Shaving when you have acne requires precision and caution. Here’s how to get it right

Acne-prone skin is not easy to manage, and you have to take into careful consideration which products you can use on your face; the extra care required; and how to shave. We spoke to the founder and creative director of cosmetics brand FINO for Men, Adrienne Cohen, to find out about some of the shaving mistakes that men with acne-prone skin make.

Not consulting your dermatologist

Cohen cannot stress enough the importance of first visiting a dermatologist and having them advise you on how you should go about shaving and doing anything else to your face, since acne is a medical problem.

READ MORE: The low-down on your shaving kit

“Anyone with acne-prone skin should always check with their dermatologist before they do anything with their skin. Acne is first and foremost a medical condition and should be treated as such,” Cohen says.

Applying too much pressure  

Cohen explains that if the skin already has pus nodules, then shaving becomes more difficult, so it’s important to be gentle.

“It’s about the pressure, men need to make sure that they don’t press very hard on the skin, otherwise they are going to antagonise the existing condition,” Cohen says.

Shaving against the grain  

In order to achieve a smoother shave, a lot of men tend to shave against the direction that the beard is growing, but this can further irritate skin.

“It’s important to know which direction your beard grows in and to shave it in that direction. It does, however, become a bit tricky when shaving on the neck because, unlike your facial hair, the hair on your neck grows in multiple directions, so always shave with a bit more precaution and concentration when you start shaving the neck,” Cohen suggests.

READ MORE: Why an aftershave is essential

Not opting for a shaving oil  

While using a shaving foam is not in itself a bad thing, shaving oils are also a good idea. They don’t have a greasy formula, making them very easy on the skin.

Cohen recommends that you rather opt for these over foam for one specific reason. “The advantage of using a shaving oil is that you can see through the formula while you’re shaving, so if you’ve got a particular big pus nodule, you can avoid [it] while shaving because you can see it and it allows one to get a very clear edge on their beard line,” Cohen says.

FINO has just this week, consistent with its belief that products should be multifunctional, released a beard grooming oil that doubles up as a shaving oil.