Why is the skin irritated after shaving my armpits?

A poorly adapted deodorant after underarm hair removal

Knowing what irritates your armpits is not always easy. Especially since, to have shaved armpits that do not emit bad smells, we use deodorants. Some of them contain alcohol or molecules that irritate sensitive skin. Unfortunately, even organic deodorants, made from plant extracts or bicarbonate, are not free from generating small pimples or itching after application.

A skin disease that also affects the armpits

Underarm irritation can come from more general inflammation of the skin, especially if you have psoriasis or eczema. The lesions can affect the armpits and be all the more important if they are located in a closed environment which, by definition, macerates.

Which armpit hair removal method to choose to avoid irritation?

If, in general, you are prone to armpit irritation, choosing a suitable hair removal method is the first solution.

Razor hair removal: the enemy of fragile armpits

In some women, waxing the armpits with a razor is very simple and does not create the slightest irritation. While they can, conversely, experience many inconveniences after waxing the bikini line. In other words, complicated bikini waxing does not mean that the armpits will suffer the same fate.

If armpit hair removal with a razor is fine for you and this method does not irritate you, then don’t change anything.

But if you suffer from itching a few minutes, a few hours, or even a few days later, during the regrowth phase, the razor, which cuts the hair at its base, is undoubtedly the cause. Especially for ingrown hairs, the risk of which is increased by the razor. Especially when it goes over it several times in the same week, in addition creating micro-cuts.

However, for redness and itching, also look for your deodorant. It is perhaps quite simply the alcohol it contains which attacks your skin weakened by shaving.

The epilator for armpits, painless

To be quiet for several weeks, especially in summer, nothing better than real hair removal, in other words by pulling the hair at its root.

In addition to wax, cold or hot, which is not always easy to use at home to epilate the armpits, there are epilators specially designed for sensitive areas. Indeed, of course, there is no need to invest in several epilators, for the bikini area or for the armpits: only one combines the same characteristics, softness and precision, for these two areas where the skin is very thin.

To avoid redness and itching, some epilator heads are equipped with a pain reliever system, or even a moisturizing massage head with aloe vera.

For an effective pain relief system, which also limits irritation later, it takes a good hundred euros for a quality epilator.

Permanent laser hair removal for the armpits

Since underarm irritation is mainly due to traditional hair removal methods or razor burn, one of the solutions is permanent laser hair removal.

Laser hair removal is considered an investment. In that it is really definitive and requires 5 or 6 sessions, at a rate of around € 30 per session for this single area of ​​the armpits. Packages including both underarms, bikini line and legs, as well as other combinations, are obviously available.

Laser hair removal is only practiced with a doctor, primarily a dermatologist or in an aesthetic medical office. Beauty salons can practice pulsed light hair removal, which is long-lasting but not permanent.

The laser is nevertheless likely to cause redness and irritation, so it is not recommended for overly sensitive skin. But when it comes to doctors who practice this method, they will prescribe an ointment to calm the redness. The definitive nature of hair removal also making these inconveniences a transitory consequence.

How to calm armpit irritation?

If your irritation occurs after shaving your armpits, place a warm compress under your arms for a few minutes. Wipe off perfectly then apply a soothing cream, such as calendula, which immediately calms.

If your irritation follows waxing, prefer a cool compress this time, but apply the same type of cream to soothe.

In the case of severe itching, which is not due to the way you epilate, check that you are not allergic to your deodorant. If this itching affects other parts of the body at the same time, consult your doctor.