Shaving may result in skin having cuts, abrasions and irritation. These side effects can be minimised by using a sharp blade, applying plenty of lubrication and avoiding pressing down on the shaver. A shaving brush may also help prepare the skin for shaving by smoothing the skin's surface. Alternatively, you can buy a shavers which only has a single-blade or wire-wrapped blade. This will keep the blade slightly farther away from the skin.
However, if none of these suggestions work, you may have skin that cannot tolerate shaving at all. Try using an epilator which whisks hairs out from its shaft or a depilatory cream that dissolves hair above the skin's surface instead.
Cuts
Cuts from shaving can bleed for about fifteen minutes. Shaving cuts can be caused by blade movement perpendicular to the blade's cutting axis or by regular / orthogonal shaving over prominent bumps on the skin (which the blade incises).
Common methods used to stop shaving-induced bleeding include:
(1) pressing any simple alcohol onto the cut with a cotton swab until the bleeding stops.
(2) placing a small piece of tissue or toilet paper onto the cut.
(3) applying styptic pencils and styptic liquids.
(4) placing a small amount of petroleum jelly on the cut after most of the bleeding has ended. This stops the bleeding without forming a scab.
(5) applying a small amount of aluminum chlorohydrate. This is commonly found in roll-on deodorants.
Shaving in or just after a cold shower can help prevent bleeding because blood flow to the skin is reduced in these conditions due to vasoconstriction caused by the cold water.
Razor Burn vs Razor Bump
Razor burn is an irritation of the skin caused by using a blunt blade or shaving incorrectly. It appears as a mild rash 2–4 minutes after shaving, which is when hair starts to grow through sealed skin. It usually disappears after a few hours to a few days, depending on its severity.
A rash at the time of shaving is usually a sign of lack of lubrication. Razor burn is a common problem especially among those who shave coarse hairs on areas with sensitive skin like the bikini line, pubic hair, underarms, chest and beard. The condition can be made worse by shaving with a blunt blade, dry shaving, applying too much pressure when shaving, shaving too quickly or roughly and shaving against the grain.
Ways to prevent razor burn include keeping the skin moist, using a shaving brush, using a moisturising shaving gel, shaving in the direction of the hair growth, resisting the urge to shave too closely, applying minimal pressure, avoiding scratching after shaving, avoiding irritating products on the shaved area like perfumes and using an aftershave cream with aloe vera or other emollients.
It is good to prepare the skin for shaving by cleansing the area to be shaved with a wash containing salicylic acid, to facilitate the removal of oils and dead skin. Putting a warm, wet cloth on one's skin helps as well, by softening hairs. This can also be done by using pre-shave oil before the application of shaving cream. One other technique involves exfoliating the skin before and after shaving, using various exfoliating products like bath mitts and luffas. This process removes dead skin cells, reducing the potential for ingrown hairs and allowing the razor to glide across the skin smoothly decreasing the risk of the razor snagging or grabbing causing razor burn.
In severe cases, razor burn can also be accompanied by razor bumps, where the area around shaved hairs get raised red welts or infected pustules. Pseudofolliculitis barbae (razor bumps) is a medical term for persistent inflammation caused by shaving.
Myths
Shaving does not cause hair to grow back thicker, coarser or darker. It may appear this way as a cut hair has no taper. The fact that shorter hairs are harder than longer hairs also contributes to this myth.
Hair may appear darker after it grows back because hair that has never been cut is often lighter due to sun exposure. In addition, as humans grow older hair tends to grow coarser and in more places on the face and body. For example, a teenager may start shaving their face or legs at around 16, but as they age hair will start to grow more abundantly and thicker, leading some to believe this was due to the shaving, but in reality is just part of the ageing process.
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