Ever cut yourself and wondered how long does this shaving cut take to heal? Well, nicks, ticks, and cuts are the most common problems when dealing with shaving. Matter of fact it should be the biggest problem you’ll have while your shaving. They are such a big problem because no matter how careful you are, you can get cut. But there are ways to go about handling nicks and ticks when shaving.
Doesn’t matter about your experience. Doesn’t matter how careful you are. It can happen anytime. Matter of fact it is bound to happen. And it’s not only men that may have this issue, lots of women shave. They also get nicks and ticks. So here a few tips on how I deal with them and maybe you can too. The nicks or ticks I’m talking about, come from the disposable (don’t know why anyone would use that) cartridge and even my favorite safety razors. Funny how it has the name safety razor and I can still get cut. Got to find the humor in everything.
Let’s dive in!
How long do shaving cuts take to heal?
The time it takes for you to heal would depend greatly on your own healing factor. And that is dependent on your genetic makeup. Some people heal faster than others due to their genes. Truth is shaving cuts can bleed for hours, and they can leave bad scars.
The tips up above can help to hide and heal fast, but generally speaking, you’ll be looking at maybe 3 -5 days till it heals. But then it depends even more so on the type of cut. Is it a small little nick? Or is the cut BIG? How deep is the cut that you made and how long is? Another thing that is dependent on how fast it heals is how you treat it. Now the nick can take anywhere from 2-4 days or 3-5 days. But the BIGGER cuts can take longer. Maybe even up to 2 months.
How long do shaving cuts take to stop wounds bleeding?
It can take anywhere from 5 -10 minutes. But once again the amount of bleeding is dependent on your genetic makeup. Some people will bleed a lot more than others. Or maybe you’ll have a bleeding disorder, hemophilia, or Von Willebrand disease that prevents your blood from clotting.
Then a small cut, I’m talking about a tiny little nick that can bleed for hours. But if you don’t have a bleeding disorder, and you follow a few of the steps up above, then the bleeding can stop with 5-10 minutes. I remember my brother bleeding out pretty badly for up to 20 minutes and he didn’t have any bleeding disorder. And it was a small cut.
Something that would’ve been caused by a razor. I’ve heard of some people bleeding for hours, but then this may be because they irritated the cut while trying to stop it from bleeding. Then the blood starts to clot, they irritate it even more, and it bleeds again.
So, if your cut is bleeding for hours, take yourself to the emergency room, because something may be wrong. You also have to take in the larger amount of blood vessels that you have. Those vessels can be near the surface of the skin on your face. Then those sharp blades can very sharp cuts, that can be problematic for your platelets when they try to grow a scab. The rougher cuts will have more of a rugged area for the platelets to bond on to.
How to hide a shaving cut?
One of the only ways to hide that hideous shaving cut is to use makeup. So, for women this is obvious. They most likely will have makeup and you have to use one that matches your skin tone (that’s important) because if not it, It’ll stand out a lot.
Men, the majority of us don’t use makeup, so, you can tap into your feminine side and take some of your girlfriends or your female friends and use theirs. If not head on down to the drug store or Sephora and find something that goes along with your skin tone.
You can also try to remove the dead skin cells that have built up around that cut area. This can make it seem a little lighter.
For men, you can let your beard grow. Or let that mustache grow. If your hair grows fast and you have a very nasty cut, then you won’t have to wait too long till the hair grows over the cut and hides it.
The other option is to not hide it. To hell with it. Wear the cut proudly. Yeah, you were shaving and yes you cut yourself. Deal with it. If people ask, just be honest. They’ll understand. Shaving cuts happen all the time.
How to hide a shaving cut on your leg?
The same steps up above can be taken for the leg area. But the leg area is even better because its something that can be easily covered up. Summertime, if I get a cut on my leg, I would probably see if I could use more of the makeup. But you can also settle for some jeans or pants. No one would know.
How to Heal a Shaving Cut and not leave a scar?
A shaving cut will heal itself. Now, will it leave a scar, maybe? It depends. I know I keep saying that word a lot. But it does. Do you remember ever getting a small cut and it heals? Can you still see it? I know I can’t see mine, but it depends on how deep the cut was, you know the depth of the cut in the dermis or in better terms, the deep layer of your skin. Other factors of your skin forming scar tissue involve your age and which part of the body this happened to. So, since we’re talking about shaving, we’re talking about the possibility of cuts on your face, chest, genitals, and butt. More cuts form more likely on the face.
