How to Treat Shaving Nicks and Cuts

Astringent or No Astringent --
How Quickly Do You Need To Treat The Cut?

Pretty much all small nicks and cuts will close up on their own. So why spend the time applying a treatment if they will just heal on their own anyway?

I think there are 2 reasons:

1. to speed up the process
2. to try and reduce the visibility of any nicks or cuts

Most of us don't want to wait around for 10 or 15 minutes for little nicks and cuts to close up. And even when they do close up on their own, there's probably some dry blood clots left. Who wants their face or neck looking all cut up after a shave?

And there’s a key ingredient in products to help speed up the treatment process -- astringent. What’s an astringent?

An astringent is simply a substance that causes body tissue, usually skin, to constrict. Astringents essentially just speed up the process of closing an open cut. They won't help close up big, deep cuts, but they do an excellent job of constricting/closing up any small nicks or cuts.

Why am I talking about astringents so much? Because they are one of the key features you want when treating nicks and cuts.

9 Ways to Treat Shaving Nicks and Cuts

#9) Toilet Paper

Ah, the good old toilet paper method. I would imagine most of you have a similar image in your head of a man treating his shaving cuts with toilet paper: a guy walking around with small blotches of toilet paper still stuck to his face that he forgot to remove before leaving the house.

Maybe you have even been that guy.

For me, the toilet paper method is a last resort. It’s better than doing nothing, but not much better.

There’s not much extra benefit. Placing toilet paper (or tissue) on cuts helps clot the blood and dry it a little quicker. But then sometimes the cut will just open right back up anyway when the toilet paper is removed.

My two biggest problems with using toilet paper to treat nicks and cuts is that 1) it’s not very effective and 2) it takes a while to work.

It’s also not very efficient if you have quite a few nicks and cuts to treat. If you are new to safety razors or straight razors, it might be a pain having to apply small pieces of toilet paper all over your face and neck.

If you’re traveling and don’t have your standard shaving accessories with you, this might be your only option. Otherwise though, I recommend using something a little more advanced.

#8) Cold Water Followed By An Ice Cube

All guys should be rinsing their face off with cold water after a shave. First of all, it just feels refreshing. But it also helps constrict blood vessels and slightly quicken the clotting.

For some guys, rinsing their face with cold water may actually be enough to treat most minor nicks and cuts. But for most guys, it won’t quite be strong enough or fast enough. And for a just little extra boost, you can use an ice cube.

Applying an ice cube to nicks and cuts is like rinsing your face with cold water, but on steroids. The ice cube should contract the skin tissue and close up any small nicks or cuts. An ice cube speeds up the process.

Ice cubes are great if you have just a couple cuts or weepers, but it can get cumbersome if you have more than a few. At that point it just becomes more of a hassle moving an ice cube from one spot to the next to the next to the next...

#7) Cold Wash Cloth Like An Old-School Barber

The cold wash cloth is essentially just a slightly more advanced version of the ice cube trick. It’s an old barber's trick and can be pretty effective, and refreshing, for some men.

The goal of using a cold washcloth is to combine the benefits of toilet paper and an ice cube into one procedure. So how do you do this? When you're getting ready to shave, toss a wet washcloth in the freezer. Let it sit in there while you shower and shave.

After you're done shaving, take the washcloth out and gently pat down any nicks or cuts you have. Be patient because it may take a few attempts to figure out how cold and wet the washcloth needs to be for it to be effective.

#6) Antiperspirant

First of all, if you want to try this out, make sure you are using an antiperspirant, not just a deodorant. Yes, there is a difference between an antiperspirant and deodorant.

Antiperspirants typically have aluminum chloro-hydrate, an astringent, in them. Even though it's designed to help stop/reduce sweating, the astringent still works the same way on small nicks or cuts.

Deodorants don't have these ingredients in them though because they are just made to mask the small, not actually stop perspiration. So since they don't have an astringent, they don't offer any benefit.

Also, hopefully you already realize this, but don't use a spray antiperspirant.

Personally, I have never used this treatment option. I know other guys that use antiperspirant when they are in a pinch, but I don't want my face smelling like an antiperspirant.

#5) Petroleum Jelly (aka Vaseline) or Lip Balm

Alright, now we are starting to get into some treatment options where you actually see some solid tangible benefits from using them.

Vaseline (just a specific brand of petroleum jelly) or lip balm work surprisingly well at clotting a small cut. But there’s no astringent in petroleum jelly, so how does it help?

Well it essentially acts like a glue and closes up the wound. Petroleum jelly has a high viscosity and essentially traps anything below it from flowing out. This glue-like barrier speeds up the clotting process below it.

Petroleum jelly is really similar to the toilet paper method, just much more quicker and more effective. It also offers the extra benefit of helping prevent your nicks and cuts from drying out, which is a huge bonus.

#4) Witch Hazel

Don't be scared off by the unusual name. This is not some crazy alternative medicine or anything like that. Most of you have probably never heard of witch hazel before, but hear me out for a minute.

So what makes witch hazel so great? Well, there are several benefits.

First of all, it's a great astringent. It’s not quite as strong of an astringent as some of the other treatment options I will cover in a minute, but it’s plenty strong enough for the majority of small nicks and cuts.

Secondly, it’s really easy to apply. All you have to do is apply it like an aftershave and you're done. How easy is that? No need to worry about treating individual spots or applying pressure. After you shave, just apply some witch hazel like you would an aftershave or moisturizer and you're done.

I use it as an aftershave even if I don’t have any nicks or cuts that need to be treated. In addition to being an astringent, witch hazel is basically a mild, gentle moisturizing toner. Many witch hazel brands even contain products like aloe vera in it so it’s great for helping your face recover after a shave.

