I shaved my pubic hair... and then saw bumps for weeks after. What are they?

Ingrowns? They can often last quite a while… Was this your first time shaving there ever?
Welcome to Fluther, by the way.

Razor burn, maybe.

Several posibilities.

Ingrown hairs
Folicultis (infection at the folicle)
Molluscum Contagium.

Most likely it is just ingrown hairs or a minor infection. When you shave coarse hairs it is very important to use a very sharp razor. Dull razors pull on the hairs and cause tears in the skin near the hair and pull on the follicle. To avoid ingrown hairs it can help to shave in the direction the hair grows, but often pubic hairs grow kind of willy nilly and that is difficult to do 100%. Don’t shave and put some peroxide on the area twice a day for a week and see if it clears. This happens to men a lot who have thick facial hair.

Molluscum is contagious kind of like warts and tends to be in moist warm areas like the skin near the genitals or inner thighs. When you shave you can allow an easy entry for the virus, but I doubt that is what it is. Most likely it is simply just from the shave itself and not viral.

It’s not herpes, don’t worry about that.

It’s just razor rash. It happens. Remember to shave in the direction of hair growth next time. That’s very sensitive skin, and highly prone to irritation.

Thanks for your responses, everyone. If it were razor-burn would the bumps last this long? Also, the bumps are bigger than what you’d consider your normal razor-burn. They kind of look like pimples that need to be popped. White. They’re mostly in the crease where the leg of my underwear seam is, and it rubs.

If it’s molluscum contagium, does it just go away by itself? Sorry for freaking out, everybody, but could herpes make itself known years later? Just frustrated that it’s lasting this long. :(

Molluscum usually needs to be removed, but I still think it is more likely pimples, like white heads. Is it like a pimple on your face? A regular whitehead. Herpes would get crusted over like a scap, and generally is on the vulva, not the outside.

In certain (but relatively rare) instances, herpes can take a long time to manifest after infection.
If this were herpes, and your first outbreak, you’d likely have flu like symptoms, fever, swollen glands, nausea, generally not feel well. I’ve had two people close to me confide in me when they contracted it, and their experience seemed more focused on the overall feeling of being completely miserable than just seeing something amiss down there. Do you have bumps or blisters or anything like that on your inner labia or in your vagina? I’m just curious, since I’m not sure why you’re jumping to “herpes” when it sounds like your symptoms are mostly on the exterior. Not that it’s impossible, it just seems unlikely.

Sounds like you have an issue with ingrown hairs. Don’t pick at your skin, and you can try applying warm compresses and washing with a gentle soap. Antibacterial ointment can be applied, but I would be careful not to get it inside. I would also probably suggest not shaving again, not like that, anyhow. If you want to groom maybe try a different method, or even just trim the hair with clippers. I have super-duper sensitive skin and I tried shaving bare for years and my skin was never, ever happy about it.

Not exactly like a pimple on the face… Looks just somewhere in the middle between a pimple and a blister. A couple of them have gone away within the 2 weeks since this has happened, but are not scabs. While the majority are in the crease where my inner thigh begins, I had two small ones on my outer labia.

If you’re really panicking, you could go to a clinic or a doctor and have a culture done. It would put your mind at ease, you would know for sure if that’s what it is, and if not- your doctor could probably give you something to help heal your skin, whatever it happens to be.

It is likely a combination of folliculitis and ingrown hairs. If the razor isn’t fresh, it could harbor bacteria that can get in the irritated follicles. Then the new hair growth can become trapped beneath the skin surface because of the inflammation / infection. Is there any swelling in the lymph glands near your groin area? (they feel just like when you get swollen glands in your neck – like a grape beneath the skin) If they lymph glands are swollen, then you should see a physician. If they are not, try treating the skin topically. One product for this purpose is called Tend Skin.

Go to a dermatologist. Then you will know, and you will know if it happens again, instead of guessing. They can give you medicine or a recommendation.

@DigitalBlue Thanks… Yes, going to the doctor is probably what I should do. Even if it’s nothing, peace of mind is priceless.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudofolliculitis_barbae

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folliculitis

You could instead use one of those creams that dissolve the hair. After a few minutes, you can just wipe the hair away.

Ingrown hairs