Shaving with a razor blade has several effects. First of course is the obvious removal of whiskers. While a single razor blade like a double edge razor removes whiskers at skin level, a multi-blade razor with two or more blades lifts the whiskers gently and cuts them so that they fall below the skin for a closer shave. Secondly, shaving removes the top layer of skin and acts as an exfoliator of sorts. But does shaving help to clear your skin and keep it acne free?
Does Shaving Remove Dead Skin?
Shaving doesn’t clear skin from acne but it does remove the top layer of skin each time you shave with a razor blade. Blade shaving helps to remove dead skin cells and assist in keeping the skin clear. Shaving with a razor blade can also help to stimulate collagen production while also smoothing the skin and also enabling better penetration of skincare products.
Skin Benefits
Shaving does offer benefits to your skin. Specifically, we’re talking about shaving with a razor blade whether a straight razor, single blade or multi-blade. Electric shavers don’t offer this same advantage since they use a rotating or reciprocating metal cutting tool that sits below a protective foil or mesh and doesn’t actually touch the skin like a blade does.
Shaving with a razor blade effectively provides an exfoliation of your skin while offering other benefits as described by a dermatologist:
The low-grade friction from shaving stimulates collagen production and smoothes the skin. That’s one of the reasons men typically have far fewer wrinkles than women do.
Kenneth Beer, M.D via Men’s Health
When dead skin cells are removed, skin tone is rejuvenated and your face can better absorb lotions and moisturizers that you apply. And as Dr Beer mentions above, it can additionally offer a smoothing feature that can help prevent against wrinkles.
Does Shaving Cause Acne?
Shaving does not cause acne per se. In other words, if you shave with a razor, it will not cause you to break out with acne. Having said that, some men are prone to having irritated skin and are also more prone to developing ingrown hairs following shaving. DE razors shave whiskers at skin level which is beneficial to men who suffer from either condition.
A multi-blade razor on the other hand cuts whiskers so that they fall back below the skin surface for a closer shave. The downside is that when the whiskers begin to grow again, they can curl downwards and grow in the wrong direction back towards the skin, resulting in an ingrown hair and possibly a whitehead ie. acne. Waxing and sugaring can also cause ingrown hairs. So while shaving doesn’t cause acne for most men, it can contribute to ingrown hairs which might lead to whiteheads and other forms of acne.
Does Shaving Help Acne?
Shaving over existing acne is not a good idea. Shaving acne will cause the blemish to bleed at a minimum and could cause an infection if bacteria is able to enter the cut. Plus the more you shave over it, the longer it will take to heal and will be more noticeable (ie. red and irritated) until it has been given a chance to heal.
Your best bet is to avoid shaving over acne or recently cut areas of your skin until it has fully healed. Same goes with raised moles: Shave around them. In the instance where your acne is chronic and difficult to avoid shaving, set an appointment with a dermatologist to find a solution as it will make shaving easier over time.
Does Shaving Make Acne Worse?
While shaving won’t make acne worse, it can make shaving difficult as we just discussed above. Beyond seeing a dermatologist for acne-prone skin, you can also incorporate several things into your shaving routine to keep acne at bay. Exfoliate (ie. gently remove dead skin) daily with a face-specific wash and one that is suitable for acne or oily skin.
Replace razor blades regularly before they get blunt to ensure you’re using a fresh, sharp blade. Use a quality shaving cream and never dry shave. Shave after showering as the warm water and steam helps to condition the skin especially after you’ve just woken up.
Also consider using a post shave moisturizer to soothe skin. An alcohol-free toner or antibacterial lotion or gel after shaving also helps to kill bacteria before it gets into your skin especially if you routinely cut yourself.