Avoiding Razor Burn, Ingrowns, and Weepers

The four symptoms

1. Razor burn, a red, stinging rash that shows up within minutes to a few hours after the shave, wherever the blade has been.
2. Ingrown hairs, hard bumps a day or two later, often in the same spots. Most common on the neck.
3. Weepers, pinprick bleeding during the shave at specific spots.
4. Nicks, actual visible cuts, usually under the jawline or on the chin.

Each has a different cause. Don’t blame “sensitive skin” until you’ve ruled out technique.

Razor burn

Common causes, in no particular order: too much pressure, a bad angle, a worn blade, going against the grain too soon, not enough lather, and shaving too close.

Cause 1. Too much pressure. The razor’s own weight is plenty; you should only be guiding it. If you feel like you’re pushing, you’re pressing too hard.

Cause 2. Bad angle. Rest the cap flat on your skin, then tilt the handle until the blade just starts to catch, roughly 30 degrees. If the handle is too close to perpendicular to your face, the blade is gouging.

Cause 3. Blade past its prime. Most shavers get around three to five shaves per blade, some get six or seven. Judge by feel: when it tugs or drags, change it. Track your blades, write the date on the wrapper.

Cause 4. Going ATG before you’re ready. Drop pass three for two weeks and see if the rash goes away. Almost always does.

Ingrown hairs (the neck problem)

Ingrowns happen when a cut hair retracts below the skin and grows back into the surrounding tissue. Causes:

• Shaving too aggressively against the grain on the neck, one of the more common causes. Curly hair is more prone to ingrowns, and the grain changes direction on the neck, so ATG there is a recipe for ingrown bumps. Try WTG-only on the neck for a month. Many people find it helps. If you still have bumps after a month, ask a dermatologist.
• Not exfoliating. A boar brush actually helps here, light face scrubbing during lather lifts surface skin cells off so cut hairs don’t get trapped.
• Pulling skin taut while shaving. When you release the skin, the hair end retracts deeper than your skin surface. If you get ingrowns, try shaving without stretching the skin at all.

If you already have ingrowns, give them time. An occasional ingrown hair usually settles on its own in days to a couple of weeks if you leave it alone. Widespread razor bumps can take four to six weeks off the blade. Don’t pick or squeeze them; that risks infection and scarring.

Weepers

Weepers are pinpricks of bleeding where the blade has grazed through the top layer of skin. Pressure on one spot is the usual suspect, and a worn blade, an extra against-the-grain pass or shaving over a bump can do it too. A wet alum block or styptic pencil helps a small one stop. Then ask yourself which stroke caused it. Usually it’s a single problematic spot, chin point, lower lip corner, where you instinctively pressed harder. Adjust on the next shave.

Nicks

Nicks are the visible cuts. Press a clean tissue or cloth on the nick for a few minutes. A wet alum block or a styptic pencil helps a small nick stop. If it keeps bleeding, looks deep, or later turns red, swollen or painful, get medical help. The fix:

• Slower strokes
• Don’t switch direction mid-stroke
• Don’t shave across moles, scars, or old acne, go around them
• Don’t rush the angle change as you move from cheek to jaw to neck

A diagnostic checklist for chronic burn

If you’re getting razor burn after every shave despite slowing down:

1. Is the blade past its first handful of shaves? Change it before you chase other causes. If your skin is reactive or you have rosacea, change it every one to three shaves.
2. Is your angle too steep? Rest the cap flat on your skin, then tilt until the blade just starts to catch (about 30 degrees).
3. Are you shaving the neck ATG? Try WTG only there for two weeks.
4. Is your lather too thin? It should slick, not foam. See building lather.
5. Is your post-shave too aggressive? Drop the alcohol splash for a week, use a balm only.
6. Is your face wet enough during the shave? Re-lather between passes; don’t let any spot get dry.

If all six check out and you still have burn, try a milder blade. A dull blade is worse, but some faces do better on a milder edge, and a very sharp blade can feel harsh to a beginner. Our DE blade sharpness ladder walks the twelve most popular blades from mildest to sharpest so you can find where your face actually wants to live.

Next: Maintaining Your Gear →