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In men with a tendency toward razor bumps, ingrown hairs and similar problems, the hairs are often cut too short during shaving and may curl back into the skin rather than grow out. These ingrown hairs can cause pain, unsightly red or darkened bumps and, in severe cases, scarring.
In order to minimize shaving-related problems, there are four key points to shaving:
- Prep. Get your beard thoroughly wet and/ or apply hot towels to your beard for at least 3 minutes. This will soften the hairs and relax the skin so that there is minimal resistance while shaving.
- Lather up. Apply a good shaving cream generously and use a good shaving brush if you can.
- Shave in the direction that the hairs lie with a sharp, clean razor. Rinse often. Avoid repeating strokes.
- Relax your skin while shaving.
- Rinse with warm water to wash away leftover shaving cream. Follow up with a cold water rinse to close your pores.
- Tone and moisturize.
-from the American Academy of Dermatology (www.aad.org), and www.shavemyface.com |
