We’ve all heard the term “razor burn,” but what is it? What causes it? Above all, how do we get rid of it if it happens to us? A razor burn can be as mild as a sunburnt-looking spot on your body where you’ve shaved, to severe skin irritation and even infection.
Often others can’t even see razor burn, but even if that’s true, if you ever get a razor burn, you’ll definitely feel the burning sensation. Sometimes you will nick or cut the shaved area and it will look like a mild rash. Or you may be one of those people who get something known as itchiness as a result of shaving. This is a raised pustule or wheal. If you are black or have very curly hair… shaving follicles can become inflamed, this is called Pseudofolliculitis.
We will now go over the reasons why razor rash occurs, the symptoms of razor rash, and the solutions to prevent and cure it.
First, let’s list the reasons why skin rash occurs:
- The razor blade is dull or dirty
- You are not using any lubricant or the wrong lubricant for your skin
- You are shaving in the wrong direction. Yes, it’s important to shave with hair growth and not the other way around.
- When you shave, you press too hard, thinking that maybe you’ll get the hair shaft this way and have a cleaner, smoother shave.
- You shave too often. Young men and anxious women will do this shave up to 3-4 times a day.
- You are using disposable razors: they are more likely to cause problems
- We have chosen a shaving product that has skin irritants such as; dye, alcohol and fragrance
- After shaving you cover the area with cologne or thicken it with aftershave lotions and creams
Symptoms of razor rash:
- fire
- itching
- Bread
- Swelling
- Redness of the skin
- bumps in the area where you shaved
- Rough looking appearance
- Sometimes sores or pustules
Prevention:
The goal of preventing razor burn is to make sure that when you shave you’re not shaving anything but the hair. Here are some steps to take that should decrease the chance of razor burn:
- Make sure your skin is healthy. This means cleaning and caring for your skin.
- Bathe the area to be shaved before shaving with a mild soap
- Use a gentle exfoliator – You can use a loofah, shower scrubber, or even a mild chemical exfoliator that contains salicylic acid. This will remove oil, dead skin, and dirt and make your skin razor-smooth.
- Place a warm, wet washcloth on your face for a few minutes or soften your hair by applying lotion for a few minutes.
- The last thing that could be the cure for this is this. The tried and true shaving brush with shaving soap. This brushes the air, lubricates and allows for an excellent, close shave with little chance of razor burn.
- Do not shave in the wrong direction, always with hair growth.
- Don’t pull your skin to tighten
- Use new blades, at least every week, and rinse the blade frequently while shaving.
- Try using an electric razor
- When you finish shaving, close the pores with a piece of ice rubbed on the skin. If you have sensitive skin, you can try cold water or alcohol, but alcohol is very drying.
Home remedies and cures for razor burns:
- Stop shaving: Give your skin time to heal and your hair to grow back. Razor burn will go away on its own
- Use a mild aftershave balm.
- Eat a diet rich in vitamin C, this can help heal razor burns
If your skin burns you can:
- use aloe vera
- use witch hazel
- Tree oil creams and sprays
- Use apple cider vinegar
- Use a paste of two simple aspirin made with water. Leave on for ten minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water.
- Make a mask with aloe vera or strawberries in plain yogurt or sour cream. Leave on for ten minutes and rinse with lukewarm water.
- Apply potato skins to burns.
- When you are at home, soothe the burn with Vaseline.
You’ve tried all these cures and a hundred others and you still have the problem of razor burn. That’s when you look for alternative ways to remove your body hair. There are many hair removal products, some are: powders, wax, creams, sugar solutions, lasers, and simply asking a barber to do it with a razor.