Tips and Inspiration
From Unilever Beauty Experts
In the quest for flawless and smooth armpits, we resort to all sorts of tricks and techniques to beautify our kili-kili. Of course, convenience is a top consideration, which explains why most women prefer shaving as their underarm hair removal method of choice. But while it does offer a quick way to achieve hair-free armpits, shaving can cause a bevy of unwanted skin issues and inflict serious damage on your underarms in the long run.
1. It Can Cause Redness and Itching
Every time you shave your armpits, the razor cuts through strands right at the skin surface but not deep enough to actually reach the roots. So when the hair begins to grow back, the skin can get irritated—leading to redness and itchiness. Before you give in to the urge to scratch, though, heed this: Doing so can lead to small tears in your skin and even lead to discoloration.
2. It Can Cause Annoying Ingrown Hair
Since shaving doesn’t exactly uproot hair completely, it can cause strands to grow back into the skin instead of straight out. This causes clogging of the hair follicle, often leading to redness and irritation. In some occasions, it can even lead to nasty pimples or pustules! Ouch.
3. It Can Give You Razor Burn
A close shave may give you smoother results, but here’s the thing: Pressing the blade harder doesn't exactly mean you’re cutting deeper. In fact, this could result in inflamed or swollen pits because you're basically scraping off a layer of your skin! (Hello, razor burn!) Skin can also become tender to the touch as a result of the excessive pressure, especially if you use old or dull blades. If this happens, it’s best to avoid putting products on your skin for a while—especially a harsh deo—to keep it from developing into a full-blown rash.
4. It Can Cause Dark Underarms
Since the results of shaving are often short-lived, it’s likely that you find yourself turning to a razor frequently to keep your pits hair-free. When done often, however, the friction between your skin and the blade can cause the skin to darken over time as a result of a post-inflammatory reaction, making the pigmentation worse.
Sure, shaving is a fast and convenient way to keep your armpits smooth and hair-free, but it’s important to learn how to manage its side effects with the right shaving techniques and skincare products.
For starters, it’s helpful to use a gentle deodorant to soothe and nourish skin, especially after hair removal. One to try: Dove Radiant + Care Deodorant Dry Serum. It's a series of deos with “holy grail” ingredients, including niacinamide and collagen to care for your delicate armpits, avoid underarm irritation, and boost skin renewal.
