Razor burn and ingrown facial hairs are uncomfortable, to say the least. Razor burn can affect anyone who shaves any part of their body, including their face. These types of skin irritations are often the culprit of improper shaving techniques. Razor burn and ingrown hairs are often caused by shaving too close to the skin. Another issue that often pops up is shaving with a dull razor and not prepping the skin beforehand. If you choose to skip steps, you are risking further skin abrasions. Luckily, the burn of the shave can be avoided. Below are a few techniques to help you get rid of those pesky bumps, leaving your skin silky smooth every time.
Have you thought about acid?
To be the best shaved QMan, you will need to take a leap of faith. Okay, hear us out before you automatically say no to this idea. A day or two before shaving, it is a good idea to use a salicylic-based product. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid that helps exfoliate or peel skin cells. It works by attacking the oil glands to help unclog those annoying pores. The acid also works to alleviate razor bumps and flake off dead skin cells. This process may sound intense, but it helps any ingrown hairs make their way out of the pores and reduce any bumps that have formed. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), it can also help treat acne.
You can also try glycolic acid, which is said to also help peel the skin. To help your skin avoid excess clogging, it may be a good idea to search for products that contain one of these ingredients. A number of products contain salicylic or glycolic acid, including cleansers, toners, and lotions, which can be found almost anywhere.
Why tweezing will be your new best friend.
The Quintessential Man or QMan is dedicated to making himself the best he can be even when he is suffering from a facial burn. While tweezing may not have crossed your mind before if you happen to see a visible hair, plucking it out with a sterile, pointed tweezer isn’t such a bad idea. Removing the trapped hair could get rid of the razor bump quickly and with little to no pain.
You should always make sure to sterilize the tweezers with alcohol before touching your face. It is important to note that you should only try to tweeze if you can see the hair in question. If the ingrown hair is still hidden below the skin’s surface, tweezing could worsen the issue since tweezers can injure your skin. So make sure that you can see the hair and that everything has been cleaned, or you may have a bigger irritation like an infection to deal with. Also, it goes without saying, but don’t try to pop the pustule, no matter how tempting or cathartic it may be.
Try a scrub.
Sometimes the simplest solutions are in your medicine cabinet. You can easily remove dead skin cells by applying a light scrub to your face and working your hands in a circular motion. Department store scrubs often contain salt or sugar that helps to exfoliate your skin. The scrub is meant to remove debris and ingrown hairs from your face painlessly. Make sure you do a patch test before using it on your own skin since some scrubs can have a rough texture. Those who have sensitive skin often will become irritated and red, so always use it with caution.
While there will always be challenges that come with shaving your face, at least now you can attack most of them head-on with these helpful tips.
