Men are prone to irritation and damage from shaving. While new products aim to alleviate this issue, the root of the problem is still under review.
The Skin Society researchers found that, for men of color, irritation, bumps and damage associated with shaving are due to ingrown hairs, or the hair. Much of this is due to most men of color having thicker and curlier hair that grows not away from the face, but back toward the skin and actually penetrates the top layer, which quickly heals itself and traps the curled up hair inside. Problematic skin doesn’t respond well to long term applications of alcohol based products with harsh fragrances. Most of the formulations containing whitening agents can
create other unhealthy skin conditions; leaving Afro-American men with a strong chemical smell or worst yet, create other skin conditions that were worse than the condition they were treating Dr. Hegi opinion is shaving bumps are primarily caused by the trauma from shaving, leading to inflammation of the shaved area manifested as shaving bumps.
It is very important to choose alcohol-free product that contains botanical extracts such as chamomile, Epilobium Fleischeri extract and some good emollients such as glycerin and Xylitylglucoside to calm and hydrate the skin. Dr. Hegi discourages pulling out ingrown hairs as breaking/puncturing the skin to pull them out leads to additional inflammation, skin damage and hyper
pigmentation.
Dr. Hegi also suggest that in order to maintain your skin in a smooth moisturized and conditioned state, consumers must get rid of existing shave bumps before resuming shaving. Men should never shave over existing bumps because that causes more inflammation. Proper cleansing before shaving, lubrication and proper post shave treatment will help prevent shave bumps in African American men. According to statistics over six million African-American men suffer from shaving bumps.
Michel A. Hegi, PhD. http://www.theskinsociety.com
Just a man trying to infuse substance in the hype 
