Home Remedies for Razor Burns

Razor burns are a common problem faced by both men and women. Razor burn is usually an irritation of the skin caused by shaving with a razor. Razor burns also include nicks and cuts that occur during shaving. Razor bumps are caused by ingrown hair. It may appear as a mild rash, which disappears after a few hours or days depending upon the seriousness of the condition. Many a times razor burns may be accompanied by 'razor bumps', in which case the area around the shaved hair gets a raised welt or infected pustule.

Razor Burns Symptoms

• Redness and Irritation of the Skin: This is one of the common razor burn symptoms and the best way to treat this problem is to apply a cooling face pack or a cooling tonic to the inflamed skin. This razor burn treatment will help to reduce inflammation and irritation and can also help to prevent razor boils and bumps. You can prepare a razor burn cure with cucumber and calendula. You can grate a small piece of cucumber along with a few calendula leaves and place the mixture in a clean muslin cloth. Squeeze the contents within the cloth to extract the juice and apply this as a homemade soothing balm to the affected portions of your skin. The cucumber juice will help to provide relief from the irritation and reduce the redness while calendula will help to prevent infection and thus prevent boils.

• Burning Sensation on the Freshly Shaved Area: You may also find that the burning sensation is accompanied by a sharp stinging feeling or a general feeling of soreness. You can fluff out a small wad of cotton and soak it in a small amount of cold black tea. Black tea is commonly used as a razor burn natural remedy. Apply this to your face and relax for about 15 minutes before discarding the cotton. There is no need to rinse your face after using this treatment method. Tea contains tannins which help to constrict blood vessels and this will help to stop the burning sensation. Tannins are also anti-inflammatory in nature and so this will help to reduce inflammation and allow the skin to heal quickly.

• Chafed, Red Skin: Chaffing caused by razor burns can be particularly uncomfortable as the skin on your face is very delicate and sensitive. Severe chaffing can even cause the formation of small scabs which, in addition to causing discomfort, can also be very unsightly. In order to protect your skin and prevent unnecessary scab formation, you can gently apply a small amount of cream to the affected areas of the skin. You can leave this on for a few hours before rinsing your face with cold water. You will find that there is a noticeable reduction in skin discoloration and that your skin is free of scabs. You can make your own moisturizing cream by mixing equal quantities of coconut oil, olive oil, and fresh mint leaf juice. You may find it a little difficult to combine the oils with the mint leaf juice and so it would be best to pour all three ingredients into a small bottle and then shake the bottle vigorously to form an emulsion. Coconut oil is in fact a highly valued in ingredient not just in razor burn cures, but also in numerous other skin conditions. Coconut oil and olive oil contain several fatty acids and vitamins that help with the healing process while mint juice helps to reduce the redness and allows your skin to return to its original color.

Excessive Use of After-Shaves and Colognes

Prevention is a lot more effective than any razor burn cure, which is why it is important to keep yourself informed of possible causes of razor burn, so as to avoid exposure to the risk factors.

• Applying too much pressure while shaving can cause a razor burn owing to friction. The skin on your face is very thin and delicate. This is why the skin on your face may start to peel in extreme weather conditions. Many people make the mistake of applying pressure while shaving in the hope of getting a really close shave. This unnecessary pressure invariably damages the uppermost layer of your skin and causes razor burns. It is therefore important to avoid using pressure while shaving to prevent razor burns and razor bumps.

• Insufficient skin lubrication is another cause. Lubrication is very important in order to prevent razor burns. Lubrication allows the razor to gently slide over your skin leaving it undamaged while still ensuring a proper shave. There are various products that are available in the market and you can choose the one that is best suited to your skin type. If you suffer from razor burns often, it could mean that your skin is very sensitive or the shaving cream that you have chosen does not suit your skin type. There are some people who prefer to make their own shaving cream as they find that this does not leave their skin unnecessarily dry. You can make shaving cream by combining various oils along with water to form an emulsion. Another effective homemade shaving cream is fenugreek seed paste. Soak a handful of fenugreek seeds in a bowl of water for the night and then grind it into a thin paste the next morning. Add water to this paste and gently mix it to dilute the paste without causing it to thicken further. If you are too vigorous, you will find that the mixture will thicken instead of becoming thinner. Stain this liquid and then whip it up in a blender to thicken it once more. This will ensure that you have a thick cream while shaving without any bits of seeds that would otherwise have been there if you did not strain it. Fenugreek seeds are rich in several skin healthy oils as well as mucilage. The mucilage is what makes this moisture slippery and this allows the razor to glide effortlessly over your skin, thus preventing razor burn. The oils on the other hand help to soften your skin and keep it well moisturized. It also helps to prevent boils and bumps.

• Shaving in the direction opposite to hair growth is also a common cause for razor burns. It is important to learn the proper techniques of shaving. Shaving incorrectly can cause razor burn and can also irritate your skin. Shaving in the wrong direction can also increase your risk of experiencing ingrown hair.

• Excessive use of after-shaves and colognes can compound the problem of razor burns by causing dryness. Many after-shave products that contain alcohol for a cooling effect can cause the skin to become dry which in turn only aggravates the razor burn symptoms.

Stop Shaving

Razor burns could cause a lot of irritation on the bikini line as also on your underarms and pubic area. Instant razor burn treatments in these areas for men and women would therefore include steps to actually prevent the burns from occurring in the first place. Prevention is therefore the best cure. This could be done by applying some shave oil to the area to be shaved before the application of the cream. This is known to help soften the hair and thus lead to a smoother shave.

The best way to deal with razor burns is to stop shaving. Give your skin some rest and simply let your hair grow back for a while. If you find that this is too unruly, you can use a pair of clippers to keep your beard well trimmed. If you are shaving your arms or legs, you may want to consider waxing for a month or two as this will give your skin plenty of time to heal.

Use a soothing after-shave balm if you are already suffering from razor burns. Use a balm or a cream instead of a liquid based aftershave lotion as this will help to moisturize your skin and replenish lost natural oils. This thin oily film will help to form a barrier and will protect your skin from the elements and dust and pollution.

For Burning Sensation

Dissolve two uncoated aspirins in a teaspoon of warm water and mix into a paste. Apply this paste on the affected area. Wash it after sometime with lukewarm water. This will take care of the burning sensation.

For Razor Burns

An effective razor burn mask can be made by mashing a couple of strawberries with a 1 spoon of sour cream. Apply this mixture after shaving and leave it for 10 minutes. Do this twice a week for fresh, razor burn free skin. Witch hazel, mild salicylic acid solutions and Aloe Vera gel are known to provide relief for razor burns. Make sure that you use these natural razor burn cures regularly for the best results.

Consume foods rich in Vitamin C

Although there are no specifications regarding diets to be followed for razor burns, consuming foods rich in Vitamin C should help in restoring the skin quickly.

Other suggestions for Razor Burns

Use warm water to soften your skin and hair prior to shaving, alternatively shave right after a shower.

Be sure to apply shaving cream, foam or soap in the opposite direction of hair growth, taking care to moisturize your skin as well as hair thoroughly.

Start by shaving the easier areas first like the jaw line, cheeks and neck.

Shave in the direction of the hair growth (usually downward)

Do not stretch your skin taut while shaving.

Rinse your razor thoroughly after every use and replace blades every week or more often if needed.

Electric razors that work gently on your skin prevent razor burns.

Use shave oil. Applying pre-shave oil as a first layer, prior to shaving creams and gels helps soften the beard and improve the shave quality.