Can I shave if I have acne?

If you suffer from mild acne, you may think that shaving is the worst thing you could do to your already inflamed face. But actually, dermatologists believe that is some cases, shaving is an excellent method of physically exfoliating the skin. This can help prevent the formation of blackheads and whiteheads on your face and may even remove them.

The important thing to remember, is that you must not shave over active inflammatory or infected lesions where bacterial overgrowth is present. This means that you cannot shave over pustules. If you have severe acne, consult your dermatologist.

For earlier, less severe lesions, namely blackheads and whiteheads, shaving might help. Just don’t use oily, fatty or greasy shaving creams and use dalacin T or an antibiotic lotion after shaving topically in the beard area.

What to do:

• Shave very gently over tender acne areas, as heavy pressure can damage the inflamed skin.
• Try both safety and electric razors to see which method you are most comfortable with.
• Before shaving, make sure that you soften your facial hair with warm water and shaving cream (specially formulated for sensitive/problem skin).
• Always use a sharp blade.