Few events negatively alter morning routines like shaving cuts. Despite even the most diligent preparation, practice, and shaving experience, cuts always seem to happen at the worst times.

It goes without saying that shaving cuts are the epitome of annoying. You scramble to stop the bleeding only to arrive at work with the tell-tale signs of a shave fail: a band-aid, scab, or a piece of toilet paper stuck to your face.

Taking the time to try and stop the bleeding from a shaving cut uses morning minutes you just don’t have, and the rest of the day is playing catch up.

If that isn’t bad enough, shaving cuts never seem to stop bleeding!

Just when the wound appears to finally be healing, it starts to ooze. Or worse, when you get up to shave the next morning, you only re-open your cut from the day before, only to start the process all over again…

We get it. We have been there ourselves. In this article, we are going to not only tell you why shaving cuts seem to bleed so much but some ways to help treat shaving cuts (that aren’t embarrassing).

Why Do Shaving Cuts Bleed So Much?

Shaving cuts bleed because of the proximity of the capillaries to the skin. For example, you have thicker skin on your arms and legs, which means there are fewer capillaries at the surface of the skin. This also means that the areas with thicker skin clot a lot quicker. Facial skin is thinner and more delicate, which explains the never-ending bleeding from a shaving cut.

However, stopping the bleeding from a cut on the face should follow the same rules as treating a cut anywhere else on the body: apply pressure.  Most shavers use toilet paper or a tissue to apply pressure to a shaving cut.

Why Toilet Paper?

Why would anyone think to use toilet paper for anything else other than to… you know…use it for what it is designed to do? The reason why toilet paper does its job so well is because of its absorbency. Toilet paper is made to absorb moisture well, and remain in place. This is why it is often a shaver’s immediate go-to to help treat a shaving cut (and it’s usually the most readily available thing in a bathroom).

Tissues can work as well, depending on the softness and thickness, or the brand. Tissues that are too thick or soft might require applying more pressure, but they still work. And they are less embarrassing…

Regardless of what you use to stop a shaving cut from bleeding, the goal is to apply sufficient pressure to the wound in order to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible.

5 Tips to Heal Shaving Cuts

As we have alluded to above, the key to healing shaving cuts is to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible. There are a variety of methods to help you do this, many of which include some of the following home remedies, or products you already likely have in your bathroom medicine cabinet.

1. Witch Hazel: Soak a cotton ball with witch hazel and apply it to the wound. Because it’s an astringent, the blood vessels will contract. The quicker they contract, the quicker the bleeding stops.
2. Eye Drops: Eye drops relieve red, itchy eyes so well because they constrict blood vessels. The same is true for your skin; use eye drops for controlling shaving cuts with precision.
3. Deodorant: The same reason deodorant blocks perspiration is also why it helps treat shaving cuts. Think of deodorant as a skin sealant. It keeps blood from seeping outside your cut the same way it keeps perspiration from staining your shirt (and also ruining your day).
4. Styptic Stick: If you haven’t yet tried a syptic stick, here is your chance. Using a styptic stick is like gluing your cut closed. However, unlike real glue, a syptic stick is much safer to use, and it won’t damage your skin. Styptic sticks help heal the cut and keep your face smooth.
5. Home Remedies: Cool or cold water, Vaseline, and mouthwash are a few solutions you can use to immediately stop the bleeding from a shaving cut. These products help close the wound by shrinking the skin tissue surrounding the cut, which also encourages quicker clotting.

Be sure to have your shaving cut healing remedy with you and easily accessible if and when you accidentally cut yourself while shaving so you can treat it as quickly as possible and get on with your day.

Fear Safety Razor Wet Shaving No More!

Many shavers avoid wet shaving with a safety razor because they are afraid of shaving cuts. However, with precision, practice, and experience, you can learn how to use a safety razor safely (say that 10x fast), and without causing cuts.

Sure, shaving cuts happen, even to the most experienced shavers. However, having  supplies ready when cuts occur reduces the time spent waiting for the bleeding to stop. Get on with the day quicker using these tips.