When blemishes and acne appear on your skin, especially your face you can exaggerate the problem by aggravating is daily by carrying on with your typical shaving routine. Shaving is made very difficult by both razor bumps and adult acne, however, with proper preparation and skin management, the inconvenience and pain caused by shaving acne can be minimized.
Razor bumps vs. acne
Razor bumps are visually very similar to acne but are very different. Razor bumps form when facial hair growing back gets trapped under the skin and becomes swollen or inflamed. Acne occurs when the pores are blocked or clogged by the natural oil your body produces.
Causes of adult acne
Hormones
Adult acne can be caused hormonal changes; hormonal acne is often caused by an imbalance in androgens – related to testosterone which increases oil production in the skin. Changes to your home balance can be affected by many things including stress.
Hormonal acne usually appears on the jawline, cheeks and chin which obviously become problem areas when trying to shave. These pimples appear as cysts or deep lumps, and the hormonal changes cause them to become swollen and sensitive.
Naturally more oily skin
Acne is strongly genetic; a large study showed that having a first-degree relative with acne increases your risk of getting it by four times. The likelihood of developing acne increases with the amount of oil that your skin produces, so if a close family member has acne chances are they passed on their oily skin to you.
Hygiene
Although it’s important to wash your face, hygiene is not a causative factor in the development of acne. It can, however, help to manage it, keeping your skin clear of dead skin cells or other contaminants is an easy way to mitigate acne.
Poor skin care can also trigger acne as oil clogs skin pores if your skin is prone to acne go for shaving lathers that say they are oil-free or noncomedogenic. The same products you used as a young man may not suit you as an adult.
Impact when shaving
Improper shaving can irritate your skin and acne as friction, and incorrect shaving lather can create a negative reaction. The irritation from shaving can be enough to cause an acne breakout.
Acne blemishes often produce raised bumps that can make it particularly challenging to shave manually. Hasty shaving can result in more nicks in the skin which can cause scarring and allow more bacteria causing infections if not kept clean.
Get rid of adult acne
Choosing the proper treatment for your acne depends on your lifestyle, and what fits into your routine, there may be small daily things you can do to prevent the development of or reduce the inflammation of acne.
Skin Care
Keeping your skin moisturized can help lessen the overproduction of sebum which can clog up your pores. This means staying away from harsh chemicals or long hot showers which remove the skins natural oils. Using a mild soap and gently pat dry will help not to irritate your skin.
After working out, wash off as soon as possible as sweat mixes with the oils on the surface of your skin, resulting in clogged pores.
Wearing fitted clothes that are damp after a workout can lead to breakouts on the rest of your body, across your chest, and other parts of the body so change into dry, clean clothes as soon as possible.
Diet
A balanced diet can decrease your chances of acne as an adult; by eating a diet low in salt, and refined carbohydrates you can reduce the possibility of certain hormones overproducing which lead to more oil and inflamed pores on the face.
Medications
If you have mild acne and are open to over-the-counter options before seeing your doctor there are certain products that cosmetic professionals would recommend; products that contain salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or acne washes that contain Montaline C40.
Try for a couple of days to a week, and if you see no results, you may want to consider other options such as checking with your doctor. You can see your doctor who may recommend topical creams or hormone treatment which is one of the most effective ways to control acne.
A smoother shave
Shaving is enough to aggravate acne so make sure you don’t do anything further to disrupt or damage your skin such as squeezing any spots that pop up on your face.
By understanding how your lifestyle and daily habits may aggravate or add to adult acne, you can make small changes that help you keep your face smooth and make sure your shaving with acne isn’t a stressful or difficult process.
About the author:
Claudia Beck is a writer with a passion for health and food currently living in Perth, Australia.
