What the sun does to your shaved skin ... and that you will regret not having known before summer

Everyone dreams, and yet … This sun combo, smooth skin and smell of sunscreen hides a less glamorous reverse. It is often when one feels best in his body that he decides to remind us that he has his own rules. And the skin is never as capricious as in summer.

Each year, at the same period, the scenario is repeated: redness, small pimples, zones that scratch … and this unpleasant feeling under the skin. A known phenomenon, but too often minimized, resurfaces as soon as temperatures rise. What if the heat was not the only culprit? This is where troubles start.

Why the sun promotes embodied hairs

When exposing a freshly shaved or shaved skin in the sun, several phenomena overlap:

The cornea layer thickens under the effect of UV, obstructing the hair follicles.
The heat expands the pores, then tightens them suddenly under the effect of solar creams or cold water, trapping the hairs in the regrowth.
The tan acts as a natural barrier which slows down the exit from the hair to the surface.
Finally, shaving or hair removal causes invisible microcoupures that weaken the skin, increasing the risks of inflammation in contact with bacteria, sand, sweat …

According to dermatologist Florence Poli, “sun exposure just after hair removal can cause an inflammatory reaction that complicates normal regrowth of hair”. Result: the hair grows under the skin, sometimes rolled up on itself, and creates a small painful bump.

The most affected areas … and the most neglected

Certain areas of the body are particularly vulnerable to embodied hairs during the summer:

The jersey, often shaved and then covered by tight and humid jerseys
Legs, subject to repeated friction with clothes and deckchairs
Armpits, combining perspiration and sunscreen
Face, in men after morning shaving followed by prolonged exposure

Note: the practice of scrub is often poorly understood. Too frequent or made with too abrasive products, it can accentuate irritation and make the problem.

How to avoid embodied hairs after summer hair removal

Some simple gestures can make all the difference:

Avoid exposing yourself to the sun within 24 to 48 hours of hair removal or shaving.
Favor loose and cotton clothes, especially the first hours.
Hydrate your skin daily with non -comedogenic products.
Wait 3 days before exfoliating, and prefer a soft fine -grained scrub.
Use a post-espilation soothing cream based on aloe vera or thermal water.
And above all: never sunscreen on an irritated shaved skin. Prefer a light fog with quick absorption.

The right reflex? Adapt your routine according to its exposure and anticipate the needs of the skin. Because summer is not only the sun season, it is also that of skin errors.

Photo credit: @Shutterstock