Do you forgo the clean shaven look because it agitates your rosacea?

A man shouldn’t have to choose between a 5-o’clock shadow and a rosacea flare-up!  Below we share some shaving tips to help you avoid the redness and irritation that can often accompany shaving:

1. Always use tepid water.  Hot water causes increased blood flow to the face, so always use a tepid water temperature.  Ideally, shave in the shower, as this will allow your facial hair to soften, which can help minimize stress to your skin.
2. Don’t shave dry.  Always use a rosacea shaving gel or oil, as it helps the shaving blade glide across your skin more smoothly, causing less irritation.  Moreover, like shaving in the shower, lotions and gels help to soften the hair follicle, resulting in less skin tugging and hence less irritation. Here are a few of our favorite Rosacea Friendly Shaving Products:Aveeno Shaving Cream, Dermalogica Close Shave Oil, Aveeno Shaving Cream, Burt’s Bees Shave Cream
3. Avoid shaving products with irritating ingredients, such as alcohol, camphor, clove, eucalyptus, menthol, mint, salycylic acid, sodium laurel sulfate, witch hazel or synthetic fragrance in them , as these can be troublesome for rosacea skin.
4. Use a quality shaving blade, like the Bump Fighter Razor that retails for roughly $5.50 at Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and online.  Although this razor was specifically developed to combat the skin irritation caused by shaving for African American men, many rosacea sufferers tell us it works for them too.
5. Always clean your blade after shaving.  Simply dip the blade in a little rubbing alcohol and make sure to store it in a dry place (meaning don’t put a blade cover on a dirty moist blade, as this can encourage bacteria growth).
6. Make sure to shave in the direction that your hair grows.  Shaving “against the grain” is a big irritation factor, often causing irritated skin and even worse, ingrown hairs.
7. Prefer a electric shaver? Be selective  as most tend to have a tugging action and can irritate rosacea sensitive skin. Many rosacea sufferers have had a lot of luck with the Panasonic Linear Shaver ( Arc IV) used dry vs. wet not causing skin  irritation.  If your switching from a razor to electric shave, typically give your skin roughly two to three weeks to adapt to the changes in shaving methods.
8. Apply a cool compress after shaving.  This helps close your pores and prevent flushing.  Follow with a spritz of calming after shave toner or your favorite rosacea calming product, such as Rooibos Calming Facial Mist by rosaskin $15.95
9. Moisturize. After shaving, follow up with a calming, low irritation sensitive skin & fragrance-free moisturizer and always use sunscreen too! 🙂

Have you had success shaving without agitating your rosacea?

Share your rosacea shaving tips with our readers and fellow rosacea sufferers within our comment section.