Don’t Leave Your Razor in the Shower – and Eight Other Rules for Shaving
People are obsessed with hair. We love it; we hate it; we want more of it; we want less of it; we sometimes dye it green.
Many of us shave it too. We shave legs, faces, armpits, groins, breasts, toes. You name it – someone with vision and courage has taken a razor to it.
But depending on your skin, hair texture and shaving technique, you could end up smooth as a balloon or covered in annoying red bumps.
So we asked experts for the do’s and don’ts of shaving. While these are general guidelines, experts stress that if you decide to shave, it’s important to pay attention to how your own skin reacts and what works for you.
“If someone is experiencing a lot of razor burn, it may be time to take a break, find something to treat it, or improve their shaving habits,” says Dr. Angelo Landriscina, a board-certified dermatologist.
Please consider how sensitive the area is
Not all skin on the body is the same, explains Dr. Jenny Liu, a board-certified dermatologist in Minneapolis. The skin on our legs, for example, is thicker than the skin in our armpits or around our groin, which is thinner and more sensitive.
More sensitive areas should be treated with more care when shaving, says Dr. Liu. The best ways to do this include “sharper razors, thicker shaving cream, and shaving in the direction of hair growth to minimize irritation.”
DO NOT shave against the grain
This may be the most basic shaving wisdom, passed down from one hairless generation to the next, but it’s still worth repeating: shave with the grain. That is, move your razor in the same direction as the hair grows.
While shaving against the grain can result in a closer shave, it also “significantly increases the risk of trauma to the skin,” says Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky, a board-certified dermatologist in Mississippi. This can result in ingrown hairs, where a hair curls up and grows back into the skin, causing pain, irritation, inflammation, and possibly infection.
USE shaving foam
Before you begin, apply shaving cream or another form of lubrication to the area that will wet the hair and allow for a smoother glide over the skin, says Dr. Muneeb Shah, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Remedy Skincare. While a shaving cream or gel is ideal, lubricants like hair conditioner can also help soften the hair and skin and act as a barrier to prevent nicks in the skin, he says.
DO NOT USE a razor with too many blades
While many razors have multiple blades for a closer shave, that’s not always ideal. More blades can mean more damage to the skin, says Zubritsky. “Single-blade razors are the least likely to cause trauma,” she says.
Also, try not to go over the same area too many times with a single-blade razor. As Liu explains, fewer strokes over the skin means less irritation.
Replace your blades regularly
How quickly razors dull depends on a number of factors, including frequency of use, the size of the area being treated, and the coarseness of the hair being shaved. “I would follow the instructions on the packaging, and if a razor starts to feel like it’s dragging or making more nicks, it’s time to toss it,” says Landriscina.
As a rule of thumb, Zubritsky recommends replacing the blades after five to ten uses.
DO NOT store your razor in the shower
This is a tough one. But it turns out that storing your metal knives in a warm, humid environment is not the best idea.
“Our shower is one of the most humid and wet places in our home,” says Zubritsky. “This leads to an increased risk of our razor blades rusting, which can affect the quality of our shave.
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She also notes that moist environments are “a perfect breeding ground for mold and bacteria,” meaning storing your razor in the shower can increase your risk of infection.
Yet even experts have trouble sticking to this rule.
“You shouldn’t keep it in the shower,” says Shah. “But I admit I do.”
Take good care of your skin
Even gentle shaving can damage the skin, so it’s important to take good care of your skin between shaves.
“It’s essential to exfoliate regularly to remove dead skin cells and prevent ingrown hairs,” says Liu. She also recommends moisturizing after shaving to soothe the skin.
DO NOT shave if it irritates your skin
Experts advise people not to shave if they have certain conditions, such as severe eczema, acne or keloids. And don’t shave an area with open wounds or a skin infection.
Zubitsky also advises against shaving if you have viral warts, as you may spread the warts to other areas.
People with curly or coily hair textures may also be more prone to ingrown hairs, Landriscina says. He notes that black men in particular are more likely to develop a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae, where “recurrent ingrown hairs can result in large breakouts and even scarring in the beard area.”
For people who suffer from ingrown hairs, electric shavers can be helpful because they don’t cut the hairs as close, Landriscina says.
CONSIDER OTHER HAIR REMOVAL TECHNIQUES IF YOU NEED
If shaving consistently irritates your skin and you still want to remove hair, consider other methods such as waxing, depilatory creams, or laser hair removal.
Each of these has its own pros and cons, says Zubritsky. “I recommend talking to your dermatologist to see which one is best for you.”
And remember, if you don’t want to remove your hair, you don’t have to.
“Hair removal is more of a societal preference than something the average person has to do,” says Landriscina.