Shaving tips and Minimizing Side Effects of Shaving

Shaving is an integral part of a man's daily routine which starts as soon as his early teens. Getting a smooth shave everyday gives them the confidence to give a good start to the day ahead. These tips will help men get a smoother shave with minimum of problems.

It's best to avoid shaving the very first thing in the morning. If possible, let your skin wake up a while. This allows the "puffiness" you encounter from fluids collecting in your skin during the night to recede, thus allowing you to get a closer shave when you do begin the task.

Use an exfoliate such as a facial cleanser or scrub to eradicate dead skin cells and open up the pores of the skin to prepare it for a close shave.

Stubble should be wetted with warm or hot water before shaving. This swells the hair shaft allowing the blade to cut the hair, not your skin. So, first cleanse your face properly using warm or hot water (or if you are in a hurry, splash some hot water). It will soften the beard and help open up the pores.

Thoroughly massage shave cream into stubble. A vitamin and Aloe Vera based shave cream will provide a close soothing shave and protect against razor rashes and burns. Massage your shaving cream or oil into the area to be shaved. Shaving oil or cream will give you the best results and be a lot less drying.

Use a sharp blade. A dull blade is responsible for many shaving cuts as it drags over your face and catches your skin along with the hairs of your beard. For better shaving control, razor handle should be heavier.

Rinse the blade often in hot water when shaving and use slow short strokes. Take your time.

Always first, shave in the same direction as hair growth; this prevents in-growth to a large extent. Then re-lather and shave slightly against the direction of hair-growth for a closer shave.

Shaving with grain means shaving in the direction of how the hair grows on your face. It is always best to shave this way. Shaving against the grain can cause redness, rashes, razor burn and ingrown hairs, which are all painful.

After shaving, apply an oil-free moisturizer to soothe and protect the face. If you prefer an after-shave, check the label for alcohol. Dryness and stinging sensations are by-products of most after-shave products whose primary ingredient is alcohol. It may feel good at the time, but alcohol based after-shaves are actually irritating to many complexions. In the last, use a moisturizer over the face and neck to keep the skin firm and supple.

Be wary of mentholated shaving products. Although the "cool" sensation feels good on the face, menthol, like alcohol, can be irritating to the skin.

A lot of foam or lather is not needed. Many grocery and drug store shave creams contain skin irritants such as Sodium Laurel Sulfate, which are formulated to "foam up" the product. However, these irritants may be the cause of your skin problem.

Side effects of shaving:

Shaving can have numerous side effects, including cuts, abrasions, and irritation. Some people with curly hair have an adverse response to shaving called pseudofolliculitis barbae, or "razor bumps" due to ingrown hairs. Many side effects can be minimized by using a fresh blade, plenty of lubrication, and avoiding pressing down with the razor. Some people choose to use only single-blade or wire-wrapped blades that shave farther away from the skin. Others cannot use razors at all and use depilatory shaving powders to dissolve hair above the skin's surface.

Many people traditionally believed that shaving would cause the hair shaved to become thicker and darker. However, this bit of conventional wisdom has been disproved. The resulting stubble only makes the hairs seem to be thicker, as a shaved hair has a blunt end as opposed to the tapered end of an unshaven hair, and because hair is often darker in color near the root. Clinical studies have demonstrated that shaving does not have an effect on hair growth rates or density.

Cuts from shaving can bleed for about fifteen minutes. Common methods used to stop bleeding include putting alcohol on a cotton swab and pressing it onto the cut until the bleeding stops, as well as tearing off a small piece of toilet paper and placing it onto the cut. The latter method, however, can be undesirable for aesthetic reasons. Products such as styptic pencils can also be used to stop bleeding. Placing a small amount of petroleum jelly on a cut after most of the bleeding has ended can stop the bleeding without forming a scab. Shaving in a cold shower can help prevent bleeding as well, because blood flow to the skin is reduced in these conditions due to vasoconstriction caused by the cold water.