How To Stop The Itch After Shaving

There's aught worse than your legs itching like crazy after shaving. As it turns out, information technology'southward a pretty common problem to have. "Shaving causes the hair follicles to get irritated, and later on shaving, the hair follicles continue to grow under the peel, thus causing irritation, itchiness, or painful reddish bumps," says dermatologist Dr. Annie Gonzalez. "Shaving incorrectly, folliculitis, or razor burn can also cause the pare to crawling afterward shaving."

Whether it's from dry peel, irritating skin products, or a boring razor, information technology'due south nada a little extra time spent on your skincare routine can't fix.

Below, dermatologist provide a scattering of tips for beating the itch, mail service-shave.

Choose Products That Moisturize

"Usually itchy skin from shaving is due to chemic or mechanical irritation, and occurs well-nigh often in those with more prominent follicles," says Dr. Jordan C. Carqueville, MD, the medical director at The Derm Institute of Chicago. "Those with a little extra pare that surrounds the entry point of the follicle will see buildup effectually the follicle, non over it. Shaving can exist very irritating to those piffling pare 'mountains.' "

Carqueville says that, considering this post-shave itch often affects those with sensitive skin, information technology should exist treated accordingly. A loftier alcohol content in shaving gel or cream or aftershave may dry skin out, causing it to itch or feel tight. Fragrances and other ingredients may be irritating or cause an allergic reaction, ranging from mild to severe.

Choose products containing lilliputian to no alcohol if you can. Instead, look for moisturizing and soothing ingredients like aloe vera, natural oils, vitamin E, and glycerin.

Ursa Major Stellar Shave Cream $26.00

Shop

If fragrance tends to irritate your skin, opt for fragrance-costless products or those with essential oils or natural fragrance. However, we can be allergic or sensitive to any ingredient, man-made or natural. And what causes a reaction for 1 person may not for another.

Instead of using aftershave to soothe and refresh postal service-shave, try using cool water (it's gentler). Finish your shower past switching to cold h2o or splash some on at the sink.

If you lot prefer an aftershave, choose one with ingredients that fight bacteria to help forestall pimples and ingrown hairs.

Rinse, But Don't Rub

Remaining shaving cream or gel might cause redness, dryness, and itchiness post-shave. Be certain to rinse your pare thoroughly, making sure all traces of product are gone. After coming out of the shower or bathroom, pat pare dry with a towel instead of rubbing, which can crusade further irritation.

Avert Drying Products

Deodorants and deodorant soaps are strong bacteria fighters, merely they tin really strip pare of natural oils and zap moisture. Moisturizing deodorant soaps with natural and essential oils help prevent odor without stripping your skin. Deodorants with foam bases tend to be gentler and provide some ingredients to hydrate and furnish over watery curlicue-on and spray deodorants, where booze is often the showtime ingredient.

Similarly, fragrant products tin can likewise crusade irritation. "Use fragrance costless products later shaving on the legs if your skin gets irritated from fragrance," advises Gonzalez. "You should too look for products that do not contain booze, equally a high corporeality of alcohol in products may crusade the skin to crawling or experience dry. Also, e'er moisturize later on shaving. If you practice not moisturize after shaving, the peel will be dry, which often leads to itching."

Never Skip Mail service-Shave Products

Shaving exfoliates skin, and nosotros actually need to moisturize and protect information technology afterward. Dry skin often leads to itching. Using a couple drops of pre-shaving oil nether shaving foam or gel non merely provides moisture ability, simply helps create another barrier on the skin, allowing the razor to glide instead of tug. End off with a moisturizing aftershave lotion, oil, or balm.

Well-hydrated skin will non just feel smoother, it volition look it, likewise. Without moisturizing, skin can become dry out and flaky, again, leading to itchiness.

Dr. Bronner'southward Organic Lavender Lotion for Hand & Torso $ten.00

Shop

Fifty-fifty between shaving, moisturizing can soften your skin. In areas with thicker pilus, like the underarms or bikini zone, hair is more fibroid and tin can poke you until the next shave. A daily dose of balm or oil might help soften hair a bit, making it less prickly. Or, when you lot're in the shower, y'all tin likewise use a little bit of conditioner to soften the hair. Just brand sure to rinse it off.

