Spa Girl Beauty Tips

How to Avoid Razor Burn

You shave to make your skin look better–smooth, hair-free, sleek. So the last thing that you want is to whisk the razor over your legs and raise up an ugly red rash. Unfortunately, a lot of women do just that when they shave incorrectly. Some women slap on soap and quickly shave over it, and end up with chafed, red skin–also known as razor burn.

Razor burn is actually a skin irritation. When you shave, you’re basically peeling off part of your epidermis–the top layer of skin. The redness is a normal response to tissue injury. Blood flow increases to the area to heal the wound, and blood vessels dilate and become red.

Razor burn is hard to get rid of, every time you shave again, you re-irritate your skin.

Here’s some tips to avoid razor burn in the future: (source tips from: http://www.mothernature.com)

• Stop Shaving – One way to avoid razor burn is to stop shaving. If that’s not your preferred option, women doctors offer these tips for taking the redness and itching out of shaving.
• Reach for hydrocortisone or Salicylic Acid,- Reduce embarrassing redness by immediately applying a dab of 1 percent hydrocortisone cream (try Intaglios Soothing Cream) to the area after you shave. It will take the redness, sting and irritation right down. Hydrocortisone constricts blood vessels, so less blood flows to the area–meaning less redness. Salicyclic Acid products such as PFB Vanish will also Treat shaver / razor burns.
• Lubricate skin after you shave. A moisturizing body lotion will help reduce dryness and itchiness after shaving. (try MD Skincare Hydrating Body Emulsion)
• Shave after you bathe. Next time you shave, give irritated skin a break by making sure that it’s well-hydrated before you graze a razor over it. The best time to shave is after a shower or bath. Your skin won’t be dry, and your hairs will soften and stand up, so shaving will be less traumatic.
• Drop the soap. People with razor-sensitive skin should stick with a shaving cream/oil that contains aloe or some other soothing ingredient. Shaving cream/lotions and oils are a real help, put it on after you bathe, when your skin and hair are already soft. Then, leave the product on for another couple of minutes to soften your hair even more before you shave. (try American Crew’s Lubricating Shave Oil)
• Shave it down. Shave hair in the direction that it grows–in a downward motion. This won’t irritate the hair follicles as much as if you’re shaving upward against short, bristly hairs.
• Switch to other hair removal techniques. If you know that you’re prone to razor bumps, consider using a lotion depilatory or waxing.
• Replace your razor. You get a close shave with double-edge razors and disposables–so close that they can really irritate your skin and traumatize hair follicles. And the duller they get, the more irritating they become–like a rake dragged over your skin. Toss a disposable razor and break out a new one after three or four uses or replace the blade after three or four uses in a nondisposable handle.

When To See A Doctor
If razor burn or bumps don’t seem to heal in a few days, or if they look at all infected, see a doctor. Any signs of pus, increased swelling, heat in the area or throbbing are clues that infection may have set in.

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Tags: American Crew, Intaglio Skin Care, pfb vanish, razor burn, skeyndor

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