June 19, 2007

This Just In - Bump Patrol

Got a shipment in the other day from Bump Patrol, a line of shaving products with a focus on reducing those pesky ingrown hairs. Haven't heard of them? Well, if you don't get razor bumps, count yourself lucky. If you do, then keep reading.

Razor bumps affect almost 80% of African-American men and 20% of Caucasians. Known clinically as pseudofolliculitis barbae, they're basically a vicious negative feedback loop. Shaving causes irritation. Irritation causes inflammation. Inflammation causes the hair pore to close and a bump to form. The hair becomes trapped, and thus in-grown. Yuck!

Thankfully there's Bump Patrol to the rescue! Bump Patrol has actually been around for over 10 years, but they've recently introduced an updated look and website. There are two shaving creams - Bump Patrol Cool Shaving Gel ($4.29) and Bump Patrol Aerosol Ultra Sensitive with Aloe Vera (also $4.29), and three different aftershaves - Bump Patrol Razor Bump Intensive Treatment (Sensitive Formula) ($8.59), Bump Patrol Razor Bump Intensive Treatment (Original Formula) ($8.59), and NEW EXTRA STRENGTH Bump Patrol Razor Bump Intensive Treatment ($9.29).

Bump Patrol's website is a wealth of information. There's a FAQ plus tons of free contact info. There's a great instruction sheet which you can download (one of the best I've ever seen). And there are 12 minutes of video demonstrations showing you shaving techniques for face and head, as well as how to avoid razor bumps. While the background music might be a little too upbeat for the subject matter, master barber Will Williams is 100% serious when it comes to your skin. What makes him a master? Have you ever seen someone determine the direction your hair grows with a credit card? 'Nuf said, MacGyver.

We'll be trying these products out soon so stay tuned. In the meantime, you've got your homework assignment. Click on over to Bump Patrol and watch some videos. Then impress your friends will cool terms like "pseudofolliculitis barbae".