Post date: July 8, 2024 | Blog
Getting Rid Of Razor Burn and Ingrown Hairs | Shaving 101
Razor burn and ingrown hairs are irritating to say the least. They are, however, common issues that many men face especially after a shave session. These unfortunate side effects are often paired with unsightly bumps, irritation, and discomfort.
In this quick guide, we’re going to deep dive into the best ways to prevent and treat razor burn and ingrowns, hopefully to ensure a smooth and comfortable shave every time!
Understanding Razor Burn and Ingrown Hairs
Razor Burn is simply irritated skin caused by shaving. It often results in redness, itching, and a burning sensation caused by dragging the blade against the skin. This is a very common issue.
Ingrown Hairs occur when shaved or tweezed hair grows back into the skin, causing inflammation, pain, and small bumps to appear.
Preventing Razor Burn and Ingrown Hairs
Preventing razor burn and ingrown hairs starts with a proper shaving routine. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind:
I think we can all agree that prevention is the best course of action! And it all starts with a proper shaving routine. Here are some tips for better shaving:
- Prepare Your Skin:
- Cleanse Thoroughly: Use a gentle cleanser like Volt’s beard and face wash to get rid of excess oils which can lessen the effect of gliding products like shaving gels and creams.
- Exfoliate Regularly: Exfoliating helps rid the excess skin cells, dirt, and debris that clog pores and cause ingrown hairs.
- Use the Right Tools:
- Sharp Razor: When it comes to razors, the sharper the better. Use a razor blade that is sharp enough to not pull the skin.
- Quality Shaving Cream: The slicker the glide, the better. Use quality shaving creams or gels that help the razor glide instead of yanking the hair.
- Shave Properly:
- Shave in the Direction of Hair Growth: Although shaving against the grain may provide you the closest shave, shaving with the grain is the secret to avoiding ingrown hairs and undue irritation. This is because the chance of snagging the razor on your hair or guiding the razor down into the skin is minimized.
- Avoid Multiple Passes: One and done is the goal when it comes to passing the razor over skin. This is also why a sharp blade is important. Multiple passes cause undue irritation for the bare skin.
- Rinse and Moisturize:
- Rinse with Cold Water: Cold water causes skin to contract, thus, causing pores to reduce their size. This helps keep debris out of your pores after shaving and soothes the skin at the same time.
- Apply Aftershave Balm: Use a quality aftershave to sanitize, moisturize, and soothe the skin. Quality aftershaves usually include aloe, alcohol, and some special ingredients like menthol and witch hazel.
Treating Razor Burn
If you’ve got razor burn already, then the preventative measures will have to wait. It’s time to be proactive in soothing and healing the skin.
- Cool Compress: Just like a sprain, applying a cool compress will help minimize redness and irritation. use some ice cubes wrapped in cloth or a cool rag to help.
- Aloe Vera Gel: Aloe vera is for more than just sunburns. Use some on your razor burned skin to reduce irritation.
- Hydrocortisone Cream: Hydrocortisone cream is the heavy duty stuff you can use over-the-counter to help reduce severe irritation and redness.
Treating Ingrown Hairs
For ingrown hairs on the other hand, the steps are actually a little different:
- Warm Compress: Applying a warm compress instead of a cool one helps relax and loosen the skin, making it easier to exfoliate or tweez out the hair.
- Exfoliate Gently: Exfoliating the area gently will help remove and unclog pores where the ingrown hairs may be hiding. Exfoliating exposes them for tweezing.
- Use Tweezers: once the hair is visible, use clean tweezers to gently pull the ingrown hair up and out. Try to avoid digging into the skin if you can!
Long-Term Solutions
For those who frequently experience razor burn and ingrown hairs, consider these long-term solutions:
For those of you who may be suffering from chronic razor burn, ingrown hairs, or sensitive skin in general, consider the following:
- Electric Razors: Electric razors don’t provide quite as close of a shave as typical razor blades do, and therefore, cause far less “razor” burn and ingrown hairs because the hair is almost never cut short enough to penetrate the underside of the skin.
- Consult a Dermatologist: For severe and persistent problems, a dermatologist might be the best way to go for those suffering.
- Let It All Grow Out: The most exciting, and most radical, solution is to simply never shave again! Sounds easy, I know. But maybe the big bold bearded life is the life for you! And if so, then rock on.
Conclusion
Both razor burn and ingrown hairs are common and manageable issues. By taking note of the proper shaving technique and using better tools, you can get rid of 99% of these problems.
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