The direction you shave may be the culprit, according to Dr. Diane Berson, M.D., a NYC derm featured in the April 2008 issue of Self. According to Berson, underarm irritation (and perhaps irritation in other areas too) may be lessened by using a star pattern when shaving. Work diagonally up and down and side to side. This is because hair grows in all directions, and, according to Berson, “flipping your razor helps you destubble with fewer strokes.” Who knew?
For a close, irritation-free shave without a razor, I recommend the Braun Silk System Epilator ($57.54, Amazon.com). Although the feeling when shaving takes some getting used to (think tweezing out the hair on your legs), it also keeps you hair-free for days at a time. Eventually, after years of using the system, you only need to shave every 1-2 weeks. It’s a wonderful system, and highly recommended to anyone who doesn’t mind a little pain but who also has a problem with post-shave irritation or regular shaving! I personally have used it since I was 13, and now consider it a time-saving lifesaver! 🙂