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How to shave your face without irritation

6 min read

To shave without irritation, soften the hair first (after a shower, or with a warm damp cloth), use shaving cream or gel, shave in the direction the hair grows with a sharp blade, then rinse and moisturize. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) gives these steps for avoiding razor bumps and burns. If bumps keep coming back after you change your routine, it says to see a board-certified dermatologist.

This is general grooming advice from health bodies, not medical advice. Skin varies a lot, and what works for one face can sting on another.

Before you shave

Soften the hair. The AAD says to wet your skin and hair first to soften it, and that a great time to shave is right after a shower. Its razor bump page also suggests a warm compress for five minutes, or shaving at the end of a shower.

Wash first. For bump-prone skin, the AAD's razor bump page says to wash your skin with a non-comedogenic cleanser (one made not to clog pores) beforehand.

Know which way your hair grows. Look in a mirror and pull the skin taut. The hair on your cheeks, neck and chin often grows in different directions. If yours grows in several, the AAD says you can brush it daily with a clean, soft-bristle toothbrush to train it to grow one way.

While you shave

  1. Use shaving cream or gel, even with an electric razor, and keep the skin wet. The AAD says to choose a cream labeled "sensitive skin" if yours is very dry or sensitive, and its razor bump page says never to dry shave.
  2. Use a sharp blade. The AAD says to change your blade or throw away disposable razors after 5 to 7 shaves. For electric razors, one AAD page says to clean them every 5 to 7 shaves, and another says to replace the foils and blades as the manufacturer advises. The NHS says to use a sharp razor, not a blunt one.
  3. Go with the grain. The AAD says to shave in the direction the hair grows. Its razor bump page adds short strokes, no pressing hard and no more than two passes over each area. Rinse the razor after each stroke.
  4. Don't pull or stretch your skin while shaving. The AAD says either can cause new razor bumps or worsen existing ones.
  5. Skip the very close shave if you're prone to ingrown hairs. The NHS says to leave at least 1 mm of stubble rather than shaving very close.

Which razor?

The AAD's skin care page says that if you often get razor bumps, burns or ingrown hairs, you can try a single- or double-blade razor. The NHS lists an electric razor as an option for preventing ingrown hairs. If you have acne, the AAD suggests trying electric and disposable razors to see which your skin prefers, shaving lightly, and never shaving over spots.

After you shave

How often to shave

The advice splits a little here, and it helps to know why. The AAD's razor bump page says to shave daily, or at least every 2 to 3 days, so hair has less time to curve back into the skin. The NHS, writing about ingrown hairs, says not to shave every day if you can avoid it. If you're getting bumps, test one approach for a few weeks and see what your skin does. Changing three things at once tells you nothing.

Razor bumps and ingrown hairs

The AAD says razor bumps form when a razor cuts hairs short and coarse, curly hairs then curve back into the skin, which reacts. It lists men with coarse, curly hair and men with darker skin tones as especially prone.

What the sources say helps:

Razor burn

Razor burn is the red, stinging skin after a shave. The AAD pages above don't give separate razor burn steps beyond the technique tips (go with the grain, sharp blade, shaving cream, no dry shaving). If your skin is raw, giving it a few days off from the razor is a common-sense approach, but that's advice rather than something either source states.

When to see a doctor

If shaving never works for you

Shaving isn't compulsory. Trimming with a guard, or keeping a short beard, avoids close shaving, and the AAD says growing out your hair can clear razor bumps. Preferences about facial hair vary widely between people, so choose what suits your skin and your face. Nobody can tell you a single right answer.

What to do next

  1. Check your blade tonight. If you can't remember the last time you changed it, change it. Mark the date on the handle or in your phone, and swap every 5 to 7 shaves.
  2. Shave right after a shower for the next two weeks, or hold a warm damp cloth on your face for five minutes first.
  3. Find your grain. Pull the skin taut in a mirror and note which way the hair grows on cheeks, jaw and neck. Shave that way.
  4. Limit yourself to two passes per area, with light pressure and no stretching of the skin.
  5. Finish with a cool cloth for five minutes, then rinse and moisturize.
  6. Give a change four weeks before you judge it. If bumps persist, book a dermatologist.

Shaving is one step in the grooming checklist, and skincare for guys covers the cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen that sit around it. A haircut that suits your face shape and the rest of how to be more attractive are the next things to look at.

Sources