Definition
Shaving can always cause tiny injuries to the skin and hair follicles. If the skin barrier is destroyed in this way, bacteria that are on the skin surface can penetrate and settle in the hair follicles. There they trigger an encapsulated inflammatory reaction with pus formation, which is then called boils.
This is manifested by a reddened and painful swelling. The development of boils can be prevented by a correct shaving technique and disinfection after shaving. In most cases a boil heals by itself. Only in rare cases does the inflammatory reaction spread, so that treatment by a doctor may be necessary. In the case of active inflammation or irritated skin, a new shave or intimate shaving should be avoided.
Cause
The cause of a boil after shaving or intimate shaving is an inflammation of hair roots with bacteria (mostly Staphylococcus aureus). These are naturally located on the skin surface and can penetrate to the hair roots due to the small, mostly invisible injuries caused by shaving. There they multiply and thus trigger a defensive reaction of the body.
An encapsulated inflammation develops, in which pus is located. This consists among other things of killed bacteria and defense cells. Often a wrong shaving technique, for example against the direction of hair growth or the use of blades that are no longer sharp enough, is the cause for the development of such inflammation after a shave. Other possible causes, which explain why some people develop boils more often than others, can be overweight, diseases with an impaired immune system and inadequate personal hygiene. You can find more information on the topic of causes on our page Causes of Boils
Prevention
There are some things you should consider to prevent the development of furuncles as much as possible. When shaving, care should be taken to always shave along the direction of growth and keep the skin under tension. Furthermore, only sharp blades should be used.
Disposable razors should also be used only once and for multiple shaving the blade must be changed regularly. In addition, hygiene measures must be followed to prevent inflammation of the skin, such as boils after intimate shaving. This includes regular personal hygiene, changing underwear daily and washing it at high temperatures to kill any bacteria that may have settled there.
Furuncles can also be prevented by disinfecting the respective skin area after shaving, for example with an aftershave lotion. Nevertheless, despite observing all the above-mentioned preventive measures, in some cases an inflammation in the form of a furuncle can occur. To prevent a possible worsening of the inflammation, shaving should only be resumed when the skin has completely healed.