If you are wanting to trim or shave your chest hair, you might be worried that when the hair grows back, it will be prickly. This, unfortunately, is a reality of shaving hair and is just made that much more uncomfortable when it is on your chest.
Is there a way to soften chest hair? The answer is both yes and no. Your hair will most definitely grow back prickly, there is no way to stop that, but there are a few simple ways to reduce the prickliness of your hair, to make it slightly more comfortable for you as the hair grows out.
The Best Ways To Soften Chest Hair
There is no miracle cure that will instantly soften your chest hair, but there are some practices you can put in place that will help to soften your chest hair over time.
Water
This is one of the easiest ways to soften hair, but often takes the longest. The more hydrated you are, the softer your hair will be. While this is not something you should try to do straight after shaving, and completely overload your body with water, you should increase your water consumption daily to help out in the long run.
Hair conditioner
It makes perfect sense that as hair conditioner softens the hair on your head, it would do so to the hair on your chest as well.
However, make sure that the conditioner is free from oils and fragrances, to stop it from blocking your pores and causing irritation to your freshly trimmed skin. Conditioning your chest hair also works toward preventing ingrown hairs, which can be an absolute nightmare to deal with.
This is my favorite leave-in conditioner for all types of hair.
Hydrating masque
If you do not have any conditioner at home, you can try to make your own conditioning masque to apply to your chest hair. Argan oil, vitamin E, and even a smashed banana help to soften hair, preventing the prickly feeling, nourishing your hair, and softening the skin as well.
Length of trimming
How long you trim your hair can determine how prickly your hair will be. If you do not want to clean-shave your chest, you can use a longer trimmer to ensure the hair is trimmed, but just long enough to not be prickly as it grows out. This will not give you a close shave but does prevent the discomfort that comes with prickly shaved hair.
How To Prevent Itching After Trimming Chest Hair
Not only are there ways to soften your hair to prevent itchiness and pricking, but you can adapt the way you prepare your hair and skin, and the way you trim your hair, to reduce the irritation felt afterward. Here is a good way to trim your chest hair to keep the itchiness at a minimum.
Exfoliate
It is always a good idea to exfoliate your chest before trimming or shaving. Do so two days before, using a gentle body scrub to remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and to remove oil and dirt.
Removing all of this will make it easier for the trimmer to move through the hair and creates a more hygienic environment for hair removal as well. Remember to moisturize after exfoliating, to allow your skin time to recover before trimming.
Shower
The warmth of a shower or bath will relax and soften the skin and open up the pores. The warm water will also soften the hairs, making them much easier to cut, and therefore leads to less irritation.
Use a gentle body wash, preferably with nourishing botanicals and aloe vera, to reduce the risk of inflammation during and after trimming.
Use fresh blades
If you are choosing to completely shave off your hair, it is so important to use a fresh blade or razor. Fresh blades cut hair with less friction, and once again reduce irritation and razor burn.
Using an old razor can increase the chance of ingrown hairs, and the older blades also hold on to bacteria, which could lead to infection, which is never fun to deal with.
Sensitive shaving gel
Choose a shaving gel that has soothing ingredients and one which is fragrance-free. Shaving without a shaving gel creates too much friction, and will definitely lead to razor burn and irritation. Keep applying more shaving gel to the area if you feel you need more, more is better than less in this circumstance.
Go slow
Do not rush through the shaving or trimming process. By taking your time and moving slowly, you will be reducing the chance of irritation, cuts, and nicks, which could lead to inflammation and infection.
Shave with the grain
Before trimming or shaving, figure out the direction your hair grows. Shave with the grain of your hair, not against it. Shaving against the grain will increase your chances of cuts, irritation, and nicks. You also stand more of a chance of ingrown hairs when shaving against the grain.
Do it in one go
Avoid moving over the same area of the skin more than once. Repeatedly moving over the same area will irritate the skin, and cause razor burn and irritation.
Warm compress
Once you have finished shaving or trimming, you should apply a warm compress to your skin. Run warm water over a cloth and hold it against your chest. This will soften the skin and soothe irritation, and prevent shorter hairs from causing the skin to feel itchy.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera works wonders to soothe the skin. It has a cooling effect that will soften the feel of razor burn and will make your skin feel so much more comfortable once shaving is done. It also brings some nourishment and hydration to your skin, which is always great.
Moisturize
By moisturizing your skin, you are giving it the right nourishment and care it needs to recover from the shaving or trimming, and moisturizing also helps to build back the skin’s barrier, which works to quicken the healing and recovery process, which in turn reduces itching.
Avoid tight clothing
The worst thing you can do for your freshly shaved skin is to put on a super tight T-shirt. It will rub against your skin and cause irritation and chafing. Choose to wear soft fitting clothes for a few days, to give your skin space to heal.
Take recovery time
It might not seem like it, but your skin will need a few days to recover from shaving or trimming. Take a few days to let your skin recover, and to make sure any bumps subside, before doing another hair removal.
Rushing too quickly back into it will only cause more irritation, and is a sure-fire way to ensure itching and ingrown hairs!
Continue to exfoliate
Exfoliating often will help to soften any present chest hair and will remove any build-up of skin cells or impurities that might cause ingrown hairs.
Related Questions
Does coconut oil soften chest hair?
Coconut oil is a miracle product that can be used in so many different ways. Applied to the chest daily, coconut oil can help to soften chest hair, and nourish and care for the skin to reduce irritation and inflammation as well. It is great to use as a daily moisturizer.
Does shaving chest hair cause it to grow back thicker?
Shaving chest can seem to cause the chest hair to grow back thicker, but this is because shaving slices off the top of the hair, which leaves the top of the hair blunt, making it much more noticeable and harsh when the hair does grow back.
To avoid this, waxing is a great option. It removes the hair from the follicles, and over time, the hair grows back less frequently and finer as well. This is a good way to prevent prickliness after hair removal.
Is it hygienic to trim chest hair?
If you have quite a substantial amount of chest hair, it will be more hygienic to trim it regularly. Mixed in with sweat, long body hair can be a breeding ground for bacteria, and makes body odor much more noticeable. Shaving or trimming chest hair will not reduce the amount of sweat that is produced, but it will definitely reduce body odor, and make for a more hygienic area that is less prone to bacteria, infection, and inflammation.
Should I completely shave chest hair?
If you are nervous to fully shave your chest hair, you can start out by trimming it down a bit. A small amount of trimming is all you need for your chest hair to appear more groomed, and to be more hygienic.
Final Thoughts
Softening your chest hair after trimming it helps to reduce itchiness, irritation, and prickliness. There are a few ways to soften your chest hair at home, all which work to create a more comfortable experience for you.
Not only should you soften your chest hair to reduce irritation, but you should practice proper shaving and trimming techniques, which also helps to reduce itchiness, irritation, and inflammation.
