Did you know that when you shave using a razor, you are actually scrapping off a slender layer of skin along with the hair?
The skin is more delicate on your underarms than other areas you shave, which increases the chances to get razor burn.
Women armpits (or a more subtle word ‘underarms’), are one of the most abused parts of body. The underarm skin is extremely sensitive, yet we persistently run a sharp razor over it in order to protect femininity and hygiene. The red bumps or armpit pimples that follow after the shave are little painful and very unsightly; however, there are some tried and tested ways to avert razor burns without expensive laser removal or painful waxing.
One of the quirks of Western women is the craving to get rid of hair in certain body parts (e.g. underarms), where we have thought it unacceptable. For this particular reason, most women spend hours shaving their armpits and they spend huge dollars on an assortment of products manufactured to make the shaving process smoother and safer.
Shaving underarms is quiet tricky – it is at an odd angle, you cannot even look directly at them, and one of them will have to be shaved without the help of dominant hand. A splotched shaving job can lead to inflamed and irritated skin at a very awkward place. Even without any serious scrapes or nicks, women suffer from underarm razor burns, rashes and other types of irritation. What is a safe method to go about this distasteful but socially necessary job while averting razor burn?
Fortunately, dermatologists, cosmetic manufacturers and beauty experts have provided some food for thought to this problem, not to mentions millions of moolahs in research. This efforts would not just make the beauty care industry tons of money, they can help you prevent the razor burns in the underarms.
Providing to you top-four tips for averting armpit razor burns.
Tip#1 -Shave @ Night-Time
When you shave the hair, the blade inescapably does some damage to the skin; it opens many little gashes, cuts and gouges. Fortunately, these do not cause any serious harm, and they heal swiftly. The issues start when you immediately apply a deodorant to the armpit or if it soon becomes sweaty.
What you do right after you shave the armpits? You probably apply deodorant. And what your armpits do all the time? They sweat, right.
The fragrances, chemicals and other ingredients in your antiperspirant or deodorants move into those tiny pores and cuts. In fact, deodorants function by plugging up the pores in your armpits so you do not sweat, which in turn clearly shows that they do a brilliant job of slipping into those small cuts. This can badly irritate the underarms. Moreover, your own sweat can distress the area, as bacteria survive in the dark, moist areas. They will grow there anyway; however, if you shave at night, right before the bedtime, you are unlikely to be running around in the sun. Less sweating after shaving means lesser bacteria paving way into cuts, which means less irritation and importantly no underarm razor bumps.
By the time dawn breaks, your skin will heal, and then antiperspirant and sweat would not do much harm.
Tip#2 – Read the Ingredients
In case, you experience continuous skin irritation in your armpits, the problem may not be the razor burn at all. It might be the shaving foam or antiperspirant you are using. Many of these products contain alcohol (which irritates or dries skin), chemicals (which may not suit your skin) or fragrances (which may irritate the cuts caused by shaving or cause a contact allergy).
To fight the problem, stop utilizing whatever antiperspirants or deodorants you have been using. Do not forget to apply a hydrocortisone cream to the areas for a few days till the irritation fades off. When you shave your underarms, use alcohol-free shaving foam. The best shaving creams are the ones with aloe, which soothe and soften the skin. Additionally, you will need to experiment with different deodorants. Some people develop skin 9irriation because of the aluminum and other chemicals in deodorants, while others have issues with fragrances in deodorants. Start experimenting with a product containing the fewest added fragrances and work-up from there to see what best suits your skin. It is up to you to balance underarm care with your sweat and odor combating needs.
There is one last thing that you might be ignoring – your clothes. Tight clothes made from fabrics that do not breathe well can trap sweat, boost bacterial growth and eventually lead to irritated underarms. Loose cotton clothes are you best bet, certainly!
Tip#3 – Follow Directions
One of the impediments of shaving underarms is that hair in underarms does not grow in just one direction. The untold secret is shaving in a T-shape to prevent underarm razor burns. Start shaving from the top and then shave down thorough the center of your underarm. Now, shave across the whole underarm from one side to other. It helps in pulling the skin in the area and makes it as flattened as possible.
Here we must tell you that frequent shaving does not cause the hair to grow back coarser and thicker. Certain lotions and deodorants may provide the opposite effects like softening underarms and causing it to grow back lighter. Therefore, shave as often as you want, but keep in mind the T-shape.
Tip#4 – Shave in the Shower
The moisture in the shower slightly softens the hair; thus, making it easier to shave. However, there is a correct method and wrong method to shave in the shower. You need to get the shaving done early in the shower, without n=much Ado, as after about 10-minutes the moisture of the shower makes the skin swell. And if you shave then, you would not get a close shave. Later on, when the skin dries and gets back to its unswollen state, there will be stubble.
It is very vital to store your razor in such a manner that it becomes completely dry in between showers. In case, it is allowed to stay moist, it makes a “sweet home” for bacteria, and we have already explained to you why you must keep bacteria away from your underarms.
Furthermore, another important thing is the freshness of your razor. Experts suggest that you must change the blades every tow-weeks or after every 5-shapes or so. A blunt razor forces you to press harder or make strokes with the razor, which in turn increases skin irritation. Multi-blade razors are better as compared to single-blade for the same reason – you will get a smooth shave with fewer passes; thus, less wear and tear on the sensitive underarms skin.
Use the above-mentioned 4-hot-shot tricks to prevent underarm razor bumps from developing and to get beautiful-smooth underarms that you can proudly flaunt.
Happy Shaving!
Underarms Razor Burns PollWhat is your favorite method to get rid of underarm razor burns?
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