3 skin infections your razor can give you (and how to avoid them)

You must read this before you shave your body hair again!

It goes without saying that a clean-shaven body is the 'in' thing. Razors, easily available and simple to use, are the most preferred option to get that smooth body. While there are simple hacks to shave your body the right way, not using the right razor might put you at a risk of contracting infections. Want to know which ones? Read this!

Hepatitis: Maintaining personal hygiene is the key to staying healthy. And when it comes to razors, you should wash it properly in hot water before and after every use, and never share it with anyone. Because, sharing razors with a person infected with hepatitis might increase your risk of getting the same.

Staphylococcus infection: Sharing the razors and not using disinfectants after using it also puts you at high risk of getting bacterial infections, most common being staphylococcus infection. A skin infection, it usually manifests as a painful rash or boil (which is mostly mistaken for a razor bump). So be careful while shaving and avoid sharing or using uncleaned razors.

Fungal infection: When your razor remains wet or if you don t wash it properly post using it, there are high chances that it might harbour microbes that cause fungal or yeast infection. Also, sharing of dirty razors can cause folliculitis or ringworm infection. Hence, make sure to properly clean your razor and dry it after every use to avoid fungal infections. Although these are the common infections, you can also contract various bacterial and viral infections. To prevent such mishaps, here are 10 tips you should follow without fail to shave your body the right way. You may also like to read:

• Men, how do you get rid of unwanted body hair?
• How do I get rid of pubic hair? (Male grooming query)
• Top shaving myths busted

Image Source: Shutterstock

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References:

1. Ghany, M. G., Strader, D. B., Thomas, D. L., & Seeff, L. B. (2009). Diagnosis, management, and treatment of hepatitis C: an update. Hepatology, 49(4), 1335-1374.
2. Desai, R., Pannaraj, P. S., Agopian, J., Sugar, C. A., Liu, G. Y., & Miller, L. G. (2011). Survival and transmission of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from fomites. American journal of infection control, 39(3), 219-225.
3. WEINBERG, J. M., TURIANSKY, L. G. W., & JAMES, W. D. (1999). Viral folliculitis. AIDS patient care and STDs, 13(9), 513-516.