No matter how fresh, sharp, or clean a razor is, it can still create an itchy, inflamed trail of razor burn bumps. When razor burn appears, it's unpleasant, and can even affect your next shave.
Reducing the redness and irritation can be a tricky process, requiring special products and lots of disappointment. But there is another solution besides lotion or medicated gels that you probably haven't tried yet—deodorant.
What Really Causes Razor Burn to Hurt
Though razors can do damage of their own, one of the biggest culprits in the creation of itchy bumps and redness post-shave is chafing. That's where deodorant can help.
Razor burn is essentially a rash, an area of irritated skin that displays redness, irritation, and an itching, burning sensation. In the shaving process, the skin becomes damaged in some way, resulting in the painful burn that drives us crazy. The more our clothes and skin rub, the greater the irritation.
Deodorant, when used for armpits or other sweaty, sticky areas, reduces friction and the amount of dampness that could potentially form.
In a BBC episode of Head Squeeze, James May explains that modern-day deodorants work to reduce perspiration while also coating our skin in a layer of slick gel or powder. As a result, the tops of the sweat glands in any area deodorant is used are blocked, preventing the sticky environment that creates redness and bumps.
Apply Deodorant Wherever the Burn Strikes
When razor burn appears, you can calm its painful symptoms by smoothing deodorant wherever it hurts. You simply need to apply deodorant to the irritated area.
Deodorant doesn't soothe the pain instantly, however. It can take a few days to truly make an impact and reduce the redness. The deodorant is meant to prevent chafing, rubbing, and further irritation, which can take a short amount of time to heal.
And, as the Art of Manliness notes, deodorant can even offer a bit of healing. Our average stick of deodorant contains aluminum chloride, which not only slows sweat production, but also works like an astringent to cleanse any bacteria hanging around your bumps and small nicks.
Choosing the Right Deodorant
Deodorant, antiperspirant, gel, solid—there are endless options to choose from. When it comes to razor burn, the product you pick matters, but only slightly.
Feel free to use your deodorant anywhere razor burn strikes: face, bikini line, underarms, and upper thighs. However, the location of your razor burn may determine what kind of stick you choose to use. Avoid gel deodorants in areas like the bikini line, as these can leave marks and residue on fabric that comes into contact with them before the deodorant dries.
The Daily Mail, meanwhile, recommends using solid Dove deodorant sticks. These, according to their sources, are great at preventing chafing and further irritation as your skin works to heal the burn.
Cover image via Garrett Murray/Flickr
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