Shaving has been marketed as an effortless hair removal technique that not only makes your skin hairless but also exfoliates it while removing dead skin cells. The result? Flawless skin where makeup applies smoothly like butter and stays intact for many hours.
However, do not let the media fool you, it only shows the bright side of the story. Yes, shaving is practical but it is not fool-proof. While many women are hesitant to shave at first, others trust it with closed eyes.
However, there are many stories untold where people had a number of shaving accidents until they mastered the technique. Therefore, the focus of this article today is to know the real-life experiences of different people with shaving.
Stay tuned as you will be learning “Shaving my face ruined my life: the real-life stories” here.
Table of Contents:
- Part 1: The Battle with Razor Burn
- Part 2: The Scars of Shaving
- Part 3: Dealing With Ingrown Hair
- Part 4: Shaving and Skin Sensitivity
- Part 5: Lessons Learned and Insights
Part 1: The Battle with Razor Burn
First of all, we have the heartbreaking story of the blogger Elicia Gibson who gracefully owned her fine facial hair. But one day she noticed her hair was getting thicker. So, she decided to give a shaving razor a try to make her skin appear smoother and her makeup apply better. Sadly, none of them happened.
She took all the necessary steps of pre and post-care of shaving. But the process was uncomfortable for her. Once her full face was shaved, she experienced irritation at certain areas that she thought would go away. After a few hours that irritation changed into bumps.
These bumps made the makeup application difficult for her and made her regret the decision. Additionally, the empty words of sympathy from her boyfriend made her more conscious of her appearance.
Therefore, she applied hydrocortisone cream to soothe the swelling and booked a consultation with dermatologists to treat this severe razor burn.
Additionally, she suggests thoroughly researching if shaving will be suitable for your skin type, especially if you have sensitive and cystic-acne-prone skin along with doing a patch test with the razor before going all in.
Also, check how to prevent razor burns here.
Part 2: The Scars of Shaving
Although women can get shaving cuts as well. Here we will share the story of a man as well, who despite having thicker skin as compared to women, got a shaving cut and a long-lasting scar.
Story no. 1:
This is the story of another Blogger, Alle Connell, who tried shaving after being inspired by the beauty blogger Huda Kattan. She shaved her fine peachfuzz for 3 months perfectly until one time when she got a cut.
She was shaving as usual using a shaving razor designed especially for her face. Then suddenly she felt extreme pain in an area on her forehead and noticed a little cut there. It bled but not too much. Also, it gave her a small scar just near her hairline. Although it was not too obvious, it ruined her perfect face-shaving record and reduced her self-confidence.
Just like she got a cut even after being so used to shaving, you can get one as well. So, find out How to shave without cutting yourself. Furthermore, if you ever get a shaving cut and want to prevent it from scarring, use a styptic pencil and anti-scarring creams like Mederma Advanced Scar Gel.
Story no. 2:
Let us now talk about men as they are not free from cuts as well. In this 2nd story, we have a man with an ID, Michiganlover. As a beginner at using a razor, he took a straight razor having a wide blade and started shaving on the cheek with a little more pressure than necessary. As a result, he cut the skin instead of cutting the hair and got a ¼ inch deep scar that was about 2 inches long.
It bled profusely and left a long scar on his upper cheek that won’t go away any soon and without a professional procedure like a laser. Also, if you ever start bleeding from a shaving cut that does not seem to stop, follow the tips mentioned in how to stop bleeding from shaving.
Part 3: Dealing With Ingrown Hair
The next story on the list is about a beauty product review by Youtuber Natalie. On her account, Natalies Outlet, she shared what shaving did to her face. She decided to shave her hairy face to remove the hair and get the benefits of dermaplaning as well.
The aim was to show the audience how shaving works but it ruined her skin. Cleansing her face, applying a facial oil, and being careful around the areas with active acne, she shaved her face meticulously. The skin felt itching immediately after shaving and she developed painful bumps on the full face within a few days.
Her skin with no active acne and a few scars suddenly was full of ingrown hair which was painful and frustrating as well. Furthermore, they did not heal with simple measures and she had to go for professional treatments for her skin to be in a better condition.
Also, she recommends staying away from every beauty hack you see online and doing what is compatible with your skin after consultation with dermatologists. You can check how to remove ingrown hair perfectly here.
Part 4: Shaving and Skin Sensitivity
Shaving might work for most skin types, but using a razor on sensitive skin can leave you in constant discomfort with red and inflamed skin. To elaborate on this, we have the story of Brye Ashley, a beauty blogger. She has sensitive skin that reacts hyperactively to any change in skincare or facial grooming routine.
She decided to try shaving thinking it would be compatible with her skin. After the shave, she was satisfied that the skin did not react as much as she expected. However, that it was only a while later that the skin showed redness, discomfort, irritation, and rashes.
There was also the development of multiple small bumps in the shaved area. She used hydrocortisone cream to reduce the pain and swelling.
Part 5: Lessons Learned and Insights
From all these stories, here are the lessons we learned.
- Shaving is an attractive method of hair removal for women who plan on removing dead skin cells, stimulating new cell regeneration, and applying makeup flawlessly. It is pretty popular on social media as well.
- Regardless of the popularity or feasibility of shaving, it does not work for everyone. Sensitive skin type, active acne, and improper shaving technique are some of the drawbacks that can lead to the side effects of the razor.
- Also, even though you develop shaving burns, cuts, ingrown hair, and skin sensitivity, they can be treated with consistency, patience, home remedies, and professional care.
- To ensure that your shaving experience goes seamlessly, always use a pre-care routine including facial cleansing and lubrication; shave with small strokes applying little pressure; and always follow up with a post-shaving lotion. You can also use a cold compress to soothe the redness.
- Always do a patch test in a small area to see how your skin reacts to the blade.
- Lastly, expert guidance can help you with improving the shaving experience and deal with its side effects.
Conclusion
Shaving is not too tough of a hair removal procedure which makes almost every woman try it at least once in her life. However, it is not as simple as it looks and you can end up with razor burns, cuts, ingrown hair, and skin sensitivity.
This is exactly what the people in the stories we mentioned above face. Their experience is highlighted as they are popular YouTubers and beauty bloggers. The same is experienced by the general population as well.
Therefore, it is recommended to learn the proper technique of shaving, use products made for your skin type, and always do a patch test before shaving your full face.