#3) Styptic Pencil

Younger generations may not be familiar with styptic pencils, but I can pretty much guarantee your dad and grandpa know what they are and probably have one with their shaving supplies.

Styptic pencils are extremely effective because they are made to do one thing: treat nicks and cuts. They are usually made from aluminum sulphate, a natural occurring mineral, and this is what makes them an incredibly strong astringent. In fact, styptic pencils are one of the strongest over the counter astringents you can buy.

Styptic pencils are very easy to use. After shaving, just simply wet the tip of the pencil and then apply it for a few seconds to any nicks or cuts. When you apply it to your face, it’s definitely going to sting, but the bleeding should pretty much stop once you remove the pen or soon after.

Make sure to go back and rinse your face off several minutes later though as the pen can sometimes leave behind a powdery residue where it was applied. You don't want to rinse your face off too quick because you run the risk of opening the nicks and cuts back up, but after a few minutes they should have clotted enough to where you can gently rinse it off.

Styptic pencils are extremely quick, effective and functional; as long as you don't have spots that need treatment all over your face and neck. If you only have a handful of nicks and cuts that need to be treat though, these are great. They don’t offer any extra benefits like moisturizing your face or working like an aftershave. But they are perfect for what they are designed to do.

Even if you don’t plan on using one regularly, I still recommend getting a styptic pencil for your dopp kit anyway. Why? Because they are great for travel. They are small, spill-proof and last a really long time. If you ever cut yourself shaving while traveling, you are going to want one of these in your dopp kit.

The biggest drawback to styptic pencils is they just can't cover much surface area quickly, so they take a while to apply if you have more than a few cuts. If only there was a product that was pretty much exactly like a styptic pencil but could be applied more generously...

#2) Styptic Gel

And that's where styptic gels come in handy. Over time, companies finally figured out the styptic pencil could be improved so they developed styptic gel. The gels provide pretty much the exact same benefits as the pencils, but are just a little easier to apply.

I really like styptic gels and think they are great for men that routinely have more than just a few nicks and cuts. By using a styptic gel, you can quickly treat several different spots instead of having to slowly apply a pencil to each spot individually until it clots.

Styptic gels come in small tubes, but they last a really long time. Just remember: a little product goes a long way.

If you need help selecting a styptic pencil or gel, I wrote a guide on what I think are the best styptic pencils and gels to help you find exactly what you need.

#1) My Personal Favorite: The Alum Block

And last but not least is my favorite: the alum block.

Much like styptic pencils, most men (particularly younger generations) have never even heard of alum blocks. Which is unfortunate, because they are pretty awesome. I think an alum block (or alum stick) should be a staple in every man's shaving arsenal.

Alum blocks are also made from a naturally occurring mineral, potassium alum. They look like a crystallized bar of soap.

How do you use an alum block? Once you’re finished shaving, rinse your face off and leave it a little wet. Then, it’s time to grab your alum block.

Take your alum block and run it under water, get it nice and wet. Once it’s wet, just gently rub it all over your face and neck. You don't have to do it slowly, but don't go too quick. As John Wooden would say, “be quick but don't hurry.”

And that’s all there is to it. Just simply rub your entire face with the wet alum block. Once you’ve applied it to your entire face and neck, let the alum residue sit on your face for about 30 seconds and then rinse it off. It's that easy.

Why do I recommend applying it to your entire face instead of just spots where you are nicked up? Because there are multiple benefits from alum blocks.

The first benefit of an alum block is that it's a mild astringent so it does a great job of stopping blood flow. Alum blocks are not as strong as styptic pencils, but I’ve always found they do a great job of closing up nicks and cuts. Again, they are not quite a max strength astringent like a styptic pencil, but making a few passes over any problem areas should close them up.

Alum blocks are my favorite though because all the other great benefits they offer in addition to being a solid astringent.

For example, they also have great antiseptic properties. This is just a fancy way of saying they are great for helping reduce and/or prevent razor burn. In fact, alum blocks have been used for their antiseptic qualities dating all the way back to ancient Egyptian times. If you’re trying to treat, prevent or minimize razor burn, an alum block is the way to go.

Another great feature I love of the alum block though is that they give great feedback on how well you shaved. As you rub the alum on your face, it will tingle a little in certain areas. And when you go over the areas with more skin irritation, it will sting quite a bit more. Now you know the next time you shave, you need to pay a little more attention to this area.

I highly recommend beginner safety razor users and beginner straight razor users get an alum block. Not only are they great astringents and antiseptics, but they will really give great feedback and help you learn where you are making some mistakes with your form.

There's no reason every wet shaver should not have an alum block in their Dopp kit. If you need helping figuring out which alum block to buy, I wrote quick reviews on what I think are the 8 best alum blocks available.

Avoid Alcohol-Based Aftershaves

I highly discourage men from using an alcohol-based aftershave to treat nicks and cuts. Yes, the alcohol acts as the astringent, but guess what it will do? It will severely dry your skin out. The last thing you want to do after shaving is dry your face and neck out, you want to moisturize, so do yourself a favor and avoid any aftershave that has alcohol in it.

Death & Taxes
(And Having to Treat Shaving Nicks and Cuts)

I don’t care how skilled of a shaver you are, you are going to get some nicks and cuts every now and then. And if you’re a beginner safety razor or beginner straight razor user, it’s probably going to happen pretty often unfortunately.

And that’s exactly why you need to have a gameplan for how to treat them before they happen. If you don’t already have something prepared to use for after you shave, you’re going to have to rely on something like the toilet paper method. And I think we can all agree that’s just not very effective. Hopefully, you won’t be treating cuts very often, but it’s always better to be prepared than to be caught off guard.

The good news is that there are great products available that do an excellent job of treating small shaving nicks and cuts. Not every guy is going to agree with my rankings, but hopefully you learned about some options that you didn't previously know about.