Shaving With Acne: The Right Way To Do It And Some Useful Tips

1. Cleanse Your Face With Warm Water

The process of shaving must always begin with washing your face with warm water. The hot and humid water opens the skin pores and softens your beard. Use a gentle facial cleanser, preferably antibacterial, to wash the face.

This will also help in keeping your acne in check. Acne is caused due to bacterial infestation. If you wash your face with warm water, you are clearing up your skin and preventing the spread of bacteria possible while shaving.

2. Apply A Hydrating Shaving Cream

To soften the blow of the razor, it is important that you create a barrier between your skin and the razor blade. And that is where shaving cream helps you. But, you have to specific about the shaving cream you use when you have acne. There are tons of shaving creams available in the market, but for acne-prone skin you need a non-comedogenic shaving cream. A non-comedogenic shaving cream is one that won't block your pores.

Blocked pores are one of the major reasons behind acne and a shaving cream that clogs your pores will only make things worse. Apply a hydrating non-comedogenic shaving cream on your face and lather up! To make it more effective, let the shaving cream sit on your skin for a few seconds before pulling the razor out.

3. Shave Around The Danger Zone

Now that you are ready to shave, start shaving with small and gentle strokes. Start with the areas that are acne-free. Leave the hot spots for the last. Shave around the danger zones without putting too much pressure on the razor. The razor should gently touch your skin.

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4. Run The Razor Under Hot Water

Bacteria spread by unclean tools will do no good for you acne. While you are shaving, your razor collects a ton of bacteria, which isn't good news for acne-prone skin. To prevent the spread of bacteria and keep your skin clean, it is important that the tools you use, aka your razors, are washed at regular intervals. After you are done shaving a patch of your skin, make sure you run the razor under hot water, shake it off and proceed further. This will sterilize the razor.

5. Save The Zits For The Last

After shaving all the area around the acne, it is time to tackle the main portion. Clean your razor and very gently graze over the acne-infected area. Using very short and light strokes do as closer a job as you can without irritating the skin. If you don't get a close shave the first time, don't fret. Let your skin breathe and try for a better shave the next time. All you need to keep in mind is not to aggravate the acne.

After you are done with the process, wash your face with cool water and pat dry

6. Follow Your After-Shave Routine

After the harsh process of shaving, your skin feels extremely dry. Dryness is not a good thing, especially when you have acne. So, apply an after shave on the skin after you are done. After shave adds the much-need moisture back to your skin. This helps to calm down any inflammation and irritation caused by shaving.

Get a after shave that is alcohol-free and non-comedogenic. Alcohol sucks the moisture of your skin and the comedogenic product clogs the pores, both of which are bad news for your acne-prone skin.

And that is how you shave with acne. Now, moving on to some important tips that will make the process of shaving with acne even more smooth.

Important Tips You Need To Know

1. The Quality Of Your Razor Matters

If you have been shaving for long, you know what a difference a good quality razor can make. There are various kinds of razors available today. Many of them promise a close shave but not all of the are gentle on the skin. A razor that causes more friction will only end up worsening the acne.

You should always use a good quality razor anyways whether you have acne or ot. But, with acne it becomes extremely important to get a good quality razor that will be gentle on your skin. So, our first tip for you is to invest in a good quality razor.

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2. Use Sharp Blades

A blunt razor that takes two to three strikes to give you a good shave would only harm your skin. With your skin inflamed with acne, if you keeping on grazing the razor on the akin, your acne will only worsen. So, it is best to get sharp blades that get the work done in one swipe without any fuzz.

3. Shave With The Grain

Shaving with the grain means that you should shave in the direction of the hair growth. Shaving in opposite direction or two directions cause the hair tips of the hair to be blunt and also lead to ingrown hair, which will make the healing process a tad bit difficult.

4. Shave With Caution

Do not blindly shave when you have acne. Take a good look in the mirror and pinpoint the areas where the situation is worse. Be very cautious when dealing with these areas. Use short and gentle strokes to shave your skin and also do not put a ton of pressure on the razor.

5. Shave Less Often

If you like to be clean-shaven, shaving is a process that is a daily task for you. While shaving is good for your skin as it exfoliates the skin, it also strips the moisture of your skin. To deal with acne, as much as you need the dead skin and the build-up to be taken off, it is also extremely important to keep the skin hydrating. Shaving everyday might be making your skin extremely dry and that could hamper the healing process of the skin. So, allow your skin to breathe and shave less often.

6. Don't Rush The Process

When dealing with acne, you require immense patience. Shaving might be a regular task for you that takes you about 5 minutes a day. But, with acne you run the risk of irritating the skin if you try to rush things. So, when you are hurry, it is better not to shave. Shave only when you ample time.

7. Use The Products That Are Meant For Your Skin

The shaving cream and the after-shave you use come for all skin types. If you have acne, chances are you have oily skin or sensitive skin. Using products that aren't meant for your skin not only aggravates the issue but also does not good in protecting your skin. So, when buying any skincare product, ensure that you are getting one that is meant for your skin.