Shaving Tips and Tricks: How to Relieve and Prevent Boil Pain and Red Bumps

If you shave to get rid of unwanted hair on your legs, underarms or bikini area, you may have experienced painful red bumps, boils or other skin irritations. These bumps and boils tend to occur in sensitive places along the bikini line and in the armpits. In addition to being very painful, bumps and boils can negatively impact your daily routine.

Note: Consult your doctor before beginning any home treatment program as you may have an underlying illness. This article only discusses bumps and boils caused by shaving and not those caused by an illness.

How Does Shaving Cause Bumps and Boils?
Shaving can cause ingrown hairs. These hair follicles can become infected, causing painful boils. Boils, or skin abscesses, can become serious if the infection enters the bloodstream. If you experience any fever, red streaks, or multiple boils in an area, you should consult your doctor right away.

Shaving bumps are minor skin irritations that may become worse with friction caused by clothing. However, these bumps can become painful and infected if not treated.

How Do I Prevent Shaving Bumps and Boils?
The best way to prevent these painful skin conditions is to stop shaving. Toss your razor! If you are prone to bumps and boils, then continual shaving will not make your situation improve. Instead, try waxing the area either at home or at a spa. After waxing the area, be sure to apply oil to soothe the area.

You can also consider laser hair removal, if your budget allows for the procedure.

Help! How do I Relieve the Pain from a Boil or Bump?
The cheapest and most effective home treatment is to apply very warm compresses to the affected area. Take a washcloth and run it under water as hot as you can stand it. Then, take that compress and apply it to the boil or bump. This process will help to bring the infection to the surface.

If compresses do not provide relief, try a hot bath with Epsom salts. Make the water as hot as you can stand it and soak the affected area.

Once the infection comes to a head and begins to drain, you may notice a remarkable decrease in pain.

You can treat the area with ointments and bandages when hot water treatments are not convenient. Two ointments to try are Boil Ease and ichthammol (a black, drawing salve). Boil Ease is available in most retail pharmacies for about $6.

Ichthammol may be difficult to find in your local pharmacy, but you can purchase it online from Wonder Laboratories for about $6 for a 1-ounce tube. Warning: Ichthammol ointment has a very strong and unpleasant fragrance, but it can bring the skin infection to a head quickly.

Before applying the ointment, be sure to thoroughly clean the area with antibacterial soap. Cover the area with a bandage to keep it from getting on your clothes.

If you follow good hygiene practices and replace shaving with another hair removal technique, you may experience fewer outbreaks of painful bumps and boils.

Sources:
personal experience
Medicinenet
WebMd