5 Tips to Avoid Razor Bumps When Shaving Your Balls

If you’re committed to shaving your balls, it’s essential to recognize that this is a different ball game than shaving your face. Your groin is a sensitive region, and the skin of your scrotum is loose and delicate, so you’ll need to take extra care to ensure that your manscaping efforts don’t result in uncomfortable and unsightly razor bumps.

Before we give you five essential tips for avoiding razor bumps when shaving your nuts, it’s worth mentioning that there are other options on the table beyond shaving your balls with a straight razor. Not only can you choose to abstain from the practice entirely if that’s your choice, but you can also take the middle road and trim your pubic hair with an electric razor.

The trimming option can offer some of the benefits of shaving without as many risks– you still have a relatively smooth, well-groomed result without the risk of nicking yourself or dealing with razor bumps.

All that being said, avoiding razor bumps when shaving your balls is possible if you take our five tips to heart. First and foremost, remember to go slow and be careful– the last thing you want is to end up in the ER with a laceration wound. 

What Are Razor Bumps, Exactly?

Few things are as disappointing as red bumps appearing after a nice, smooth shave. Razor bumps can appear anywhere you’re shaving, but they are irritating and uncomfortable when they appear on your balls.

Another name for razor bumps on your scrotum is pseudofolliculitis pubis, which, in layman’s terms, means “false hair inflammation of the groin.”

When you get razor bumps, shaving creates a sharp edge on hair, making it better able to pierce through your skin. When your hair starts to grow after you shave it, it can curve back into the skin.

Your body then reacts to your pubic hair as if it’s a foreign body (not very nice, huh?) The result is painful, inflamed, red bumps.

While raised, red bumps are the main symptom; you might also experience the following:

• Itchiness
• Darkening of the skin
• Pain
• Pustules (blister-like lesions filled with pus)
• Small papules (round, solid bumps)

These pesky, irritating bumps can appear anywhere you’ve shaved, but they’re most likely to appear on your groin, legs, neck, chin, lower cheeks, and underarms.

Are Razor Bumps and Ingrown Hairs the Same Thing?

Yes, “razor bumps” is another term for ingrown hairs, both of which refer to the frustrating occurrence of hair curling inward and getting trapped under the skin rather than growing up and out of the skin’s surface. You can therefore use both of these terms interchangeably.

5 Tips to Avoid Razor Bumps When Shaving Your Balls

Shaving your nuts is an entirely different beast than shaving your face.

The skin down there is thin and sensitive, and the last thing you want is to end up with razor bumps or some other undesirable result.

Some researchers even studied pubic hair grooming and the frequency of injuries.

The results aren’t pretty; 25% of people that groom their pubic hair end up injuring themselves one way or another, with laceration being the most common form of injury. 

The scrotum was the most common area for a grooming-related injury among men, with 67.2% of men’s injuries occurring in this area.

Though it is (thankfully) rare for these injuries to be serious, it’s still a good idea to use an abundance of caution when manscaping. You’ll find that the tips that help prevent razor bumps will also help reduce the risk of cutting yourself or otherwise injuring yourself during the process.

1. Get the Right Tools

This task is not a job for a cartridge razor.

Instead, you’ll want an electric trimmer (to cut the hair short first) and a safety razor (to finish the job.)

• The electric razor will be used to cut your hair very short and close to the surface of your skin without breaking the surface.
• Then the safety razor will allow you to get a smooth final product without forcing your delicate skin to content with three-five blades at a time.

The skin of your ball sack is very delicate and loose; a regular razor could trap your skin between its many blades, which is not what you want to happen. For this reason, a safety razor is a better way to go. That being said, using a safety razor isn’t the same as using a cartridge razor, so it’s not a bad idea to learn how to use one on your face before heading below the belt.

Also, when using an electric razor, ideally you should use one that is designed for manscaping. If you decide to use a razor designed for a beard, make sure you use a clipper guard. If you use the raw blade against your skin, you could end up cutting yourself. 

2. Trim Your Hair First

Once you’ve got the proper tools, it’s time to use the electric trimmer to get your hair short enough to shave with the safety razor. You’ll want to aim to trim them to about half a centimeter so that the safety razor can adequately remove them without getting caught up.

Think about it, when you’re shaving off that Grizzly Adams-style beard, you don’t just start going at it with the razor. First, you trim it down to make the whole process manageable.

While you’re trimming the hair on your nuts, you’ll want to pull the skin taut and avoid touching the trimmer to your skin if possible.

3. Take a Warm Shower and Use a Skin-Friendly Shave Product

Another essential tip for avoiding razor bumps is to take a warm shower or bath first. This will help clean your pores out and soften the stubble left over after your trim, which is a big help when easy hair removal is your goal. Beyond that, soaking your balls in warm water can make them easier to move around while you shave as they’re more relaxed and hanging more loosely.

When it comes to the water temperature, this is a Goldilocks situation. If the water is too hot, it can end up burning or irritating your skin, which is seriously the last thing you want right now. If it’s too cold, it can mean that your balls end up actually retreating in a way that is not useful for the scrotum-shaving event.

