Humans are obsessed with hair. We love it; we hate it; we want more of it; we want less of it; we dye it green sometimes.
Many of us also shave it. We shave legs, faces, armpits, crotches, chests, toes. You name it – someone with vision and courage has taken a razor to it.
But depending on one’s skin, hair texture and technique, shaving can leave us smooth like a balloon or covered in angry red bumps.
So, we asked experts for the dos and don’ts of shaving. While these are general guidelines, experts emphasize that, if you choose to shave, it’s important to pay attention to how your own skin reacts and what works for you.
“If someone is getting a lot of shave irritation, it might be time to take a break, find something to treat it or improve shaving practices,” says Dr Angelo Landriscina, a board-certified dermatologist.
DO 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 need to be treated with greater care during shaving, says Dr Liu. The best ways to do this include “using sharper razors, thicker shaving cream and shaving in the direction of hair growth to minimize irritation”.
DON’T shave against the grain
This may be the most basic piece of shaving wisdom, passed down from one hair-free generation to the next, but it still bears repeating: shave with the grain. That is, you should move your razor in the same direction the hair is growing.
While shaving against the direction of hair growth can result in a smoother 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, leading to pain, irritation, inflammation and possibly infection.
DO use shaving cream
Apply shaving cream to the area before you begin, or another form of lubrication that wets the hair and allows for a smoother glide along the skin, says Dr Muneeb Shah, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Remedy skincare. While a shaving cream or gel is ideal, lubricating products like hair conditioner can also help to soften the hair and skin, and serve as a barrier to prevent nicks to the skin, he says.
DON’T use a razor with too many blades
While many razors boast multiple blades for a closer shave, this isn’t always ideal. More razors can mean more damage to the skin, says Zubritsky. “Single blade razors are the least likely to induce trauma,” she says.
Don’t try to go over the same area too many times with a single-blade razor either. As Liu explains, fewer passes over the skin mean less irritation.
DO regularly swap your blades
How quickly razors dull depends on a number of factors, like frequency of use, size of the area covered and the coarseness of the hair being shaved. “I would follow package instructions and if a razor starts to feel like it’s starting to produce drag or more cuts, time to throw it out,” says Landriscina.
As a rule of thumb, Zubritsky says she generally recommends swapping blades every five to 10 uses.
DON’T keep your razor in the shower
This is a tough one. But it turns out keeping your metal blades in a warm, damp environment isn’t the best idea.
“Our shower is one of the most moist and humid parts of our house,” says Zubritsky. “This leads to increased risk of our razors 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 fungus and bacteria”, which means that keeping your razor in the shower can increase your risk of infection.
Still, even experts struggle to adhere to this rule.
“You shouldn’t keep it in the shower,” says Shah. “But I’ll admit I do.”
DO take care of your skin
Even gentle shaving causes some trauma to the skin, so it’s important to care for it between groomings.
“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.
DON’T shave if it irritates your skin
Experts recommend people avoid shaving if they have certain conditions like severe eczema, acne or keloids. And do not shave an area with open wounds or a skin infection.
Zubitsky also doesn’t recommend shaving if you have viral warts, because if you shave over them, “you can potentially spread the warts to other locations”.
People with more curly or coiled hair textures may also be more prone to ingrown hairs, says Landriscina. He notes that Black men in particular are more likely to develop a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae, in which “recurrent ingrown hairs can result in large breakouts and even scarring in the beard area”.
For those who struggle with ingrown hairs, electric razors can be helpful because they don’t cut the hair quite as close, says Landriscina.
DO consider other hair removal techniques if you need to
If shaving is consistently irritating your skin and you still want to practise hair removal, consider other methods, such as waxing, depilatory creams or laser hair removal.
Each of these comes with their own pros and cons, Zubritsky says. “I recommend speaking with your dermatologist to see which one is right for you.”
And remember that if you don’t want to remove your hair, you don’t have to.
“Hair removal is more of a societal preference than something that the average person must do,” says Landriscina.