Does Exfoliation Reduce the Chance of Cuts?

Most men don’t fully understand the importance of exfoliation. It can be particularly helpful when you reach for the razor to tidy things up. Of course, you might already be exfoliating without even knowing it.

If
you do your shaving in the shower or run hot water over your face and use a
shaving gel to prepare, you’ve already joined the ranks of proud exfoliators
everywhere. And you may have noticed that there are some benefits to the
practice. Specifically, you won’t have to bleed for that close, smooth shave.

Why Exfoliate?

Have
you ever attempted to shave without wetting or otherwise preparing your skin?
It’s not a very pleasant experience. Even if you use a decent razor with an
aloe strip and sharp blades, you’ll almost certainly come away with the
micro-abrasions that cause razor burn. You’re likely to experience some
macro-sized cuts, too. You know — the ones that leave you with little dots of
bathroom tissue stuck all over your face.

For
obvious reasons, you probably use some sort of lubricant such as a shaving gel
or cream to help reduce razor burn and cuts. However, you could be doing more
to protect your skin and deliver a clean shave without changing up your shave
routine a whole lot.

Exfoliating
is simply the process of preparing your skin for a shave by opening your pores
and clearing away dead skin and other debris. The simplest way to do this is
just by using warm water. For best results, we recommend using a chemical
exfoliant such as those available from Dove for Men,
Jack Black, Kheil’s or Clinique.

The
chemicals in these products will help open your pores and clean your skin. They’ll
also help the hairs on your face stand up in preparation for shaving. This ensures
a cleaner shave and more uniform re-growth. It also helps your skin stay
healthier in the long run.

Proper Exfoliation Technique

Even
though this is a fairly straightforward process, it should be noted that you can damage
your skin
if you don’t do it correctly. For example, selecting a mechanical, as opposed
to a chemical, exfoliant might have a negative effect on those with more
sensitive skin. The particles in mechanical exfoliants can have similar effects
as a dry razor when rubbed against the surface of your skin, meaning you could
come away red and sore from a process that was intended to enhance your look.

It’s
usually not a good idea to exfoliate too often, either. Don’t feel compelled to
do it every day. For guys, it’s a good habit to get into giving your skin a
good exfoliating each time you shave, but not more often than that. We’re not
saying you shouldn’t wash your face and take care of your skin, but you don’t
need to use a chemical treatment. Too much exfoliation could result in dried
and cracked skin.

Speaking
of dry and cracked skin, it’s best to follow up your exfoliation with a
moisturizer. Many men’s health brands offer post-shave products that include
helpful moisturizing elements, and these make sense for our recommended method.
Remember to always pat your face dry rather than “scrubbing” to avoid
irritating the newly shaved skin.

Once
you’re dry and you have taken care of any minor nicks and cuts — which you
shouldn’t have to if you exfoliated — go ahead and apply your moisturizer.

The Benefits of Proper Exfoliation

Aside
from experiencing fewer cuts and none of the redness you may be accustomed to
after shaving with a razor, there are some serious upsides to doing your exfoliating.

For one, your skin will feel softer and look better. That should be enough to convince any dapper dude to do their exfoliating before ducking out to attend the evening’s social activities. If you’re among the majority of men loyal to a single barber, you could even make a request to have this done as part of a shave-and-haircut deal.

Exfoliating
will also reduce blemishes and painful ingrown hairs by eliminating the
blockages that can lead to these skin-marring conditions. If you’ve ever
experienced the pain of an ingrown hair, that alone should be enough to convince
you to start. Oh, and then there’s the added benefit of sounding classy and
well-groomed when in conversation with members of the opposite sex. But try not
to rely too heavily on it — your female friends probably know a thing or two
about skincare.

No Reason to Wait

Don’t
wait! Exfoliate! It’s easy, it feels nice on your skin and it keeps you from
bleeding all over the place when you have to shave. This “evolved”
grooming technique is proven to reduce cuts and so much more!