How to prevent spots after shaving
Photos Pexels / DR
Words Paul-Arthur Jean-Marie
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If you’re tired of your skin being irritated and breaking out after shaving, you’ve come to the right place.
In the list of common shaving-related issues, spots are definitely among the top preoccupations, along with cutting yourself to ribbons, and shaving off your beard to reveal a disgraceful tan line (true story). Spots and razor bumps are indeed annoying. Post-shave breakouts feel unpleasant and leave your face looking rougher than it should. Thankfully, we’ve got a few tips to help avoid this inconvenience.
Understanding the cause of razor bumps and spots
They are generally caused by hair regrowth under the skin, i.e., ingrown hairs. After you’ve shaved, the hair is unable to break through the skin layer, and ends up growing inwards. It remains stuck and leads to many inconveniences: redness, spots, even infection. This is unfortunately more common for men with black or dark skin with curved or curly hairs. Using a low-quality razor and shaving against the grain also fosters breakouts.
How to deal with ingrown hairs
First off, please avoid trying to extract ingrown hairs with tweezers. It’s a perilous exercise, and you might end up making things worse by causing an infection, which will leave a scar. A little patience and some disinfectant (cheap whisky should be used only in extreme emergencies) can provide local relief. However, keep in mind that ingrown hairs can create cysts. In this case, we recommend seeing a dermatologist who will prescribe an appropriate medical treatment. Since there really is no miracle cure, it’s best to avoid them completely. You can do this by picking up a few simple habits.
The importance of preparing your shave
It’s a proven fact: prepared skin is a less favourable breeding ground for ingrown hairs. Cleanse your skin with a face scrub before shaving. It will help unclog your pores by removing dead skin cells and thereby make it easier for beard hair to break through the skin. Applying a warm towel to your face also helps prepare your skin for the shave and softens your hairs.
Go with the flow
If you’re only going to remember one thing, make it this: always shave with the grain. You can choose to shave against the grain if you really want to, but you’d be doing so at your own risk. Is it really worth playing with fire and getting razor burns? Shaving against the grain will undoubtedly cause ingrown hairs... You’ve been warned!
Take care of your tools
You know what they say: “quality over quantity”! If your blade is starting to feel dull, don't hesitate to replace it. Sometimes, you have to learn to say goodbye before the situation gets painful. A good blade will save you from going over the hairs several times to properly shave them. It is also best to keep your razor as clean as possible and away from bacteria by positioning the blades so that they are pointing upwards when you put it down.
A splash of cold water
Tighten your pores after shaving with a splash of cold water. Follow this up with some soothing aftershave gel to moisturise your skin and avoid irritation.
Exfoliating is a must
A few days after shaving, we recommend using a face scrub for all the benefits we mentioned above and to help bring out any potential hidden ingrown hairs. Welcome to spot-less shaving!
