This is the first in a series of articles to serve as a shaving guide for those suffering from acne prone or sensitive skin. The purpose is to introduce you to some new ways to approach wet or dry shaving that will be gentler on your skin, acne and also your budget.
Shaving can cause a whole host of extra issues when dealing with acne prone skin. The fact that we have to scrape a razor sharp blade across our skin on daily basis is bad enough, but when we are experiencing an acne breakout, it’s even worse.
The risk of decapitating acne spots and the bleeding that results is distressful and messy, plus it makes our acne worse in the long run. We also risk using products that contain a multitude of chemicals that may aggravate acne further.
Knowing When to Have a Wet or Dry Shave…Or Just Trim your Beard
As you will be aware, there are two basic shaving methods; either to use an electric razor or wet shave. Wet shaving is the most common and will usually give you the closest shave, although this depends on your technique and the razor blades you use. However, if done incorrectly is the method most likely to irritate your acne and cause discomfort.
It is therefore common to suggest that if you are suffering from a bad acne breakout, then electric shaving is a better way to go as there is less external stimuli. While this may be true for some people, it is not always certain that using an electric razor will work for your skin type. The general consensus is the more expensive the razor, the better the shave and the less irritation you are likely to have.
Buying The Right Electric Razor
Panasonic make some of the best electric foil razors and they get very good reviews when used by people suffering with acne. The problem is they are expensive and can easily cost upwards of 200 bucks. This is a lot of money to spend on something that may not work for your skin.
If you can try before you buy is better, but obviously people may not be keen on you using their razor so this may be hard to do.
Read my post on the best electric shavers for acne and sensitive skin here.
Avoid Cheap Products and Ingrown Hairs
The use of a budget electric razor is NOT recommended if you are suffering from acne. The rubbing and vibrating against your skin without any lubrication risks aggravating both your skin and acne much more than if you had a well lubricated wet shave with a decent blade.
Improper lubrication, incorrect shaving methods or poor quality razors can also cause ingrown hairs. These are like acne pimples, yet harder to recover from as the hair has to right itself before the spot can begin to heal. This in some cases be very painful and take weeks before they are gone.
Use A Beard Trimmer While Your Acne Breakout is Bad
If your acne is very bad, then do not attempt a wet or dry shave. Instead use a beard trimmer on a high setting. This should be your solution until your acne has improved enough to attempt a close shave again. These can be bought relatively cheaply and as the blade is not in direct contact with your skin, do not risk aggravating your acne further.
Read our advice on the best acne treatments for men so you can quickly heal enough to resume close shaving.
Wet Shaving Will Give You a Closer Shave
Once your skin has recovered enough, you can start to look at what the are best ways to wet shave when you suffer from acne prone skin. Wet shaving will give you a much closer shave and if you use the right products and techniques, there can be less risk of irritating your skin and acne breakouts than with an electric razor.
Now read the next part of our shaving guide, choosing a shaving cream for acne prone skin.
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