Shave properly before going to the sauna
Shave before visiting the sauna. In the sauna we are all naked. And even in the Adam costume everyone wants to look as good as possible. For many, a shave is part of the process. After all, fashion magazines paint us the image of smooth bodies. However, this can burn quite a bit in the bathroom under certain circumstances. And how does it actually feel to sweat with freshly shaved legs? We have investigated all these questions for you and have compiled the answers.
Intimate shaving: Must or NoGo?
Let’s start directly with an extremely delicate subject: intimate shaving. Opinions are divided on it, and not only when it comes to sauna bathing. Women in particular are often accused of looking like little girls. And because in the sauna all bare, all also look at the naked facts. It is clear that whether the hair is there or not does not matter from a health point of view.
Because people in the 21st century are quite clean, the hair hardly need to bacteria keep out – not even in the sauna facility. How you feel about it is up to you – after all, it’s a matter of taste. The only advice we can give you is: let others be what they want to be.
Less hair for the sake of hygiene
Dear gentlemen of creation, now you are addressed. It is about hair on the chest and especially the one on the back. The longer they are, the more bacteria settle in them. And if you do lean against the wooden bench, you’ll spread the bacteria liberally throughout the room. And not only there. You carry them with you throughout the facility. By the way, you also take the bacteria home with you. Or are you able to wash your back properly on your own? The shorter the hair is, the less bacteria can get stuck in it as well.
So do yourself and those around you a favor and trim your hair. It’s very difficult to do that alone, and we know that. Just ask a dear friend or your wife to help you.
Sweat alone does nothing
With all the shaving, it’s easy to develop sores or razor burn. No matter whether the legs, the chest or the back have been treated. Many people fear that these injuries may burn in the heat. Finally, sweat runs into the open wounds. At this point we can give the all-clear. That alone does not burn.
The sweat even has a healing effect on the scratches. How this works exactly, you can read in this article. Even pimples can not harm the body’s own fluid. You also do not need to be afraid of the small cuts getting infected.
Then it burns especially
But, we won’t hide it at all, there are also areas in the bathroom where it hurts. After all, a self-respecting sauna facility offers its guests brine pools. This brine is nothing more than salt. If this gets into the open wounds, it burns. This also applies to injuries that are so small that you don’t even see them. At the latest when you step into the brine pool, you know where they are. It also doesn’t help to endure the pain and hope that it will stop on its own. The body does not get used to it.
You can probably already guess one rule: The higher the salt content, the greater the pain. If you felt comfortable in the hot tub, it doesn’t mean you’ll feel the same way in the floating pool. So always try out what is good for you.
Salt lurks everywhere
But the brine pools are not the only sources of salt in a sauna facility. If you are very sensitive you should use caution even in a normal pool. Salt could have been deposited there that other bathers brought in. This can also cause a slight burning sensation. Some spas offer their guests saunas in which brine is nebulized. You should also avoid them directly after shaving. The brine settles on your skin – and you guessed it: it’s going to burn.
Beware of the salt scrub
However, you can participate in the infusion with salt scrub without hesitation. However, you must be careful when rubbing it in: spare the areas that you have worked on with the razor. Also be careful with your hands afterwards, because they are probably very salty now. But the infusion itself will not hurt you. The air that the lifeguard nebulizes contains very little salt. So you won’t have any problems with painful sores or pimples. Afterwards, you should shower off carefully.
Just no small wounds
We have now repeated it like a prayer wheel: After shaving, it may burn. Below we tell you how you can have a painless sauna and bathing experience despite shaving. At this point, just this much: Be careful not to hurt yourself. Sure, that’s a truism. But you should take them to heart. Use a good quality razor before taking a sauna. Because if you take the old thing with the dull blades, your skin may crack. And unfortunately, the rule applies here: the cheaper the razor, the faster blades become dull. A pain-free recovery day should be worth the money to you.
Small areas, small stress
However, you do not need to be afraid in every case. If you shave only a small area, it rarely burns. This applies to the beard as well as to the bikini shave and the armpits. Firstly, because these areas are very small in themselves. They offer the salty water only little attack surface. On the other hand, there is also less risk of cutting yourself. One exception may be the beard. Here, proper care is the key to pain-free relaxation. We’ll tell you exactly how to do that below.
Ouch, the razor burn
Razor burn is a nasty painful inflammation. You can recognize it easily: if you notice some kind of rash after wet shaving, it has probably struck. It occurs most often on the complete shaved area. That is, after shaving the chest and abdomen for men, it is particularly unpleasant. This thing can really mess up your sauna visit. Especially since the affected areas usually burn on mere contact with water – which you will hardly be able to avoid. But you don’t even have to have large areas affected to spoil your fun. Even after a bikini shave, the thing can make the day in the bathroom a pain.
