Razor burn isn’t good; it looks bad and hurts. It shows up as a burning sensation, itchiness, redness, tenderness, and small red bumps on your shaved areas.
But how do you avoid it? Read on to find out!
How to Avoid Razor Burn Tip #1: Use a Straight Razor
True, using a straight razor might take a bit of practice, but if properly sharpened and your face is prepared for the shave, you’ll be better off than using a safety razor, which can get dull much easier, become clogged with hair, and need to be changed, sometimes after each use.
How to Avoid Razor Burn Tip #2: Prepare Your Face
Before shaving, it’s best to have your face at least as damp and warm as possible. That’s why when visiting an old-time barber, they wrapped the face with a hot wet towel. While you’re not likely to go through the trouble at home, at least you can shower beforehand; that way, your face is clean, and pores tend to be more open. Don’t have time to shower? Wash your face well and apply a wet, hot washrag to it for several minutes before your shave.
Another way to help prepare your face is to gently exfoliate it before shaving. Choose an exfoliation scrub that contains corn cob meal or rice bran, which can help remove dead skin cells that can help burry facial hair follicles.
Finally, before applying shaving cream or gel, use an all-natural moisturizer. Doing so will soften and make the facial hair stand up while protecting your skin from the razor.
How to Avoid Razor Burn Tip #3: Consider Other Options
Razor burns may be avoided by considering other options
- Instead of shaving daily, you might want to consider shaving less often. Maybe you’ll decide you look good in a beard.
- Instead of using a manual razor, an electric razor might work better for your skin type.
- Review the products you’re using. Maybe they’re too harsh for your face. Try using something more natural.
How to Avoid Razor Burn Tip #4 Take Care of Your Equipment
- If you use disposable razors, make sure to rinse them and store them somewhere dry when done. If they have “pop-off” heads, you may wish to keep the blades in their holder. Once they’re dull, throw them out.
- If you use a straight razor, keep it sharp. Also, keep it dry to prevent rusting.
- Keep the soap applicator brush clean
How to Avoid Razor Burn Tip #5: Remember Aftercare
The process of shaving doesn’t end with the shave. After you shave, you need to keep your skin healthy too. Use after-shave products or cold water to close your pores. By allowing your pores to remain open, it increases the likelihood of having problems afterward.
Razor Burn vs. Other Types of Skin Conditions
Razor burn appears as red streaks or blotches
A similar condition to razor burn is razor bumps, which are ingrown hairs caused by shaving curl into the skin as they grow back.
Shaving-related contact dermatitis pimples are a variety of things that can cause an allergic reaction, including:
- a dull razor blade
- less-than-optimal water temperature
- using the wrong product(s) for shaving
Pimples may be exacerbated by excessive oils that clog the skin’s pores. Shaving with acne may lead to bacterial infections and other skin issues.
Then there’s folliculitis, which is an inflamed hair follicle.
Once you have razor burn
Sometimes razor burn is unavoidable. Here are tips to take care of it once you have it
Apply soothing lotions that protect and moisturize the skin to reduce razor burn and accelerate recovery. Grocery stores and pharmacies carry such items. Choose a skin cream with the proper ingredients, such as allantoin, Aloe vera, white chamomile, comfrey, green tea, jojoba seed oil, licorice, panthenol, shea butter, tea tree oil (heavily diluted), vitamin E, and wheat germ. These ingredients help soothe, heal and contain antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Some things you may have at home without going out to the store to provide temporary relief
- Apply apple cider vinegar to the affected area. Note: you’ll probably want to make sure to rinse off before going anywhere, or you’ll end up smelling like a salad.
- Use “witch hazel.”
- Apply avocado oil.
- Do an “oatmeal bath” for 20 minutes.
- If you have a blender or food processor, dump some oatmeal to turn it into a fine powder.
- Test some by adding water to see if it absorbs it
- Repeat test until it turns into a silky feeling liquid
- Add to a bathtub and fill with water; stir.
When to See Your Doctor
Razor burns in and of themselves aren’t a problem, but as stated above, they can lead to more severe conditions. Go to your doctor if it’s lasted a long time – like a few weeks without reduction, there are signs of infection such as blistering or pus. If it’s severe enough of a problem, they may prescribe an oral antibiotic or apply it to the skin to help the infection go away.