While you’re in the shower, you’ll want to use a product like Chassis Shower Primer to soften your hair and get rid of any grime.

Once you’ve done this, you’re going to need a shaving product that is gentle and friendly to the skin. Look for something that has a naturally soothing ingredient that will help eliminate friction when you’re shaving, such as aloe vera.

If you cannot find a men’s shaving cream created explicitly for below-the-belt grooming, you can use a shaving cream that is intended for the face so long as you ensure that the ingredients are gentle. Look for products that are targeted toward people that have sensitive skin. If you’ve never used this type of shaving cream before, it’s a good idea to test it out on another skin patch before slathering it all over your balls.

You can also go with a shave oil that will soften the hair and nourish the skin at the same time. This can prepare your skin and hair for the razor’s blade. Shaving oil will make the surface of your skin pretty slippery, so taking things slow is essential.

4. Pull the Skin Taut and Don’t Rush It

You’ll need to position yourself in a way that gives you access to every inch of your balls, with the ability to prop your leg up. It’s crucial that you pull your skin taut so that skin doesn’t get cut by the razor blade.

As a side note, please make sure that you are standing somewhere that the floor isn’t slippery. Don’t station yourself next to the shower if the floor is sopping wet, for example, and make sure that your shaving oil doesn’t end up creating a lubricated surface that all but guarantees that you’ll end up tumbling toward the ground; razor in hand.

Pulling your skin taut is key, but the essential tip here is to go slow. Do not rush it. Only apply gentle pressure and shave in the same direction that the hair is growing.

It’s worth mentioning that many men find that this step isn’t worth it– using an electric razor to trim the hair short offers a pretty reasonable outcome that doesn’t leave you in a position of undergoing a whole event just to shave your balls.

5. Don’t Forget About Aftercare

Don’t run away just yet– there is one more thing you will want to know to make sure you avoid the highly unpleasant outcome of razor burn.

If you follow the above tips, you should be completely free of any nicks. Even so, it’s a good idea to give your balls a little extra something to soothe your skin and prevent the appearance of bumps.

You’ll want to find a gentle product that soothes your skin gently, such as one that includes aloe. This isn’t a good time to slap on products that contain menthol or alcohol– it’ll burn.

Do You Need to Shave Your Balls At All?

The question of “to shave or not to shave” is one that leaves many men scratching their heads. Is it worth the trouble of potentially ending up with razor bumps or other unpleasant consequences? Do women even care?

We dove deep into the question of whether women like body hair in a previous post, and it is clear that many women do appreciate trimmed or completely shaved public areas. The overall consensus, though, is that body hair in itself isn’t necessarily a turnoff, but the question is more about just how clean that body hair is.

Ultimately, the decision is yours to make. However, there are some compelling pros and cons on both sides of the argument, which are worth weighing against one another before you make your decision.

On the plus side, shaving your balls can:

• Make you appear better endowed
• Leave your skin feeling smooth to the touch
• Be preferable to some women
• Leave you feeling cleaner

On the other hand, shaving can:

• Be incredibly time-consuming
• Lead to itchiness when the hair starts growing back
• Potentially result in razor burn and razor bumps
• Lead to cuts and nicks
• Be less hygienic than keeping your hair

To the last point, you might be surprised to know that there are a lot of reasons you might choose to go against the grain and keep your body hair. It can help to reduce friction by providing a protective buffer, protecting you from bacteria and other pathogens, and potentially even trapping pheromones that have an impact on how potential sexual partners perceive our attractiveness.

All that being said, if hygiene is one of your biggest concerns, there are plenty of ways to keep yourself fresh down there without accepting an un-maintained groin region. There are a number of steps you can take to keep your balls fresh, including using an all-natural ball body to reduce odor, moisture, and chafing, like Chassis Premium Powder.

What to Do If You Have Razor Bumps on Your Balls

Ok, so you shaved your balls, and it didn’t go well. Now you’re dealing with the reality of razor bumps– itchy, uncomfortable, painful razor bumps.

What can you do about it?

• One of the most well-known at-home treatment options is aloe vera. Often used to heal and soothe burns, aloe vera can help give you some relief and encourage the healing of your razor burn by applying a thin layer or pure aloe vera gel.
• Another option is coconut oil, which researchers believe has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. A word to the wise, though– coconut oil is best applied at night or when you aren’t planning on going out in public, as the oil can leave stains on your clothes.
• Another soothing remedy is witch hazel, which is anti-inflammatory and an astringent.

These natural products can help to relieve the pain and treat the irritation of your skin.

Are You Searching For the Right Man Care Products?

When you choose to groom your privates, practicing good hygiene is ultimately the most important thing you can do to keep yourself fresh and clean throughout the day. When you’re choosing men’s products for your nether regions, make sure that you only select products made with premium, all-natural ingredients.

Are you searching for the right man-care product line to ensure that your groin stays dry, chafe-free, and odorless? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Make sure you check out our entire line of Chassis Man Care products, where you can find everything from ball powder and shower primer to restoration cream and flushable foam.