10 Most Common Shaving Mistakes To Avoid, According to a Dermatologist

Whether or not you’re too drained to hop within the bathe and use shaving cream or forgot to purchase a brand new pack of razor heads, you’ve in all probability made various widespread shaving errors (hate you, razor burn). And in the event you haven’t, effectively, think about your self fortunate.

Shaving is one thing to method with simply as a lot care as some other a part of your skin-care routine. There are a lot of ways in which shaving can go mistaken. With that in thoughts, we chatted with just a few shaving consultants to uncover the commonest errors you is perhaps making while you shave. Right here’s hoping that by the top of this text, you’ll be effectively in your method to a easy, painless shaving expertise.

The Most Frequent Shaving Errors To Keep away from

1. Not prepping the world first

Similar to face pores and skin is healthier capable of soak up merchandise when damp, physique pores and skin takes higher to shaving when the world has been prepped with heat water and steam. “It permits the hair to melt up,” says Karen Younger, the CEO and founding father of OUI the Folks.

2. Forgetting to exfoliate beforehand

In case you really feel like regardless of how a lot shaving cream you employ, or how sharp of a razor you shave with, you merely can’t get a detailed shave, useless pores and skin cells could also be in charge. In accordance with Leslie Tessler, the founding father of Hanni, a brand new shaving model, useless pores and skin cells could make eradicating physique hair extra of a problem. “Light exfoliation is an effective way to eliminate any useless pores and skin cells and impurities previous to shaving and due to this fact supporting an excellent shut shave,” she says. “That is additionally an awesome step so as to add into your routine particularly if in case you have ingrown hairs or KP, as exfoliating helps to unclog pores and smoothes pores and skin. Having the smoothest pores and skin doable earlier than shaving will assist keep away from nicks that may come from shaving an uneven pores and skin floor.”

3. Making use of pointless stress

As a lot as you might wish to take away your physique hair, making use of extra stress isn’t going to make the method go by sooner—it’s truly going to make shaving much more of a time- and energy-suck in the long term. “With any razor, pushing an excessive amount of on the pores and skin causes friction and, for a lot of, leads to irritation, ingrown hairs, and razor burn,” Tessler warns.

Whereas the kind of razor you employ helps make shaving simpler (extra on that later), Younger says that much less is extra on the subject of stress and hair elimination. “Bear in mind to maintain a light-weight contact when shaving as a result of it takes longer to heal irritation than it does to vary your blade,” she says.

4. Utilizing the mistaken razor

Whereas plastic razors are commonest, DeoDoc Intimate Skincare co-founder Hedieh Asadi, MD, recommends utilizing a males’s razor, which are usually heavier and tout sharper blades. “They supply a pointy minimize on the hair so it might develop again with out turning into ingrown,” she explains. “If the minimize is boring, the chance of ingrown hair is increased. A great razor also can assist cease post-shave irritation like razor burn.”

As for why the burden of your razor issues, Tessler says that it’s going to make making use of the right stress whereas shaving a no brainer. “The difficulty with conventional [plastic] multi-blade razors with a head that ‘pivots’ is that stress is required to get a detailed shave,” Tessler says. “With a weighted security razor, the burden of the deal with does all the work, leading to a a lot gentler, smoother and irritation-free shave.”

5. Not utilizing sufficient product to guard the pores and skin from the blade

Even in the event you use the right razor, foregoing shaving cream can result in a world of harm whereas eradicating physique hair. With that in thoughts, Tessler factors out the significance of at all times, at all times offering a layer of safety between the blade and the pores and skin. “It’s going to guarantee much less friction and decrease the danger of redness, razor burn, and irritation – and fewer nicks and cuts,” she says.

6. Shaving on dry pores and skin in a rush

To reiterate, it’s by no means, ever a good suggestion to shave with out some form of shaving cream. Whereas some razors, just like the Venus Radiant Pores and skin Pearl Powder Razor Starter Package, include a built-in conditioner, most don’t. As such, Tessler reiterates the significance of offering glide to your pores and skin earlier than you begin shaving. “I do know I’ve been responsible of speeding out in a rush, realizing I missed a spot, and unexpectedly shaving both on utterly dry pores and skin or with cleaning soap (which generally is a catastrophe to rinse off while you’re totally dressed),” she admits. “Clearly this can lead to excessive razor burn and irritation. That’s the rationale we created the shave pillow. Now we are able to have an extremely easy, hydrated, and irritation-free shave out of the bathe—with no need to rinse off.”

7. Solely shaving in a single path

Whereas we’ve lengthy been informed to shave with the grain, Younger factors out that most individuals have hair that grows in all instructions—particularly within the bikini space. “Attempt shaving up, out, in, or a mix of all three in these areas specifically,” she recommends. “Your pores and skin can be extra delicate within the bikini space so holding the pores and skin type when you shave will enable you get a better shave in fewer passes.”

That stated, one other potential mistake is shaving too many instances in too many instructions. As such, in the event you discover that you just’re experiencing extra ingrown hairs and irritation by stepping into a number of instructions, Dr. Asadi recommends solely going towards the grain as soon as.

8. Not switching out blades/cartridges usually sufficient

Greater than seemingly, we’re all responsible of utilizing an outdated razor a couple of times in our lives. That stated, it needs to be averted in any respect prices. “Not solely are boring blades much less more likely to ship a easy shave, from a hygienic perspective it’s an absolute nightmare, particularly with plastic cartridges,” Tessler says. “Simply take into consideration the truth that you’ve bought three, 4, 5 blades, with plastic in between, sitting in a moist atmosphere for lengthy intervals of time… We’ve spoken with many gynecologists who usually see bacterial infections consequently. Fortunately, utilizing a single blade avoids lots of these dangers and can be a lot inexpensive (and higher for the atmosphere) than the cumbersome cartridges, so you possibly can swap them out incessantly with out feeling responsible. Our suggestion is to change your blades each two weeks for optimum efficiency.”

9. Not caring in your blade

How you take care of your razor in between blade swaps issues, too. “Washing a razor clear of shaving merchandise and hair after shaving helps the blade to remain sharp and hygienic,” Tessler says. “Leaving residue on the blade can result in rust or construct up that might end in pores and skin irritation and cuts.”

10. Neglecting your post-shave routine

When you would possibly assume that you just’re within the clear when you end shaving and discover no nicks in your razor’s wake, Dr. Asadi says in any other case. “The world have to be correctly hydrated and brought care of for a number of days after shaving,” she says.

“Exfoliation can be an awesome technique if you wish to stop an ingrown after shaving, along with a correct shaving routine, it’s also essential to softly exfoliate the world day-after-day for one to 5 days post-shave to constantly take away useless pores and skin cells and permit the hair to develop out simply and with out barrier.”

The Takeaway

In case you get pleasure from shaving, it’s essential to place within the TLC to take action correctly. “Shaving is a trauma to the pores and skin, so when not correctly taken care of, it might trigger irritation like ingrown hairs, razor burn, and itching—particularly on extremely delicate vulvar pores and skin,” says Dr. Asadi.

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