Manscaping: Avoid Razor Bumps and Infections

Manscaping. It’s the pop-culture term for trimming male pubic hair, and it seems simple enough: Trim the hair to create a refined look that feels more comfortable than going free range. But in the process, men often leave themselves looking and feeling quite raw. If they use the correct trimmer guard settings and appropriate skin care products, however, men can take better care of their genitals and take charge of their manscaping process.

If you experience any of the symptoms discussed here during or after manscaping, make sure to follow the guidelines provided for a healthier grooming experience.

What could go wrong?

According to the Mayo Clinic, pubic hair acts as a barrier to limit contact between the sensitive genital tissues and foreign surfaces. Pubic hair also helps the skin resist infection. When a man trims or removes any sort of body hair, he can cause small cuts in the skin called microlesions, and those allow easier access for infections.

One of the best ways to avoid this is to use a trimmer instead of a razor. Trimmers won’t cut as close to the skin, minimizing the risk of nicks. Adding a guard to the trimmer will provide another level of protection.

Avoid razor bumps

Razor bumps occur when a hair gets stuck in the follicle, causing it to curl and grow into the pore rather than out of it. The result is a bump that can be itchy or inflamed.

Razor bumps are especially common in public hair, which is coarser and curlier than other hair to protect the sensitive region from chafing and debris. Since the hair is already coiled, it can curl into a pore more easily. The best solution to prevent razor bumps is to stop shaving, or at least do so less frequently. For this reason, you may want to consider trimming rather than completely removing your pubic hair.

Adjust the guard setting

If you’re going to cut your own pubic hair, use a trimmer with a guard setting that leaves a portion of the hair above the follicle. A number one or two guard setting will leave one-eighth and one-quarter of an inch of hair, accordingly, which will help prevent sebaceous cysts from forming.

If you do get a cyst, don’t touch it. Attempting to pop it will likely lead to heavy scarring. A solution to alleviate painful cysts is to use baby powder or a specialized anti-chafing powder for men. Just make sure to avoid talc-based powders if you’re in sexual contact with women. If a cyst doesn’t reduce in size and color over the course of a week, schedule a visit to the doctor to have it examined.

Simply add a little TLC

Manscaping is becoming a cultural habit that’s here to stay, but care must be taken, because it can put an individual at higher risk for developing skin issues or bladder and urethra infections. However, with the right tools and patience, manscaping can be a painless and productive way for a man to groom himself and keep his assets looking and feeling fresh.