How to get rid of razor bumps and dark marks on the jaw

Most razor bumps on the jaw and neck come from curly hair that grows back into the skin after a shave. The surest fix is to stop shaving for a while: bumps usually settle over about 12 weeks [3]. If you need to keep shaving, the changes below calm things down, and dark marks left behind typically fade over 6 to 12 months once the bumps stop [7].

This applies to anyone who shaves or waxes curly hair, on the jaw, chin, neck, underarms or legs. It is common in Black men, with figures of 45% to 83% reported for men of African ancestry [4], and it can affect women too, especially on the chin [3].

Why curly hair grows back into the skin

A curly hair does not always grow straight out. After a close shave, the cut tip is sharp and can curl sideways or downwards and push into the skin nearby, or turn back and pierce the wall of its own pocket under the skin. The skin treats the hair like a splinter and reacts with swelling, a red or dark bump, and sometimes pus [3][5].

The pattern is usually called pseudofolliculitis barbae, or PFB for short. Treat that as a likely name, not a verdict. Other things can look similar, including acne and some skin infections, so if the bumps do not behave the way this guide describes, a professional can tell them apart [3].

Why you are left with dark marks

Each bump is a small injury. Darker skin tends to answer injury by making extra pigment, which leaves a flat brown or dark patch after the bump is gone. This is often called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. It is common after razor bumps in darker skin [3][5]. The marks are not dirt, and they usually fade. A mark a few shades darker than your skin usually fades in 6 to 12 months once the cause is removed, and deeper ones can take years [7].

So the order of work is simple: stop new bumps first, then help the old marks fade.

Shaving changes that help most

• Let the hair grow out if you can. Dermatologists and the NHS name not shaving as the most effective step [1][2][4]. Hair that reaches about 10 mm often frees itself from the bump [3].
• Do not shave too close. If you want a neat look, use clippers with a guard and leave at least 1 mm of hair [3]. The NHS also advises leaving a little stubble [2]. Clippers leave stubble, which breaks the cycle of cut tips turning back into the skin [4].
• Soften the hair first. Wash with warm water, then use a generous layer of shaving gel or foam so the blade glides [2][4]. Dry shaving gives sharp, slanted tips that push into the skin more easily [3].
• Do not stretch the skin. Pulling it tight lets the blade cut the hair below the surface, where it can pierce the skin as it regrows [3][4].
• Use a sharp, clean blade. A blunt blade drags and cuts unevenly [2][3]. Replace disposable razors after 5 to 7 shaves, store them dry, and clean electric razors on the same schedule [1]. Rinse the blade after each stroke and use as few strokes as you can [2].
• Go with the grain where you can. Shaving with the direction of growth helps [1][2][3]. With curly hair the direction can change from patch to patch, so it will not always be possible [4].
• Finish with something cool and calm. A cool, damp cloth after shaving soothes the skin [1][2].

Sources do not agree on whether one blade or several is better. One review discourages multi-blade razors [3], while a study cited in a 2025 review found a multi-blade razor with shaving gel improved the skin [4]. What they agree on is the list above, so start there.

If you wax or pluck, the same problem can happen [3]. Depilatory (hair-dissolving) creams rarely cause this pattern, but they can smell strongly and irritate skin [3].

When aftershave burns

Skin that has just been shaved is easily irritated. The AAD's advice for easily irritated skin (written for rosacea) lists alcohol and fragrance among the ingredients to avoid [9]. It lists glycolic acid too, so stop any acid below that stings. Irritation from skin and hair products can also cause dark marks, so a stinging product is worth dropping [7].

What to look for on a label instead:

• Fragrance-free, not only "unscented" [9].
• Alcohol-free. Check that alcohol is not high in the ingredient list [9].
• A plain moisturising lotion or gel. In studies, a shave routine that ended with a moisturiser did not make bumps worse [4].
• Wording like "for sensitive skin" [7].

Stop any product that burns or stings [7].

Gentle ingredients for bumps and marks

Add these one at a time, so if something stings you know which one it was. Stop anything that burns [7].

• Salicylic acid and glycolic acid. These are exfoliating acids that loosen the dead skin around the hair opening. Glycolic acid may also reduce how tightly the hair curls [3][4]. Ask a pharmacist for a mild version; they can recommend exfoliating products [2].
• Azelaic acid. A gentle acid that helps fade marks. Dermatologists list it among over-the-counter ingredients for dark marks [7], and a review names it for marks left by razor bumps [3].
• Sunscreen. Sunlight is one cause of dark marks. Dermatologists recommend a tinted sunscreen containing iron oxide, SPF 30 or higher, reapplied every two hours and after sweating [7].
• Retinoids. Creams related to vitamin A, such as adapalene, are used for these bumps and for marks [4][7]. They are avoided in pregnancy as a precaution [10].

If you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, check any new acid or cream with a pharmacist, midwife or doctor before you start.

Be careful with "skin lightening" creams for the marks. Imported creams can contain steroids or mercury that are not on the label [7]. Steroid creams used for a long time can thin dark skin and leave pale patches [3]. The aim is even skin and fewer dark marks, and the ingredients above do that more safely. No cream changes the colour you were born with; what fades is the mark, not your skin.

Do not pick or dig

Do not scratch, squeeze, pluck or dig out the hair. It can damage the skin and cause infection [2][4], and irritation can leave a dark mark [7]. If a hair is clearly close to the surface, you can gently lift the tip with clean tweezers, without pulling the hair out [4].

When to see a professional

See a GP or dermatologist if:

• there is pus, or the area is very painful, hot or swollen [2];
• you have a high temperature or feel generally unwell [2];
• the bumps are still there after you have changed your shaving habits and given it several weeks [1];
• bumps heal into raised, hard or shiny scars, which can be keloid scars [3][4].

They can prescribe treatment, such as a gel with benzoyl peroxide and an antibiotic, or a short course of a mild steroid cream [2][4]. Do not start long-term steroid creams on your own [3].

Laser hair removal is a longer-term option for some people. Some laser types, such as Nd:YAG and diode, are reported to work well in dark skin [3], and Nd:YAG has been shown to reduce bumps [4]. Most people need several sessions, and the AAD says it must be done very carefully on dark skin because burns, scars and lasting colour changes can happen [8]. Choose a board-certified dermatologist [8], ideally one experienced with darker skin [4]. It can cost a lot and experienced providers are not always nearby [4], and how long the results last still needs more study [6].