Your skin may not look smooth after shaving. Irritation of the skin by shaving can cause itchy and painful red bumps. Itching after shaving, razor burn or a symptom of folliculitis are common conditions. Shaving incorrectly, using a dull razor, or shaving a sensitive area of skin often causes skin irritation, resulting in discoloration and a rough appearance.
Using shaving products that contain harsh chemicals, as well as products containing alcohol and perfume, can irritate the skin and cause itching. People may shave for aesthetic, hygienic or personal reasons. Regardless, shaving offers an effective and efficient way to remove body hair.
Razor shaving can irritate the skin and cause ingrown hairs, which can lead to razor burn or folliculitis. Razor burn is a type of skin irritation that develops after shaving. Shaving techniques can irritate the skin when performed incorrectly, resulting in red, itchy bumps. Razor burn does not necessarily mean that the skin is infected. It can occur when shaving dry, shaving without the use of creams or gels. Razor bumps also develop after shaving. However, these occur as a result of ingrown hairs.
Itching after shaving may indicate that you have folliculitis. Folliculitis is a skin condition caused by a bacterial, fungal or viral infection in the hair follicle. It often results in red, acne-like patches and itchy, sore skin. Staphylococcus aureus bacteria often cause folliculitis, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Some people are more prone to folliculitis than others. Shaving hair in the opposite direction of growth increases the risk of folliculitis.
1. Dry Shave And Exfoliate
Dry shaving increases the risk of cuts and irritation. It also keeps you from making the most of one of shaving’s benefits: exfoliation. You’ll get a more effective exfoliation if you soften your skin first, so try shaving near the end of your bath or shower time. Your skin needs a minimum of 10 minutes in the warm water to soften adequately.
Don’t forget that you can use the classic exfoliation products like loofahs and bath scrubs prior to shaving. Exfoliating first helps keep the razor from getting overloaded with dead skin cells, which reduces its efficiency.
2. Water Temperature
Generally, people use their bath time to relax. This may cause them to prefer warmer water. However, before shaving, it is useful to lower the temperature a little. Your skin can become very soft and therefore more prone to cuts if left in very hot water for too long.
3. Shaving Cream
Many men and women think soap and water provide a great lubricant for helping the razor glide along the skin, but it may have an astringent effect, leading to dry, flaky skin after drying. Instead, use a foam or gel formulated specifically for shaving – or even hair conditioner or body oil – to help the razor glide along more easily. And these products will keep your skin soft and supple well after you dry it off.
4. Direction Of Hair Growth
For the closest and most effective results to the hairs, it should be shaved against the way the hair grows. For example, hair tends to grow downward on the legs. For the smoothest results, shave upwards. When it comes to underarm hair first, shave upwards to get the exposed shaft and then reverse the direction to remove the root.
5. Skin Pores
Thanks to the warm water of a shower or bath, the skin pores are opened. After shaving, it is necessary to rinse thoroughly with warm water to remove all traces of foam, and then rinse with cold water to close the pores. You may want to apply a hydrating moisturizer immediately after drying to prevent flaking and drying. If you’re using a self-tanning lotion, it’s time to apply that too. Waxing leaves the pores open. If you apply a self-tanning lotion afterwards, the product can get into the pores and give you a freckled look rather than a smooth tan.
6. Ignore Myths
There are numerous stories that shaving with a razor stimulates hair growth and makes it grow back thicker and faster than ever before. This is absolutely not true. After shaving, the hair may appear thicker when it regrows, but this is just an illusion. About an inch of new growth per month is normal. Hair growth rate and volume are controlled from inside your body and have nothing to do with external shaving.
7. Use Sunscreen
It is very important to protect the skin from the harmful rays of the sun by using sunscreen all the time, not just when lying in the pool or on the beach. After shaving, the skin becomes much more sensitive and the sun’s harmful rays can cause more damage than ever before. Dr. “Ideally, you should wait 24 hours before exposing freshly shaved skin for extended periods of time,” Ward says. “When you go outside to enjoy the hot weather, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and reapply after swimming or sweating in the water.”
8. Use Fresh Products
When you notice dirt or waste accumulating on your shaver and razors, do not try to clean it with a brush or any other tool. If the waste is not easily rinsed with a stream of water, this is the first sign that you need to replace your shaver. Even if it still cuts well, a shaver with impacted waste can introduce bacteria into open pores or cuts and cause an infection. In addition, it is very important that all materials and chemical products used during shaving are fresh. Not paying attention to the expiration date of the products leads to further destruction of the skin, especially due to the pores opened after shaving.