By Philip Yiga | September 11, 2018

Shaving can actually irritate your skin and this irritation may even lead to an outbreak of acne and other skin-irritations. In fact, there is nothing more painful than running a razor over an already irritated and broken-out skin. However, anyone can get comfortable and close shave even with an imperfect skin and below are some of the steps you can follow to achieve this;

 

Steps on How to Shave Without Irritating an Acne-Affected Skin:

1. Go for a warm-shower or hot towel treatment before shaving: The best shaving prep is to start with a shower to warm your hair-follicles and in-case you don’t have time then use a hot towel treatment by placing a warm-towel over skin for about 3-to-4 minutes in-order moisturize and open-up pores. However, don’t scrub your skin because this step is meant to soften not exfoliate your skin.

 

2. Choose a gentle shaving cream (alcohol-free shaving cream): You should consider using a shaving cream that doesn’t contain alcohol or any other drying ingredients. So, look for a product that is made for sensitive-skin and can lubricate your face for shaving. Additionally, if you’re having problems with frequent acne then consider asking your doctor about a prescription shaving cream that contains Benzoyl peroxide or an antibiotic that you can apply to your skin before shaving. All in all, look for shaving creams that don’t contain a lot of synthetic ingredients and instead use those containing natural-oils or emollients and use your hands to apply the shaving-cream not a shaving-brush because they can build-up bacteria over time which can cause acne.

 

3. Use a good-quality shaving-oil: Applying a preshave-oil before your shaving cream can help soften facial-hairs and even allows the razor to glide smoothly over the skin thus minimizing the chances of getting more skin-irritations while shaving. So, try massaging the oil gently into the skin while going against the grain for best results. Additionally, consider using shaving oils made with natural-oils like; jojoba, Argan or tea tree. In fact, keeping your skin moisturized is a great step in achieving a healthy skin but make sure the shaving-oil you’re using doesn’t clog your pores.

 

4. Choose the right razor/shaver: Consider using a single-blade razor instead of multi-blade razors because they tend to give a closer shave which is dangerous for sensitive-skin. However, although single-blade razors are not widely-available and require some patience to use, they will work perfectly on your sensitive acne affected skin.

 

5. Shave with the grain while using gentle downward strokes: Always to shave in the direction your hair grows (to the grain) because going against the grain increases on the possibility of nicks and opening breakouts. In fact, shaving with the grain will help to reduce irritation and make acne less likely. Additionally, don’t pull your skin taut as you shave an irritated skin and remember to use a new and sharp single blade razor every time for best shaving results.

 

6. Keep your razor clean: Rinse the razor after each stroke in-order to keep the blade free of shaving-cream and hair that may interfere with a close-shave. Additionally, consider rinsing the razor-head in rubbing-alcohol in-order to help you start each shave with a clean and bacteria-free razor.

 

7. Use gentle pressure when using an electric razor: Consider adjusting the closeness-settings of your electric-razor in-order to achieve a more gentle and comfortable shave that is required for sensitive-skin types. Additionally, don’t press too hard over the skin while shaving in-order to eliminate any skin-irritations. On the other hand, there even various electric-shavers designed for shaving sensitive-skin types and I think you should consider buying one for yourself in-case you have a skin affected by acne.

 

8. Consider using a depilatory cream rather than shaving: Depilatory creams can actually help reduce on ingrown-hairs and that’s why you may consider them as an alternative to shaving. However, remember to test the product by applying a small patch over your skin before applying it on a large area.

 

9. Rinse and hydrate: After shaving your sensitive-skin, thoroughly wash-off any remaining shaving oil or cream using warm-water. Afterwards, apply a soothing moisturizer to calm and hydrate skin. However, avoid using aftershaves and other products that contain alcohol because these may just increase on skin-irritation.