So, if you’re shaving and you get a little nick on the neck, leg, chest, or even pubic area. You probably won’t get a scar or maybe if you do the scar won’t be all that noticeable.
But if the cut is BIG and DEEP (I would wonder exactly how you got that cut while shaving, but that’s a different topic for another day), then expect some scarring tissue. But if it is a small little nick it can still probably leave a scar. The tips I have up above can help you heal the regular shaving cut or nick and not leave any scar. And by regular, I mean a small tiny nick that you can get from a shave.
But I’m sorry to say, if that shaving cut is big or deep, there is no amount of prep that can prevent a scar. Sorry.
So, to wrap that up. The best option would be to practice shaving with your blade. The way I do it is to just run the blade along my thigh or leg. And shave it. It doesn’t have to be a real shave either. I’m just practicing. I’m practicing to make sure I don’t press down on the blade and let the blade do the slow. I’m also practicing the speed at which I shave.
Why do I always cut myself shaving my legs?
No matter how careful you are whenever you shave, you’re most likely going to cut yourself. But, you don’t have to cut yourself every time you shave. So, if you are, it could be because of these problems…
- You’re rushing through the shaving process
- You can be applying to much pressure to the blade while your shaving
- You might be shaving with the razor at an odd angle.
- Or your blade may not be as sharp as you think.
- Or you may another little cut on your leg that hasn’t properly healed yet. So, you’re continuing shaving over it and cutting it again.
Choose one of these and find out what you’re doing wrong. Then correct it. By that I mean stop doing it.
Perfect First aid kit for minor ticks and cuts.
Y’all should grab some…
- Aftershave
- Alum block
- Styptic pencil
- Liquid styptic rollers/gels
Then I’ll provide some more extra tips I’ve been using and what I’ve heard others are using and that you can use also. But just a warning for the ladies, the majority of the products is more tailored for men shaving. But sometimes some products that are specifically for a gender can be used for the other gender. So maybe you’ll be able to try it.
Some of the products up above such as the alum block, styptic pencil and roller can constrict the skin which is something you need to stop the bleeding quickly. They also dry up the nicks and cuts. They coagulate the blood too. So, to sum it up, these are a few items and steps you can take if you cut yourself shaving and it won’t stop bleeding.
Okay, let’s get started
The Styptic Pencil
I’m sure your grandpa or any old-timer you come across that shaves will tell you about this wonderful product. It’s a must in every bathroom. It’s made from an alum block which later on I’ll get into. It’s perfect for those nicks and ticks because of the minerals contained in the alum block. They do a good job of constricting and stopping blood flow. Minerals such as potassium alum, anhydrous aluminum or titanium dioxide. I forgot to mention they also help prevent infection.
How to use it
- Wet the top of the tip
- Hold the tip to the nick or cut
- The bleeding should stop within a couple of moments
- The pencil will leave a sort of powder like substance on you. So just wipe that thing off.
Alum blocks
I never heard of these until an old friend put me on to it. It’s basically like a soap bar version of the styptic pencil. Since the pencil comes from it. It has the same composition as the pencil. So, I guess you can think of this as a bigger version of the styptic pencil. Although both serve totally different purposes. The styptic pencil is best for those small areas on the body. The alum block and its soap bar shape can be rubbed on your face.
It’ll mostly be used when you’re shaving the first time. See when your shaving for the first time, you’re likely going to cut yourself a few times. A styptic pencil isn’t really built for all those cuts. But the alum block can handle that.
I’ve heard it can be used just to rub on the skin after shaving even when there isn’t any cut. Since it hast those astringent properties it can help as a form of antiseptic used after you’ve done shaving and prevent any razor burn. So, let’s say you use an aftershave that contains alcohol (which you shouldn’t be using), but let’s say you do, try this as an alternative. The alum block doesn’t have any alcohol so, dry skin isn’t a problem with this product.
The liquid styptic roller and it also comes in a gel form. (my Nik is sealed)
It can stop bleeding on its tracks because it contains the same properties as the styptic pencil. You just don’t get any tingling feeling on your skin and there’s isn’t any powdery residue left over.
Aftershave
I don’t encourage you to use any sort of aftershave that has alcohol in it. Because that alcohol dries out the skin incredibly. But that alcohol content is good because it also acts as an astringent. The alcohol helps to disinfect the nick or tick and keep away any razor burn also. But it does have its limits. It’s nowhere near the other effective products I’ve mentioned but you can still try it. But if you’re just like me when it comes to hating alcohol in our aftershave then try witch hazel. Witch hazel is also a form of astringent. So, try that.
