Sensitive Skin Shaving Tips

According to the Palto Alto Medical Center, people with sensitive skin often report razor burn and other irritations caused by shaving, like ingrown hairs, folliculitis, razor bumps and blisters. These can be mild to painful. Luckily, you can put many of your shaving problems to an end.

Trimming Tips

Always trim long sections of hair with scissors before shaving. This applies to the underarms, body, face and pubic areas. Long hair dulls and clogs the razor, which causes you to make extra and more forceful passes with the blade. These extra passes irritate delicate skin. Trim as close to the body as you can, leaving no more than one-half inch.

Pre-preparation Tips

Prepare your skin and hair for a good shave by soaking it in warm water. This plumps up the hair shafts and opens up hair follicles, giving you an easier, closer shave. This is easy to accomplish in a hot shower. Expose skin to warm moisture for at least 10 minutes.

Product Tips

The products you use can make or break your efforts to protect sensitive skin. For starters, never shave with soap. Soap dries the skin, making it more prone to irritation. It also loses its lubricating effects faster than products designed especially for shaving. Choose a shave oil and a shaving cream designed for sensitive skin. Avoid scented or dyed products.

Technique Tips

People with sensitive skin should always apply a shave oil first to lubricate and moisturize the skin. This helps the razor glide across skin without pulling or scraping. On top of shave oil, apply a generous layer of shaving cream. According to the FTM Guide, always use a new, sharp razor and shave with the grain, or in the direction the hair grows. Shaving against the grain can cut too close and lead to ingrown hairs. Rinse off your razor between each stroke. Try to only pass over each area one time. Multiple passes strip moisture from the skin and cause razor bumps.

After Care Tips

Rinse the area with warm water and pat dry with a clean towel. Apply an after shave product designed for your particular problem. There are products for preventing razor burn, redness, ingrown hair and dry skin. Last, apply a light moisturizer to replace the oils lost during shaving.