Opt for Warm (Not Hot) H2o

Hot water might feel adept in the bath or shower, but it depletes skin moisture. Use warm water instead. Hot tubs, tanning beds, or a lot of straight sunlight tin likewise cause itch and irritation to freshly-shaved skin. The high chlorine content in pools and hot tubs, along with the high temperatures, are non skin friendly. "Hot water while showering and shaving can reduce the peel'south moisture content, leading to dryness and irritation," says Gonzalez. "Shower with lukewarm water instead. Y'all should avoid hot tubs and swimming pools after shaving, as chlorine can crusade itchy, red skin."

Tanning, either by bed or beach, can crusade nasty burns non to mention dry, itchy, flaky skin.

Endeavor a Chemic Exfoliant

Exfoliating can help reduce the itch, as long as y'all programme ahead.

"At bed time, utilize a lotion or pads that contain a mild acidic component — lactic or salicylic acid — then that in the morning, if you shave it won't sting as bad," says Carqueville. The acids, she explains, will reduce buildup around the pore so that when you shave, the irritation will be minimized.

Article of clothing Loose Wear Post-Shave

"Do not habiliment tight-plumbing fixtures wearing apparel, as the friction of your shaven skin rubbing against apparel tin irritate the pare," says Gonzalez.

As Gonzalez explains, hair provides some protection from chafing and rubbing. When it'south gone, peel is more than susceptible to chafing from dress that rub against your skin. The friction created from hairless thighs rubbing together when wearing a brim sans hose (especially when information technology'southward hot or humid) can too crusade discomfort.

And be certain to take note of whether the problem is getting worse, which Carqueville says could be indicative of a deeper problem. "Watch out for pustules or painful red bumps, every bit that tin be a sign of bacterial infection," she says.

Soothe Your Skin

Aloe vera gel not simply soothes peel, but it helps remove any stinging. Using gel directly from an aloe institute is the all-time mode to go. If not, brand sure the store-bought gel you lot apply really contains aloe vera and not but green coloring. We're fractional to Sun Bum's Cool Down Hydrating Later on Lord's day Gel, $10.

Key Ingredients

Aloe vera is a naturally derived ingredient known for its soothing and moisturizing properties. The aloe establish's inner gel mucilage (the part that'south used in skincare products) is made upward of up to 99.five% water.

Another soothing ingredient? Hydrocortisone. Hydrocortisone cream is like shooting fish in a barrel to pick up at the drugstore (run into this version by Walgreens, $5) and works for most people quickly. It's hydrating, merely it also contains medication to help finish whatever itching ASAP.

Key Ingredients

Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid, a medicine that reduces inflammation. It'southward a common anti-inflammatory treatment for skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, and is bachelor both over-the-counter and every bit a prescription.

If your legs or bikini zone are in desperate need of some moisture, opt for a squeamish soak in an oatmeal bath, which is sure to provide relief. There'south a reason why babies with diaper rash and people with chicken pox soak in oatmeal baths. Don't let the fancy name confuse you: It's simply ground upwards oatmeal. Y'all can buy colloidal oatmeal at the shop—like Aveeno'due south Soothing Bathroom Treatment, $ix—or y'all can make it at home (as long as you follow a recipe).

Cardinal Ingredients

Colloidal oatmeal is ground oatmeal, which is then placed in a liquid medium for better awarding.

FAQ

• What causes itchy skin, post-shave?

  Myriad things crusade itchy skin, from hot water to drying (i.e. non-moisturizing) products. It can also be the issue of something more serious, like keratosis pilaris.

• What'south the easiest way to combat itchy pare after I shave?

  The best way is to avoid products that are as well drying, and to moisturize your skin with a fragrance-free oil or lotion post-shave.

• Might itchy skin exist indicative of a deeper problem?

  Itchy skin could be the sign of a drying product, only information technology could too be a sign of keratosis pilaris, which occurs when the pare produces excess keratin that blocks pilus follicles
  

Source: https://www.byrdie.com/itchy-from-shaving-1717003

Share this post