(New York Post) In the nick of time.
A doctor has shared the best ways to shave your legs perfectly, every time.
Dr. Simi Adedeji, a London-based medical doctor who specializes in Skin and Women’s Health has shared with her 1.05 million YouTube subscribers “the 10 basic rules to help you achieve the perfect shave.”
The first two steps mentioned dealt with the moisture levels of the skin while shaving.
According to Adedeji it is best to let the hair and skin hydrate and to never dry shave.
“For a better shave hydrate the hair by shaving two to four minutes into a shower or immediately afterwards.”
Waiting the extra two minutes allows the hair to absorb the water and swell, making it easier to cut off.
“Hair that is dry is harder to cut because you need more of a cutting force in order for your blade to slice through the hair,” Adedji explains. “Using more force means you are much more likely to irritate your skin.”
After shaving, Adedji recommends moisturizing the freshly shaven areas as it will help keep the skin moist and reduce the itchy and rashy dry areas.
Dr. Simi Adedeji, a London-based medical doctor who specializes in Skin and Women’s Health has shared with her 1.05 million YouTube subscribers “the 10 basic rules to help you achieve the perfect shave.”Dr Simi Adedeji: YouTube
The drier the skin, the more friction the blade will create with the skin which can lead to more being cut than expected — along with nasty razor burn.
“Not only will you be shaving off your hair but the chances are you’ll be shaving off a good portion of your stratum corneum, (the outermost layer of skin.)”
To help combat razor burn, Adedji recommends “wet shaving” while also using a shaving gel or cream.
Another tip was to use sharp blades and stay clear of dull ones because the duller a blade, the more problems it could cause.
“A blunt blade is harder to shave with because it won’t cut your hair as easily and it would also tug on the hair,” Adedji said, which could lead to damaging the structures under the skin along with irritation.
To help combat razor burn, Adedji recommends “wet shaving” while also using a shaving gel or cream.Shutterstock
A good, sharp razor would also prevent multiple passes, which is another no-no from the British doctor.
It would just lead to more of the skin layers being shaved off instead of any hair.
One way to keep the blade sharp is to frequently rinse off the razor while shaving as it collects hair, dirt, skin cells and other debris that had been on the skin.
“Make sure you’re rinsing your blade at regular intervals to keep your blade sharp and cutting effectively,” Adedji says.”
The best direction to shave one’s skin is debated, as Adedji tells her audience to not “ignore the grain.”
Most people shave with the grain, or the way the hair grows, which usually results in the easiest shave as it is easier to cut, but Adedji points out that shaving against the grain could result in smoother skin.
