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Most men have suffered from ingrown hairs or razor bumps at one point or another, and a percentage
of men must deal with the condition on a regular basis. This is especially true for African-American
men. Because black men have body hairs that are predominantly curly and wiry, shaved hair follicles
tend to curve back and re-enter the skin as they grow, causing irritation and razor bumps.
Ingrown hairs can also occur when hair doesn’t fully emerge from the skin’s surface and instead sits
coiled underneath, leading to bumps and possible infection.
This reoccurring condition causes major discomfort in the beard and neck area and can affect black
men for years and years at a time. The best course of action seems to be to give up shaving
altogether—by not shaving the hair, it obviously doesn’t have a chance to grow back improperly and
cause razor bumps. But in a society that prizes clean-shaven appearances, this is not an option for
most black men. Instead, follow these simple men’s grooming tips to keep African-American skin
smooth and refreshed, and correctly treat ingrown hairs.
• Always use a sharp razor blade and discard old blades after 4-5 uses. You might think this is
excessive, but dull blades force black men to go over the same area of skin again and again, increasing
the chances of irritation and improperly cutting hair. This goes for electric razors, too: replace the
blades after every few months of use.
• Reduce your number of shaves by shaving every other day. Giving the skin time to heal will allow
hairs to grow straight through the skin’s surface, without forcing too-short hairs back into the skin.
Frequent shaving too close to the skin will trap hairs inside the follicles.
• Exfoliate! Exfoliating with a gentle scrub that removes the top layer of dead cells and allows hairs to
grow out more easily. It also helps soften skin, clears pores and evens out patchy skin tones.
• Many African-American men benefit from using a single-blade razor, or a DE razor.
• Always shave in the direction of hair growth. While shaving upward seems to give a closer shave,
shaving in the hair’s direction reduces irritation and the likelihood of hairs growing back into the
skin. Don’t pull skin taut when shaving since this can also cause ingrown hairs to form.
• Soften hairs before shaving by massaging warm water into the beard area and then applying a
professional-grade, highly-lubricating shave cream. Allow it to sit on the face for a minute or
two to completely coat hairs before shaving.
• Follow a shave with an after-shave solution that contains hydrating ingredients like aloe, witch hazel
and tea tree extract like Post-Shave Repair to cut down on redness and discomfort. Stay away from
products that contain alcohol since this can dry skin out and provoke an ashy appearance in black
skin.
• Resist the urge to simply pluck ingrown hairs out. A new hair will just grow again, and you’ll be
facing the same exact problem.
• Most importantly, take your time when shaving. Everyone’s been guilty of the 30-second shave on
Monday morning, but shaving slowly and with care can dramatically reduce nicks, cuts and abrasions
that can aggravate razor bumps.
• If you find that you are suffering from severe cases of inflammation or razor bumps, talk to your
doctor or dermatologist. You may be a candidate for electrolysis (a low-level current is used to
destroy follicles) or skin depilatories (chemical creams that soften and minimize growth).
Cuttin' up
Need a push
A man and his wife were awakened at 3:00 am by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and
goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.
‘Not a chance,’ says the husband, ‘it is 3:00 in the morning!’ He slams the door and returns to bed.
‘Who was that?’ asked his wife.
‘Just some drunk guy asking for a push,’ he answers.
‘Did you help him?’ she asks.
‘No, I did not, it is 3:00 in the morning and it is pouring rain out there!’ ‘Well, you have a short
memory,’ says his wife.
‘Can’t you remember about three months ago when we broke down, and those two guys helped us?
I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!’
The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pounding rain.
He calls out into the dark, ‘Hello, are you still there?’ ‘Yes,’ comes back the answer.
‘Do you still need a push?’ calls out the husband. ‘Yes, please!’ comes the reply from the dark.
‘Where are you?’ asks the husband.
‘Over here on the swings’
Wrong Boots
Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten students put his boots on?
He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots still didn't want
to go on. When the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost whimpered when the
little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet."
She looked, and sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting
them on. She managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on - this time
on the right feet.
He then announced, "These aren't my boots."
She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like she
wanted to do. Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off.
He then said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them."
She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She than mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots onto
his feet again.
She said, "Now, where are your mittens?"
He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots."
The bet
A blonde and a redhead met for dinner after work and were watching the 6 o'clock news. A man was
shown threatening to jump from the Brooklyn Bridge. The blonde bet the redhead $50 that he
wouldn't jump, and the redhead replied, "I'll take that bet!"
Anyway, sure enough, he jumped, so the blonde gave the redhead the $50 she owned. The redhead
said, "I can't take this, you're my friend." The blonde said, "No. A bet's a bet."
So the redhead said, "Listen, I have to admit, I saw this one on the 5 o'clock news, so I can't take your
money."
The blonde replied, "Well, so did I, but I never thought he'd jump again!"
Keys locked in car
Two blondes were in a parking lot trying to unlock the door of their Mercedes with a coat hanger.
They tried and tried to get the door open, but they couldn't. The blond with the coat hanger
stopped for a moment to catch her breath, and her friend said anxiously, "Hurry up! It's starting to
rain and the top is down."
Witty blonde
Why did the blonde put lipstick on her forehead? Because she was trying to make up her mind.
