Life
Shaving can be seriously frustrating. Sometimes it can feel as though you have to shave every single day or every shower and not only can that wear on you and eat up some time during your morning or bedtime routine, but cuts, scrapes, burns, bumps, ingrown hairs, dry skin, and more are all potential outcomes, in addition to hairless (or relatively hairless) skin. There are some easy, surprising hacks dermatologists swear by to help you shave less often, however, that you definitely want to know more about if shaving has become a chore. From the time of day you choose to shave to your body position and what you do before and after shaving, there are a lot of different things to consider when it comes to making the most of the time between shaves.
"The science behind the hair growth follicle is that it grows at a constant rate and nothing’s gonna really slow that down; physiologically, there’s nothing that can do that," Dr. Christy Rainey, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, tells Romper. The best way to ensure that you'll be able to shave less is by getting laser hair removal, which is, of course, a different technique than shaving. Over time, it'll minimize or even eliminate your need to shave because, Rainey explains, it destroys the hair follicles, which means that the hair really can't grow back.
Still, if you're not ready to take that leap, there are some tips and tricks that can help get you a little shaving break. If you're looking for ideas on how to get a better, smoother shave that lasts even just a tiny bit longer, here's what you might want to know.
1
Shave At Night
Rainey says that shaving relatively late at night can help ensure that your skin will still be smooth when you get up and get ready the next morning. If you're a nighttime shower-er anyway, take advantage of that to get a good shave. Rainey suggests that you don't shave right away however, instead waiting five to ten minutes after you get in the shower to apply shaving gel or cream and reaching for the razor. She also says that a triple or quadruple blade razor can be a good idea.
"If the hair and the skin has been warm and steamy, your follicles are a little bit more open, the hairs might be a little bit more raised so you can shave them a little bit closer to the skin," Rainey says.
2
Stick To One Technique
If you want smooth skin, make sure you stick to one hair removal modality. Rainey says that because you have to stop shaving or doing other things in order to try out waxing, laser hair removal, and other techniques, it's best to find the technique that works best for you and then stick to it moving forward until you're ready to experiment and try something else.
3
Exfoliate
"I do think exfoliating prior to shaving can help remove the hairs better and more thoroughly. I really like the flamingo feather facial touchup razors for the face as well," Dr. Rhonda Q. Klein, MD/MPH, a board-certified dermatologist, tells Romper by email. "The flamingo feathers exfoliate while removing hairs so your skin feels very soft and hair-free after a treatment. Most people use them a couple times per week to remove dead skin and fine lanugo hairs."
Gentle exfoliation can, of course, help remove dead skin, make skin feel smoother, and also, apparently, might help you get a smoother shave, as well.
4
Use This Topical Cream For Facial Hair
"A topical prescription cream called Vaniqa has been shown to slow down the rate of hair growth in clinical studies," Dr. Gary Goldenberg of Goldenberg Dermatology tells Romper by email. It's only FDA-approved for use on facial hair, however, so you really shouldn't slather it all over your body.
5
Bend Your Knees
"Bending your knees is one way to stretch the skin to get a closer shave," Dr. Joseph Cruise, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon, tells Romper by email. If you don't bend your knees, it can be difficult to navigate the skin around that part of your legs, which is one of the most difficult parts of your legs to shave.
6
Keep Your Skin Moisturized
Cruise also says that it's vital that you keep your skin well-moisturized if you want to maximize the amount of time between shaves. It'll help your skin feel smoother longer and, of course, make sure that you're not dealing with dry skin on your legs or other parts of your body.
As long as your skin feels smooth, you probably won't feel the need to reach for the razor quite as often.
Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.