Here are a few home items for those nicks and ticks when you start shaving
Alright so, you’re all out of witch hazel, no aftershave, no alum block, no styptic pencil. But you do have a home. Here are few home remedies you can try when your shaving and happen to get a nick or cut.
Cold water is one of the best ways to hand a nick or tick from shaving
Cold water, I think is everyone’s go-to remedy when handling nicks and ticks. I think people use cold water for everything, every sort of ailment or injury. It’s something about the cold. The cold water can stop the bleeding. It does this by constricting your skin. If the water is colder, then you should be able to see fast results.
Stop rubbing deodorant on your armpits and rub it on your cuts
I bet you didn’t know that deodorant has a small amount of alum block content. It also helps constrict the skin and stop the blood flow.
Get some aspirin paste:
Take a tablet of aspirin. It doesn’t matter what brand you take. Drop one table in a cup of water. It’s important to note that the water and aspirin should be a good amount and enough to form a paste. So not too much water. You can take a cotton ball or paper towel, or even a q-tip will work. Whichever you choose, dip it into the paste and apply it to the nick or cut. The aspirin can get to work on your cut. It’ll soothe your pain and also help stop the bleeding. This paste is also a good remedy for razor burns.
Lip balm
Lip balm is a good alternative since it’s sort of a stick which will make application very easy. The waxiness of your lip balm can help to cover the cut and stop the blood flow.
Ice cubes
Ice cubes are good for more than just cooling your drink. Once placed on the skin they can shrink your blood vessels quick. This allows a clot to form and stop the blood flow. What I like to do is wrap the piece of ice in a cloth or paper towels because putting ice on your skin isn’t necessarily a good thing. It’s cold and it will start to hurt. If you have no ice cubes or you’re in a situation where you have to decide between putting ice in your cup or on your cut. You can use an ice pad/cold compress.
Use your mouthwash, but not in your mouth
I know you’re wondering why exactly this product would be great? But its good for those shaving cuts because of its (you guessed it) alcohol content. Once again, the alcohol is an antiseptic. It also is a disinfect. It’ll have the same effect as the alcohol filled aftershave. The whole goal is to constrict the skin and slow that bleeding down. Mouthwash can do just that. So, try it out.
Vaseline
Vaseline was once intended to help heal small cuts due to it acting as a shield or cover for the cut. Allowing it to heal faster and protecting it from outside bacteria. But it will be the same as a lip balm. Don’t rub on a lot because your face can be really shiny.
Baby oil but it’s the coconut baby oil
Coconut baby oil can work. But I’ve tried it and I would say its effective but not as effective as the other methods. It has certain elements in it that can protect your cut from infection, but it didn’t do that good a job with stopping the bleeding.
Eye drops
Aren’t just for your red eyes. But have you ever wondered how they work on your red eyes? The blood vessels, the eye drops can constrict them just like alcohol. Thus, stop any bleeding. Okay let’s say you’re shaving your skin and don’t have any of these items in your home and BOOM, you cut yourself while shaving. Here are a few more options you can try.
Pressure busts pipes, Pressure makes diamonds, But Pressure can help stop the bleeding too.
What I do sometimes is get a washcloth, or paper towel, place over the cut, and then I push down on it. Applying as much pressure as possible. It should take maybe 5 minutes for the bleeding to stop, you may have to hold on a bit longer.
Pinch yourself
The pressure option doesn’t work, then PINCH the area. What you can do is take your thumb and index fingers and pinch your skin the same way you would pinch yourself or someone else.
Here are a few tips on how to avoid cutting yourself when you shave your face or your legs
Change the razor you’re using
You’re probably using a disposable razor. One that you may have gotten from rite aid or a dollar store. If you love those types of razors and don’t believe in using any sort of safety razor. Then you can try Gillette razors since some of their products in their product line have what is called a front pivot handle razor. See the way the razor blades and the razor itself reacts with the movement of your skin while your gliding the blade across has a lot to do with getting cut.
Razors such as these types do a good job of redistributing any pressure through the skin. They sometimes come with a guard in front that’ll push the skin and stretch it. This allows for a smooth surface for the blade to glide on.
