{"id":603193,"date":"2023-01-31T12:49:49","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T18:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.sellorbuyhomefast.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/31\/the-health-risks-of-sharing-a-razor-with-your-partner-or-anyone-else\/"},"modified":"2023-01-31T12:49:49","modified_gmt":"2023-01-31T18:49:49","slug":"the-health-risks-of-sharing-a-razor-with-your-partner-or-anyone-else","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/31\/the-health-risks-of-sharing-a-razor-with-your-partner-or-anyone-else\/","title":{"rendered":"The Health Risks of Sharing a Razor With Your Partner (or Anyone Else)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Stop me if this sounds familiar: You\u2019re in the shower and ready to\u00a0shave your legs<\/a>, but you\u2019ve fully forgotten to replace your razor (again). Then, out of the corner of your eye, you spy your partner\u2019s razor gleaming at you\u2014newer, cleaner, way sharper than yours usually is. Your gut tells you it\u2019s probably a bad idea to use it, but it\u2019ll just be this one time! So you grab it and get to work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve done this, either once or several times (guilty!), it\u2019s totally understandable. When you\u2019re living with someone or staying at a partner\u2019s place frequently, it\u2019s easy to justify \u201cborrowing\u201d all kinds of hygiene products, especially if you\u2019re in a rush. But you really shouldn\u2019t share razors with your partner\u2014or anyone else, for that matter. \u201cSharing razors is a major no-no from a dermatologist\u2019s perspective,\u201d Joyce Imahiyerobo-Ip, MD, a Boston-based dermatologist and the CEO of\u00a0Vibrant Dermatology<\/a> and Skin Bar, tells SELF.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Shaving, even when you\u2019re doing it gently, creates what Dr. Ip calls \u201cmild trauma\u201d to the skin. Minor scratches and tiny nicks caused by the razor\u2019s blades can serve as an entry point for potentially harmful bacteria, fungi, or viruses, which can ultimately trigger an infection. A razor can be a surprisingly fertile environment for all sorts of germs. Think about it: Many razors have multiple blades (and thus more surface area for organisms to live on), a lot of people don\u2019t replace their blades as often as they should, and razors are usually stored in a bathroom, which has humid conditions that many bugs thrive in.<\/p>\n

Obviously, \u201cit isn\u2019t ideal to get someone else\u2019s bacteria or viruses into your skin,\u201d Dr. Ip says. When it comes to common skin infections<\/a>, bacteria can cause issues like cellulitis, certain viruses can lead to warts, and fungi tend to spread athlete\u2019s foot and yeast infections, per the\u00a0US National Library of Medicine<\/a>. If that sounds pretty gross and kind of unsettling, take a breather: The most common side effect of using another person\u2019s razor is folliculitis, which is characterized by inflammation of the hair follicles that can look like small, reddened or inflamed pimples, set off itchy or tender skin, or cause a\u00a0bumpy texture<\/a>; it can be triggered by a pathogen that enters the skin (most commonly staph bacteria) or the friction of shaving itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBacterial folliculitis is more likely if you have been sharing a razor,\u201d Dr. Ip says. So if you\u2019re wondering why the spot you shaved now feels rough or looks more inflamed than usual, this might be a potential cause. If you experience mild irritation\u2014say, reddened skin, a bumpy texture, and itchiness\u2014you can try a drugstore treatment to soothe the area first, like an over the counter antibiotic ointment or a 1% hydrocortisone cream. You can also consider a protective ointment like Vaseline ($4, Amazon<\/a>) or CeraVe\u2019s Healing Ointment ($11, Ulta<\/a>) to reduce inflammation and keep the skin protected as it calms down; both of these options work for just about anyone, even those who have sensitive skin. Dr. Ip also recommends Shea Moisture\u2019s Restoring Cream ($11, Amazon<\/a>), which contains antimicrobial tea tree oil and azelaic acid. (Just note that some people find these ingredients to be irritating, so if you\u2019re concerned about that, test out a small amount of product on an unaffected area of skin to ensure you don\u2019t react negatively to it.)\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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If your symptoms aren\u2019t going away after 48 hours, or you have potential signs of a full-blown infection\u2014like a\u00a0rash<\/a> that\u2019s getting worse, major swelling, pain, unbearable itching, or skin that feels warm to the touch\u2014it\u2019s best to reach out to your primary care doctor or head straight to the dermatologist\u2019s office, if you have access to one. Some fungal infections, like ringworm, can potentially require weeks of treatment, so the sooner you can get the appropriate meds, the better. \u201cBlood-borne viruses such as hepatitis and even\u00a0HIV<\/a> can, rarely, be contracted from sharing [unsterilized] razors as well,\u201d Dr. Ip explains.<\/p>\n

So, in general, you\u2019ll want to try avoiding situations where you\u2019re in the shower, ready to shave, and totally razorless. (It\u2019s also worth it to invest in a highly-recommended razor\u2014some of the options on SELF\u2019s\u00a0list of the best razors<\/a> are cost-effective and easy to use.)<\/p>\n

Then, it\u2019s up to you to take care of your razor: The\u00a0American Academy of Dermatology<\/a> recommends replacing a razor blade after five to seven shaves to keep irritation to a minimum. Depending on how often you shave and how dense your hair is, you might want to sign up for a subscription service, like the kind\u00a0offered by Billie<\/a>, so you can get new razors or blades delivered as often as you need them. (You can also do what my irritated husband did after I used his razor one too many times and just buy another version of the same razor. It works for us both!)<\/p>\n

All this to say, we get it: Buying and replacing razor heads or blades can be annoying and more expensive than you\u2019d like. Even though it feels deeply tempting to use your partner\u2019s razor\u2014it\u2019s literally\u00a0right there<\/em>\u2014Dr. Ip stresses that it\u2019s not worth it: \u201cThe risk of more serious infections far outweighs the inconvenience.\u201d<\/p>\n

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