Does Shaving Cause or Worsen Acne?
Whether it’s their face or legs, countless people shave everyday in order to get rid of unwanted hair. While
shaving methods and technology have advanced greatly over the past decades, it’s still impossible to avoid potentially damaging
your skin. While electric razors will make it far easier to avoid cutting your face, neck, or legs, you are still at risk no matter
what type of razor you use, electric or disposable, of doing deeper damage to your skin. What makes razors so good at getting rid
of unwanted hair also makes them culprits for drying your skin or causing any present acne to worsen. This is the result of the blade,
while still relatively smooth, being harsh on your skin and causing irritation. You do not need to draw any blood to irritate your
skin, so just because you avoid cutting yourself doesn’t mean you’ve avoided harming your skin.
This dry skin can easily cause acne to develop as the result of oil glands producing additional oil to
try and moisturize the skin, but this just makes your pores clog and cause acne to develop. If you try shaving over acne that
is already on your skin, you are greatly running the risk of making the acne worse by accidentally popping zits or drying out
the already irritated and damaged skin even more.
This doesn’t mean you should quit shaving all-together to try and avoid causing or worsening acne, but what it does mean is
you need to take certain precautions to prevent either of these possibilities. First, make sure you use a shaving gel or
lotion that’s formulated to moisturize your skin and prevent irritation or dryness (these may cost slightly more than the cheap,
generic brand). Next, make sure you avoid shaving too much or too hard if you have any existing acne on that area of your skin.
Finally, it’s important to wash your skin daily with acne cleansers and moisturizers that are designed with only the highest
quality ingredients, such as aloe vera, that are designed to be sensitive on your skin and not cause further breakouts.