Razors that have these sorts of features are Gillette’s Mach 3 and their Fusion product. Or you can try Harry Truman’s Razor. All three should come with multiblade razors and have a flexible handle. But there is a downside to using these multi-blade razors. They aren’t for the faint of heart. They do bad things to sensitive skin, razor bumps, rashes. So, if your skin is a bit on the sensitive side, you will want to try the safety razor.
The list of tips up above can also help heal your shaving cut fast
Some more tips
It all starts with the pre-shave
Proper razor glide is the cause of your nicks and cuts. Like I somewhat explained up above. If you have a nice stroke of the blade, then there is less irritation on the skin. That can be provided by taking hot showers, make sure there is a lot of steam. This can soften up the hair. The pre-shave oil you decide to use can help to loosen up your scruff. The pre-shave can also help move the blade along by lubricating properly.
Get a good shaving cream
I like to choose shaving creams that are filled with Aloe, Witch Hazel, or Shea Butter, but I also pick ones that are manufactured to provide somewhat of a cushion on the skin. You can go for ones such as Billy Jealousy Hydroplane Super-Slick Shave Cream is one you can try. It’s a foam-less type of cream that doesn’t cover up the shaving area, so you can see where your blade is going.
Keep your razor blade in good shape
Never use a dull blade. I know it sounds weird. How can a dull bald cut you? But it can. It can be worse than a sharp blade. See, the sharp blade just glides over your skin. Cutting away any hair. Usually, it’s the person that cuts themselves by going too fast or applying way too much pressure. A dull blade, you’ll get the feeling that it’s not cutting. So, you push and pull on it till you see it cut. You’re applying way too much pressure on it and it’ll cut when the blade slips because of too much force behind it.
Make sure you run through scolding hot water after your finished. After you’re finished rinsing it out, you want to pat it dry. If you pat it dry with a towel or washcloth and you see some of it inside the blade (meaning that it got stuck in there while you were patting it dry), then use a tweezer to pluck them out. Keep it in a nice dry area and store it there.
Do a better job with your skincare
You got to start exfoliating more often. more exfoliation means that there isn’t much for your blade to get stuck on. If it gets stuck on something, then you may get the feeling it’s not cutting. If you feel like it’s not cutting, then you’ll apply more pressure. More pressure means more of a chance for you getting cut.
Switch up that old shaving technique that’s causing you problems
When you are shaving, you must go against the grain. Only short strokes. Very little pressure. And only use the weight of the blade. Longer strokes only cause more problems because you’ll be inclined to use more pressure. The short strokes that you’ll be using should be about 2 inches. If you shave other places around your body it should be about 4 inches. And if you go and do another pass after your first shave. Lather up with the shaving cream again.
Safety razor nicks and cuts
Safety razors are different from your common disposable and multiblade razors, but they are still razors. And they can cut you, regardless of its name (safety razor).
They can provide a better shave because there are plenty of benefits to shaving with just one razor. But although it’s a safety razor it still can give you nicks and ticks. I would prefer it over the other types of multiblade razors. Since the likelihood of you cutting yourself is very unlikely. A razor with 5 blades will shave your face about 3 times. So, that’s about 15 passes with that razor whenever you shave. That can increase the possibility of razor bumps, ingrown hairs, irritated skin.
The safety razor has 1 blade and passes through the skin only one time when you shave. So, let’s say you shave your face in the morning with a safety razor and it takes you 3 passes with the safety razor. That’s only 3 times versus the 15 from the multiblade razor. In fact, I think because it has a less likelihood of causing so many problems that are accustomed to shaving is why it has that word included in its name “safety.”
But it can and will cut you. The only way to avoid this is to go Slow & let the blade do its work (don’t press down with a lot of pressure)
CONCLUSION: Basically no matter how careful you are with any sort of razor, multi-blade, safety razor, doesn’t matter, you will most likely get a few shaving cuts, a few shaving nicks, and ticks. There are ways around them. You may heal fast or you may not. Then you’ll have to resort to other methods, growing your hair out to cover your cut, putting makeup on. The other home items I described above that could help also. But time and time again, the one thing I’ve found that can almost 99% (okay maybe not 99%, but in the mid 90’s) of the time prevent any sort of shaving cuts is to take my time.
I go slow and I always use a sharp blade. So I got to make sure I’m in no rush during my shave. It has to be a thing I do that I must take my time with. Also not shaving everyday can limit the probability of you getting a shaving cut. Although there may be some benefits to shaving daily.