Even the most careful shaver will get the occasional nick or cut. But before you start putting little dots of tissue on your face, here are 11 ways to treat them.
Spot Treatments
The classic way to treat a shaving nick or cut is with a styptic pencil. A styptic stops bleeding by contracting skin tissue to seal injured blood vessels. A classic styptic (like this one from Clubman
Another common spot nick treatment ingredient is aluminum chloride or one of its cousins like aluminum chorohydrate. It is again used with additional ingredients to make a more skin friendly, convenient product. Pacific Shaving’s Nick Stick
A few other “in a pinch” ideas for spot treatment of nicks or cuts when nothing else is available include a bit of petroleum jelly (6!) or even lip balm (7!). Aluminum chlorohydrate is used in commercial antiperspirants so rubbing your finger on an antiperspirant stick (8!) then onto the nick could help.
Full Face Treatments
What about solutions that are used on the entire face? These aren’t meant specifically as a nick or cut treatment but are useful for them anyway.
The classic face treatment for after shaving is using an alum block, like this one
By the way, Alum Blocks can also be used as an anti perspirant. And vice-versa, some of the crystalline deodorant blocks you see at the supermarket might be useful for the face. Just be sure the main ingredient is labeled as either potassium alum or potash alum.
Finally, here’s a technique I learned from a barber in Las Vegas. Soak a hand towel in water, wring it out, then place it in the freezer before you start your shave. After you’re finished take the towel out of the freezer and place it on your face. The combination of the temperature and the pressure from the towel should stop minor bleeding (11!). It’s also a great, refreshing sensation for your face during the dog days of summer! If you’ve seen my videos before you know I’m not an advocate of using alcohol-based products on your face, but here’s an exception. After you take the towel out of the freezer sprinkle a little of your favorite aftershave onto it, then apply to your face. The alcohol will act as an antiseptic but because of the cold temperature of the towel it won’t penetrate too far under the skin and you won’t get that sting.
What nick-sealing products work well for you?
Got a really good nick on my upper lip this morning. That’s what I get for staying up past midnight watching the World Series (go Tribe!) and waking up at 5 AM. Well, the nick REALLY woke me up! (My fault, not the razor.)
I used an alum bar to stop the bleeding and it worked wonders. My mistake was to follow up with a dab of neosporin. The neosporin appears to have moistened the wound and opened it up to blood flow (again). This has resulted in a pretty prominent wound on the lip. Just using the alum bar, the wound was sealed and healing. Lesson learned. Perhaps I should have waited longer before applying the neosporin?
I got pretty got a pretty good bleeder on my upper lip in a hurried shave at work in the bathroom. To stop the bleeding, I soaked a tea bag and pressed it over the cut for about 30 seconds (tannic acid helps with blood coagulation). To seal it, a bit of lip balm worked very well.
Used a styptic pen on a cut on a bump that was bleeding very nicely this morning. First time I used one and I was amazed.
Styptic pens are brilliant.
I’m one of those sick minded people that loved biochemistry & physical chemistry. In one of the biochemistry courses we covered the vitamins. Physiology covered blood clotting from beginning to scar tissue.
So after all that education I can give some helpful hints. I can only stand a few minutes in a nutritional or vitamaniac store. My wife gets the same reaction going into WalMart.
Forming the Clot – Vitamins A & D. They can be found premixed in gel-like capsules. This is the weird part. Instead of just swallowing the pill break it open and collect the gel in your hand. Just rub the oil over the bleeding area. Application is timed just like you would with the white alunimun (sp?) pens
Scar Healing & Removal – Vitamin E erases scars. I started applying it to a surgical scar 10 years after the operation. The “holes” where they sew things up are all gone.
I started using safety razors with no guidance other than what I could find on the web. It really cleans them up. Application has to be regular. Being persistant about using it often ebbs away easily.
Opening the capsules can be a messy affair. Because the capsule decompresses it’s really easy to send the contents flying. I’ve used about 10 different scissors, a tone nail clipper, & different types of knives. The best technique by far is to bite the end of the pill while having your hands 1/2 holding- 1/2 catching everything. Then make sure to squeeze out the contents and do what you want with the empty capsule.
Good luck fixing your nicks and cuts!
Mind alum. The toxicity remains to be proved, but there are doubts, as expressed in these links: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-aluminum-toxicity.htm and http://badgerandblade.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-38769.html and http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=99. And how about this: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/heavy-metals/aluminum-exposure
To stay on the safe side, I have stopped using alum blocks (still have three, sigh…) and I am even wary of the Proraso Shave Cut Healing Gel, whose composition I am no sure of yet.
Only saliva and toilet paper?
A wary Frog guy.
PS. The fridge is downstairs, the bathroom upstairs…
Just curious but how does an astringent help?
It causes mild coagulation of skin proteins, and then protects the skin afterwards.
For nicks, I use MY NIK IS SEALED, which is a small roll on that has aluminum chloride, aloe, and vitamin E. It has alcohol, too. It works really, really well. But as a daily post-shave regiment, I use my Shavex alum block and an ice-cold wash cloth/towel. I also tried cold GREEN TEA (brewed and kept in fridge), either by splashing it on or soaking a wash cloth in it and, WOW!, that is a natural way to make your face feel really nice after a shave. When I use the green tea, I never get a single breakout or redness.
I am going to try the Proraso gel. Thanks for the great information!
Gackk! You certainly nicked yourself up good for that video!
Thanks for the tips. I’m going to try the freezer-towel thing right now.
I decided to do that video after trying a Muhle R41 for the first time. (sigh)
I really found your video on nicks & cuts very informative. I am a 70 year old newly who for years has used the electric shaver and cheap cartridge razor.
You would think I would have mastered the art of shaving with a DE razor. Not so.
After reading your recommendations I purchased a Merkur Progress and Heavy Classic 34C. Began with the Progress. Nicked myself good. I set the blade at #2 but even though was as careful as I could my first nick occurred at the cheekbone.
Please advise of best methods for avoiding most nicks. Not too discouraged yet.
Great tips. I use alum after most of my shaves and it works great even for just razor burn. I used to soak a towel in ice water and then use it after the shave, but now I use cold water throughout every shave.
I find in the summer especially, alcohol based aftershaves are great for clearing up my skin. Is it just because of the drying effect that you don’t like them Mark? I could see that being more of an issue in the winter, particularly for dry skin types.
cold towel for me, every morning. I don’t nick myself all the time, but I think it helps close the pores before I apply face lotion. It has worked so far.
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