Shaving can be a pain—literally. A lot of men have problems with skin irritation on their neck and face after shaving (folliculitis). Some irritations are so painful that men can only shave once every six days; this is the only way to keep the event of irritation at a minimum. This doesn’t usually leave enough time for the face to heal completely.

Folliculitus is a public problem but there are things that you can do to relieve the situation:

• Start by trimming your facial hair with an electric razor before using a regular razor.
• Exfoliate with a gentle pre-shave exfoliator.
• Then, use a rich, lubricating shave cream that has silicone technology, to prevent further irritation.
• When finished shaving put a warm, moist towel on your face followed by a cold one—this will help pores to close.
• Alleviate burning by using ice cold aloe gel (refrigerate before using).