Razor bumps and razor burns

Razor burn is irritation of the skin usually caused by not using a sharp enough blade so the skin is dragged and chafed or by not using the correct technique. Razor burn usually presents itself as a mild rash and some redness of the skin may occur usually 2-4 days after shaving. It can be short lived and disappear in a few days or can last for days if severe enough. If you experience a rash at the time of shaving it is usually more to do with the skin being too dry during the shaving process, applying too much pressure, going against the natural growth direction or shaving too closely.

Razor bumps can occur on the face after shaving but also in areas where the hair removed is coarse and the area sensitive such as genital area shaving. Curly hair also tends to curl inwards as it grows and can curl back into the skin causing inflammation and can also cause pimple like bumps. These papules or pustules that form can be red and sore especially if the area becomes infected.

Pseudofolliculitis Barbae is the medical term for ingrown hairs and these can be two gifferent types -   transfollicular and extrafollicular. The transfollicular hair never leaves the hair follicle and the extrafollicular hair is a hair that has exited the follicle and reentered the skin.

Tips for Prevention:

• Keep the face or area being shaved well lubricated.
• Shave in the direction of the hair growth.
• Use a sharp blade and avoid dull blades.
• Cleanse the face first to soften the hair growth.
• Shave lightly –don’t apply too much pressure.
• Use an aftershave that has no irritating ingredients and is an effective moisturiser. Skinsaviour Cream was formulated for sensitive skins and is ideal for use after shaving.
• Avoid colognes and aftershaves on the affected area.
• Gentle exfoliation – lightly rub over with a washcloth the area after shaving to help prevent razor bumps forming. Ingrown hairs may be gently squeezed to release the hair.
• Severe chronic cases may need to let beards grow or investigate other forms of hair removal such as laser or electrolysis.
• Seek medical advice if the rash or bumps do not heal.

Can I use cosmetics with sensitive skin?

Can I use cosmetics with sensitive skin?

The answer is yes you can but it does help if you know by trial and error what may cause an allergic type reaction and therefore you need to avoid. It may take a bit of detective work and patience for you to work this out.

There are some general guidelines that will be useful to all people with sensitive skins.

• Avoid waterproof cosmetics such as mascaras as the need a strong cleanser to remove them which may remove the sebum and leave the skin more exposed to sensitivity.

• If you have eyes that become sensitive when using eye makeup try the more neutral colours like creams, taupes and browns.  Often it is the more highly pigmented colours that will cause sensitive skin to flare.

• Black mascara seems to be less likely to cause an allergic reaction than coloured mascaras.

• Throw away any old makeup past its use by date, especially old mascaras used around the sensitive eye area.

• Approximately, three months for mascara, a year for foundations and powders and two years for eye shadows.

• Wash eye shadow brushes and makeup brushes and sponges regularly.

• Pencil and waxed based eyeliners are less likely to cause a reaction than liquid eyeliners.

• Use sunscreens that have physical blockers like zinc oxide and titanium oxide rather than chemical sunscreens.

• Powder cosmetics usually cause less sensitive skin reactions than liquid ones.

• Use skin care products such as skinsaviour to be gentle on sensitive skin as part of your daily skin routine removing grime and pollutants that could irritate sensitive skin

Sensitive skin and Uticaria

What is Uticaria?

The symptoms of Uticaria are most commonly a rash that is very itchy and consists of a number of raised bumpy weals on the surface of the skin. In an acute attack it can last between several hours and a few weeks, uticaria that last longer than six or so weeks is less likely to be caused by an allergy and is called chronic uticaria.  Acute uticaria is caused by an allergy.

He most likely suspects for acute uticaria include allergies to animals such as dogs, cats and horses and common foods such as eggs and dairy particularly milk in children, peanuts, shellfish and dairy for adults. Sometimes people can be allergic to bee stings, wasp stings and even certain medicines such as antibiotics, in particular penicillin and other medications.

What are the symptoms of uticaria?

The rash that develops is very itchy and usually has lumpy, bumpy skin that develops along with a rash. Sometimes the rash can move around the limb or body and be so severely itchy it interferes with the person’s ability to sleep and their quality of life. Uticaria causes super sensitive skin and commonly red lines develop when the skin is itched called dermatographism. There is a relationship between stress and the uticaria reappearing, mental and emotional stress and when the body is challenged by a physical illness. Sometimes acute attacks occur when there is a viral illness and the body’s immune response is lowered.

What can we do?

• Try to avoid stresses we recognise can cause acute attacks such as alcohol, stress, hot weather, tight itchy clothing and harsh laundry detergents.

• Avoid foods we know or may have a reaction to, additives such as salicylate, sodium benzoate, sulphur dioxide, tartrazine and MSG or Mono Sodium Glutamate among others.

• Examination by a doctor is needed to determine the cause if mild symptoms become worse or persist for weeks.

• A doctor may prescribe some medication or run some blood tests to determine if there is an underlying allergy or an auto immune disease.

• A course of antihistamine tablets may settle the symptoms of acute uticaria but if it doesn’t respond or you have some associated health problems then see a doctor.

• A doctor may prescribe a short course of oral steroids if the symptoms are severe.

What is sensitive skin?

Sensitive skin is quite common; hypersensitivity however, is fortunately less common. The main difference is that hypersensitive skin can often react to non-irritating formulations due to an underlying skin condition. Professional medical advice is recommended in such cases.  Seek help if your skin does not respond to care for sensitive skins to make sure you do not have an underlying medical condition that may be causing your sensitive skin. In terms of sensitive skin, however, there are a number of things you can do to help ease the discomfort and frustration of having a sensitive skin.

What can we do?

Sensitive skin is very easily irritated so the first thing we want to do is minimise the chances of it being irritated. If there are any allergens we know that trigger allergic reaction and skin conditions such as eczema we should take great care to avoid. Prevention is much better than cure as flare-ups can take a while to subside and always seem to occur just when you don’t want them. Triggers can range from foods we eat, plants, fur and so on. Skin care products that have been especially formulated to minimise irritation by including no irritating ingredients should be used.

Skinsaviour skin care products have been designed to be gentle and effective with no perfumes or colourings or harmful ingredients to irritate sensitive skins.

Here are some suggestions on how we can look after sensitive skins:

• Avoid cleansers that have sulphates, detergents or soap that will all irritate sensitive skin.

• Avoid cleansers with harsh exfoliating particles or ones high in glycolic acids.

• Gently pat the skin dry after cleansing and avoid rubbing which will further irritate the skin.

• Use lukewarm water to avoid irritating the skin with water that is too hot or too cold.

• Seek moisturisers without perfumes, fragrances, colourings, alcohols, petroleum, preservatives, sulphates mineral oils or lanolin or as these can irritate sensitive skin.

• Apply skin creams while the skin is still damp and warm, after gently patting dry, to lock in moisture and preserve the skin’s natural defence barrier.