Kayla Young
When you want to get rid of hair in various areas of your body, one of the fastest ways to do it is to shave. Whether it is hair on our arms, legs, or private parts, we’ve all shaved at least a few times.Â
However, sometimes instead of feeling smooth, the area you shaved feels itchy and irritated. That could be due to the hairs that the shave just cut and it doesn’t bring a good feeling.
Do you want to know how to make prickly hair soft? There are a few ways you can do that. We’ve put together a list of options, and you can mix and match them to help you achieve softer and smoother hair.
Before we look into the different ways to remedy prickly hair, let us first get to know what causes prickly hair in the first place.Â
Contents
What Causes Prickly Hair?
There are different ways you can remove hair from different parts of your body. Waxing and plucking the hair will remove the entire hair along with its roots.Â
However, shaving will only cut the exposed part of the hair. Shaving only removes the hair that is on the surface of the skin.
It is understandable that not all people would prefer to have their hair plucked, epilated, or waxed because it can be painful. It is no surprise that they turn to their (relatively easy) shave when they want to get rid of hair fast.Â
However, one of the consequences of shaving hair is developing prickly hair. This is especially true when the razor you use is dull. What happens is that the hair is not cut smoothly at skin level.Â
One of the consequences of shaving hair is developing prickly hair. This is especially true when the razor you use is dull.
This results in stubbles that can feel sandy to touch. More often than not, the hairs are already too short to further shave or wax.Â
Even with a brand new razor-sharp razor, there still could be stubble that develops after you shave. This can happen when your skin is the culprit.Â
There could be too much dead skin on the surface of the skin. This can prevent the hair from being cut efficiently and accurately.Â
How To Make Prickly Hair Soft
It may sound as though there is no escaping prickly hair when you decide to shave. However, that isn’t the case. There are still things you can do to make your prickly hair soft again.Â
Let It Grow
The first thing that you can do is simply let your hair grow again. Sometimes the hair could simply feel prickly due to its length. As the hair grows longer, it won’t feel as prickly anymore.Â
This is also the reason why your newly grown hair only feels prickly after a few days after shaving. That’s because the cut hair has grown a certain length that feels prickly to touch. The longer it gets, the softer it usually feels.
Moisturize!
Another way to make prickly hair soft is to use a moisturizer. There are different products that you can apply to your skin to help hydrate it.
Sometimes, the cause of the prickliness right after shaving is the stubble. By using moisturizing balms, you can hydrate them. This makes them softer and less irritable until the next time you shave.Â
How To Avoid Prickly Hair
The best way to remedy prickly hair is to avoid getting it. If you avoid shaving, then it is less likely for you to get prickly hair. However, not all people can avoid shaving.
There are many people who just can’t deal with the other means of hair removal like using hair wax, plucking, or using epilators that’s why they turn to their razor.
If you choose to shave, here are a few tips to help lessen the likelihood of having prickly hair after using it.
1. Exfoliate the Skin
The first thing that you have to do before you shave is to make sure that you exfoliate the skin regularly. Exfoliation helps remove the dead skin cells that are on the surface of your skin.
When they are removed, you can get closer to the root of each of the hair strands. The dead skin cells can block the razor. So removing them helps the razor get better access to the hair strands.Â
Some say it would be best to use physical exfoliators like scrubs rather than chemical exfoliants to the area you are shaving.
However, some warn that you shouldn’t be over-exfoliating or exfoliating right before shaving because that can cause irritation.Â
Exfoliation could irritate the skin, as does shaving. But the skin can usually handle them. However, some can’t, and doing them in quick succession could be enough to irritate the skin.Â
This is why most suggest exfoliating the day before shaving so that the skin gets a chance to recover. It is less likely to take a double hit from irritation by the two procedures.Â
Most suggest exfoliating the day before shaving so that the skin gets a chance to recover. It is less likely to take a double hit from irritation by the two procedures.Â
2. Shave After You Shower
The best time to shave is after you shower. Showering and cleaning your body helps remove the dirt on the surface of the skin plus the dead skin cells as well.
Apart from that, the steam plus the water that you use for showering helps moisten the skin and relax the hair follicles.
When the shaver glides smoothly and there is less friction, your skin is less likely to be irritated and develop prickliness.Â
When the shaver glides smoothly and there is less friction, your skin is less likely to be irritated and develop prickliness.Â
3. Make Sure Your Razor/Shaver Is Sharp
When you shave, you’d want to make sure that you don’t irritate the skin by doing multiple passes. It would be best to use as few glides as possible.
You can do that better if your razor or shave is sharp. It will be able to efficiently cut the hair as you do the first glides.
4. Use A Shaving Cream, Gel, Or Even Conditioner
There are different shaving products that are meant to be used when shaving. They help make sure that the hair is softened so that your shave glides with minimal friction.
These products can vary in formulation but they could contain ingredients that help the hair stay soft. It could also contain moisturizing ingredients to help soothe the skin while saving.
5. Shave In The Right Direction
Take a look at the direction in which your hair grows. Make sure you follow the direction, or the grain, of the hair growth when you shave.Â
This helps prevent you from not just prickly hairs, but also ingrown hairs.Â
6. Moisturize
Whether it is before or after shaving, you shouldn’t forget to moisturize the area to make sure that it is soft and smooth. There are various post-shave moisturizers on the market nowadays. When selecting a moisturizer to use, it is better to get the unscented ones.Â
Whether it is before or after shaving, you shouldn’t forget to moisturize the area to make sure that it is soft and smooth.
Your skin is irritated and could be inflamed due to the process of shaving. The fragrance is an ingredient that could cause irritation especially if your skin is sensitive or is already experiencing irritation from shaving.
Apart from that, it is also best to avoid products that could contain other exfoliating ingredients after shaving like the BHAs and AHAs. Help your skin recover first and avoid them right after shaving so you don’t develop prickliness.
7. Try Using A Shaving Oil
Shaving oils are great because it boosts the hydration of your skin. However, it is best not to use too much of it as well.
Carefully take a look a the ingredients of the shaving oil that you are going to use. Those that are based on squalene and jojoba oil are best because they mimic the natural sebum that the skin produces.
Some shaving oils even add vitamin E to them to make them even more nourishing for the skin.
8. Hydrate!
Putting topical moisturizer on the skin isn’t the only way that you can hydrate it. Hydration also comes from within that is why you should make sure that your body is well hydrated.
Drink water or other fluids to keep your body hydrated. This prevents dry skin not only on the parts you want to shave but on the rest of the body too. Plus, it is a great way to keep yourself healthy.
Alternatives To Shaving
As mentioned, one of the best ways to prevent prickly hair is to avoid shaving. But if you are going to avoid shaving, there should be alternative ways how you can get rid of those unwanted hairs in your body.
Sure enough, there are alternative ways to remove unwanted body hair. They are as follows:
- Over-the-counter cream hair removers– These contain chemicals that weaken the protein of the hair so it can be removed. However, there are people who are sensitive to such ingredients so it is best to test it on a very small area.Â
- Hair Wax – There are different types of hair wax but it usually coats the exposed hair strands and once removed or pulled, multiple hair strands are removed at a time.Â
- Laser Hair Removal – This technology involves the use of laser light to damage the hair follicles. However, this should be done regularly to take effect. It doesn’t work if you just do it once.Â
