Every man has experienced at one time or another ingrown hairs or razor bumps from shaving.
Typically razor burn and ingrown hairs are caused by one thing: cutting the hairs much too close to the skin, or in some cases, below the skin.
When hairs are cut below the surface of the skin they tend to either irritate the skin as they grow out causing razor bumps, or, become trapped under the skin causing painful ingrown hairs.
Cutting the hairs below the skin is very common and is usually caused by the person doing the shaving (i.
e.
you).
Luckily, cutting the hairs too short can be easily avoided by ensuring the following precautions are taken.
Prior to shaving take a moment to warm up the hairs on your face with hot water.
Either take a shower prior to shaving or hold a hot wash cloth to the skin for at least a minute.
This process softens the hairs and makes them easier to cut.
The easier hairs are to cut the lower the chances there are of the razor pulling the hairs too close to the cutting edge and cutting the hairs too short.
Also be sure to use a really rich shaving cream to further soften the hairs.
If you have the time, let the shaving cream sit for a minute prior to shaving also to ensure that those hairs get as soft as possible.
When shaving you should always use a sharp razor.
It doesn't always have to be new but it certainly should not be the one you've been using for the last month.
Dull razors tug on hairs rather than slice them.
When the hair is tugged, it pulls the hair closer the blades allowing a successive blade (in a multi-bladed razor) to cut the hair much too short.
A sharp razor will prevent this from happening.
More blades do not necessarily result in a better shave.
It seems these days that every week there is a new brand of razor on the market boasting that it has yet another blade to ensure a close shave.
While these types of razors do provide a close shave sometimes that shave can be too close resulting in unsightly razor bumps.
Don't always believe that more is better.
Another thing men do that causes hairs to be cut to short is apply pressure to the razor as they glide it along the skin of the face.
This is totally unnecessary and is asking for trouble.
The blade of the razor should do all the work for you.
There is no need to apply pressure.
Applying pressure simply forces hairs tighter to the blade resulting in hairs cut much too short.
Lastly, avoid over stretching the skin in the area that you're shaving.
While the area that you are shaving should be taught, it should not be stretched so tight that the hairs stick out straight out.
When hairs stick out straight they are going to get cut much too short and cause razor bumps.
The most common place that men do this is on their necks.
If you push your chin out so far that the skin on your neck is tight as a drum then your stretching too much.
Loosen up a little and let the razor do it is work.