Wet or dry shave: How to care for sensitive skin when shaving
Tue, Sep 17 2024, Mark TwainWhy do you get sensitive skin when shaving?
You’re not alone if you have sensitive skin, whether you’re shaving wet or dry. As many as 60% of men notice that their skin reacts in a slightly irritated way.1 That’s because, when shaving, you often tend to move across the same area multiple times. This stresses the skin, especially around your chin and neck. To take better care of your face, use an electric shaver that is versatile enough to provide both styles of shaving, and then decide whether you want to wet shave or dry shave with it.
The pros and cons of wet shaving for sensitive skin
A wet shave is considered the traditional approach, and involves using water and shaving foam or cream. This encourages the hairs to stand proud from the skin, so you can achieve a closer cut. That’s a major pro if you like a very clean-shaven look. The smooth, precise result you get from wet shaving could well make it the one for you. You can also go for longer between shaves.
However, the actual act of wet shaving takes longer, as you have to prep your skin first and then rinse it afterwards. And wet shaving involves the blade touching your skin, so that can irritate sensitive skin – and lead to nicks and cuts. Regrowth after a wet shave can also be more itchy and prickly than after a dry shave. No matter if you’re shaving wet or dry, you’ll benefit from knowing how to prevent shaving irritation.
The pros and cons of a dry shave for sensitive skin
If your skin is sensitive to all the shaving creams you’ve tried, then it might be quite simple to answer the question ‘is it better to shave wet or dry?’ Dry shaving doesn’t involve any foams, creams, gels or water – it’s just your skin and the shaver. So this can be a big tick in the pro column. It’s essential, however, to use an electric shaver that has been made with dry shaving in mind.
The con is that you won’t get quite such a smooth finish, but the trade-off is less irritation, as the blade doesn’t directly touch your skin. Another con is that you’ll need to shave more regularly compared to wet shaving, but the process of shaving is quicker. And as the regrowth is less likely to be prickly and uncomfortable, that might be worth the additional shaving days – particularly for those with sensitive skin.
