This unique skin treatment is clinically proven to help accelerate your skin’s recovery process while protecting damaged skin, making it a soothing razor burn treatment to use at home. With copper, zinc sulfates, Avene Thermal Spring Water and a patented ingredient called C+ Restores, this cream helps your skin maintain the proper hydration levels needed to heal while also shielding it from external aggressors. It can also be used on other minor skin irritations, such as scrapes, cuts, burns and diaper rash, as well as post-procedure skin.

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Eczema Soothing Relief Cream

A bath with colloidal oatmeal is often recommended to soothe itching from chicken pox or poison ivy, so it makes sense that the ingredient can also help reduce the itch of razor burn. Oats are a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that can help calm red, irritated skin. Applying this rich moisturizing cream with colloidal oatmeal can offer much-needed relief from a bad razor burn.

How to get rid of razor bumps

Razor burn tends to happen right after you shave, while razor bumps tend to pop up a few days later. If you are currently experiencing them, you’re likely wondering how to get rid of razor bumps fast.

PFB Vanish ULTRA

This unique product helps treat razor bumps as well as prevent them from occurring in the first place with a formula that combines soothing witch hazel with salicylic acid and glycolic acid. Because this product can also be used as a razor burn treatment, it can do double-duty in your shaving kit.

Baxter of California Anti-Bump Ingrown Hair Treatment Serum

If you’re wondering how to get rid of razor bumps fast, this treatment serum from grooming brand Baxter of California definitely delivers. It relies on the anti-inflammatory properties of aloe and allantoin to help soothe the irritation of razor bumps while mandelic acid helps exfoliate the skin to help existing razor bumps resolve and prevent new ones from forming again.

CLn Sport Wash and CLn 2-in-1 Gentle Wash & Shampoo

If you shave your head or body and are prone to razor bumps, this is one go-to remedy you’ll want to have on hand in your shower for regular use. It can be used as a shampoo or body wash on areas where razor bumps have popped up, or you can also use it instead of shaving cream on problem areas to help prevent razor bumps from coming back. Sodium hypochlorite helps kill the bacteria, fungi or virus that’s causing your folliculitis, so your skin can be on the road to recovery. The formula also contains hydrating glycerin and a gentle cleansing agent, making it a good choice for those with sensitive skin or fine hair.

How to prevent razor burn and razor bumps

To know how to prevent razor burn and razor bumps, it helps to know what causes them in the first place.

When it comes to razor burn, there are a number of causes: shaving too quickly, shaving with a dull razor, pressing too hard with your razor or dry shaving without water or shaving cream. When you do any of the above, the friction of the razor’s blade pulling your skin can lead to irritation.

“At a microscopic level, razor burn essentially looks like tiny cracks in your skin,” says board-certified dermatologist and LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger. “Once you have gotten razor burn, it is important to avoid shaving too close for a few days to a week. When you come back to it, make sure you take it easy, or it will just come back. Whatever the case, don’t use soap to shave and change your razor blade often, so you’re not shaving with a dull razor.”

The Baxter of California Double Edge Safety Razor is an excellent option when it comes to getting a close shave while minimizing razor burn. This single-blade design is a great fit for people who shave daily, and the durable blades also help reduce nicks and cuts.

ELEMIS Skin Soothe Shave Gel makes a fantastic companion as it features microcapsules of soothing jojoba oil and marine extracts that work to protect skin as you shave.

Babor Men Calming After Shave Serum contains Babor’s signature TAUREC Complex, which contains taurine, ginseng and a cell boost factor designed to provide moisture, strengthen the skin barrier and promote healing from razor burn. It also has a touch of menthol for a cooling, soothing effect.

Razor bumps, on the other hand, happen post-shave when strands of hair start to grow and curl back into the skin, causing irritation and harboring bacteria that leads to raised, red bumps.

Mentioned above as a razor bump treatment, Dr. Schlessinger also recommends PFB Vanish Ultra as a preemptive measure to keep razor bumps from forming. “The alpha hydroxy acids in this formula help exfoliate your skin, dissolving the dead skin cells that can build up and lead to the formation of ingrown hairs,” he says.

A weekly application of Phytomer Homme Rasage Perfect Shaving Mask can also help prevent razor bumps and razor burn by softening hairs for an easier shave.

Now that you know how to treat razor burn, we have more shaving tips in store. You can read our blog post on the best men’s shaving products for sensitive skin, and don’t forget to check out our wide collection of men’s shaving products.