Home Remedies for Razor Burns

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Virtually everyone, male and female alike, has experienced the pain and frustration of razor burn. The common skin condition seems to occur at the most inconvenient time; however, this bothersome problem can usually be treated quite easily. The cause of razor burn is no surprise; because shaving removes the top layer of the skin, it is naturally very easily irritated. Furthermore, once the skin becomes irritated, repeatedly shaving only exacerbates the problem. The best way to end the grief of razor burn is to stop shaving the area altogether, this is simply not an option for most people. Therefore, the key to ending razor burn is simply prevention. By following a few basic rules when shaving, irritation is far less likely to occur.

First and foremost, make sure to allow your skin some time for hydration before bringing out your razor. Indeed, it is recommended that a person allow his or her hair to soak in water for 10-15 minutes before shaving. In other words, when taking a shower or bath, save shaving for last. Also, do not use soap to shave as most do not contain an ideal amount of moisturizer for skin. Instead, a thick gel or cream specifically designed for shaving should be used. Next, make sure to shave hair in the direction in which it grows (usually this is downward). Be sure that your razor is not dull; most dermatologists recommend that a blade be changed after 3-4 uses.

Finally, in order to seal in moisture, be sure to use lotion after shaving (those containing aloe Vera generally work best). Of course, even if by following each of these rules, it is still possible to have an occasional outbreak of razor burn. Should this occur, there is no cause for alarm, as there are several easy home remedies that will reduce the redness and swelling. For example: Apply a hydrocortisone cream of 1% to the affected area twice daily. Be aware, however, hydrocortisone cream should not be used for more than a few days, as overusing the cream can often cause more redness and even create stretch marks. To make a powerful moisturizer, try the following:

mix fresh strawberries and sour cream together

Apply the mixture to skin for ten minutes and then remove any excess with a tissue

Dissolve several aspirin in warm water to make a thin paste

Apply to affected areas, leaving it on for 30 seconds, and immediately rinse

Dab apple cider vinegar on the areas with razor burn

Place a cold, damp chamomile tea bag directly on the affected areas

Leave the tea bag on for 10-15 minutes. Alternately, you can also absorb a cloth in cold, strong chamomile tea, leaving it on for 10-15 minutes as well

Apply almond oil directly to the razor burn

Moisturize areas with cocoa butter

Rub a small amount of underarm deodorant over the affected areas

In addition to these home remedies, there are also a variety of products available to treat razor burn, such as zinc oxide creams (diaper rash medicine) and Vitamin A & E ointment. With such an abundance of treatment options, there is truly no cause for a person to suffer from the unattractiveness and discomfort caused from razor burn.