Once the rash has broken out, there’s not much you can do. Moisturizer provides a little relief. But use one without fragrance. Otherwise, the therapy attempt quickly turns into a painful experience. And here’s a warning to the gentlemen of creation: keep your hands off conventional aftershave. It contains alcohol and the application would be more than unpleasant. It is better to use sensitive products that contain only a few additives. Otherwise, only waiting helps. Normally, the pustules should be gone after a few days – but please do not scratch or it will bleed. In visible areas, the pimples can be covered with makeup.
How to shave correctly
So you’ve decided to shave before your next visit to the sauna. If you want to use a wet razor for this, there are three rules you should follow.
The most important we had already addressed: Always use a razor with sharp blades. It may sound paradoxical. But the duller the blades, the higher the risk of injury. This is due to very fine cracks that appear over time. They are not perceptible to the eye, but can cause injury to your skin. Also, you have to apply far more pressure with blunt blades. The result can be painful inflammation. Skin irritation will occur in any case. And another word on the subject of blades: Look for products that are as high quality as possible, then the shave is also gentle. At this point, the advertising delivers what it promises.
Shaving foam for sensitive skin
Also, be sure to use shaving cream as a matter of urgency. It is not a useless invention of the cosmetics industry that only wants your money. The foam forms a protective film on your skin, which allows the blades to glide smoothly. Plus, you’ll see where you’ve already shaved. In addition, the foam provides your skin with moisture, even while you shave. Many will now surely think: I get the same result with my shower gel. Yes and no. In an emergency, that’s OK, after all, it has similar properties. But it was not produced specifically for this purpose – and therefore does not have the same positive properties.
And last but not least: Take your time. When you’re in a hurry, mistakes happen quickly. You may slip and even tear deep wounds. Especially when shaving the legs often splashes blood. This is partly because some places are difficult to reach. But one reason is that many want to finish quickly. Let the razor glide slowly over the body parts. This way it will be more thorough and you will avoid annoying inflammations and sores.
Prevent razor burn
We had already mentioned that razor burn develops quickly. Especially if you use dull blades. Once it has broken out, there is little that can be done. But there is a brief moment after shaving, when care measures still succeed. That’s why you should get into the habit of applying lotion right after. It soothes the treated parts of the body.
As always, the fewer additives the product has, the better for you. Special afershavelotions are available in stores. They have especially many soothing and nourishing ingredients. But there’s no guarantee that you’ll avoid razor burn this way – sometimes it just happens. Even if you have followed all the rules.
You should wait that long
But all the efforts will not help. After shaving, it may burn in the sauna. Micro-fine injuries or simply skin irritations are to blame. You will feel this especially in the very salty floating pool. You don’t mind the heat itself. So if you’re planning a day at the spa, it’s better to skip shaving in the morning. You’ll thank yourself for it. If there is no other way, you should wait at least six hours before leaving for the sauna facility.
Alternatives to wet shaving
It doesn’t always have to be a wet shave either. On the one hand, there are procedures that are gentler and, on the other hand, techniques whose effect lasts longer. For example, some ladies swear by depilatory cream. According to the manufacturers, it only needs to be applied once a week. But be careful: do not apply it immediately before a sauna day. It also causes skin irritation. The same applies to epilators and wax. Both procedures promise long-lasting hair freedom – but cause skin irritation. In principle, you can only avoid them so completely with an electric razor. But you guessed it, there’s a downside to that too. It catches the hair only from a certain length and completely smooth the result is never – especially on the legs and when shaving the abdomen and chest.
Our buying tips:
Braun Silk-épil 9 SkinSpa SensoSmart epilator for women
Braun’s new generation epilators with integrated SensoSmart technology deliver results like professional epilation. The epilation guided by the intelligent pressure sensor removes even more hairs in one go. A red light indicates when you are applying too much pressure and you should adjust the process – for more efficient epilation.
Philips OneBlade Face + Body QP2630/30
Philips OneBlade features revolutionary technology specifically designed for trimming, styling and shaving beards, as well as fast and comfortable styling below the neck. Thanks to the unique blade with fast shear (200 times per second), OneBlade cuts even longer hair quickly and without uncomfortable pulling. In addition, the blade has a dual protection system of sliding coating and rounded tips, which makes it comfortable to use. At the same time, OneBlade does not cut as close to the skin as conventional blades, so it remains intact.
