It's a hassle and an annoyance, but when it comes to your daily shaving ritual something that you absolutely don't want to skip is changing out your razor blade. Trying to shave with a dull razor is bad for your skin and can cause razor bumps, plus creating a higher likelihood of problems like infections, and it will do a poor job of removing hair, resulting in a patchy shave. If you're not up for trying out a straight razor, then you'll need to get into the habit of regularly swapping out the replaceable blades on your razor or using fresh disposable razors instead. Knowing when to swap out your old blades for new ones will help keep your skin happy and your face looking its best, so our guide can help you work out how often you need to change your razor blades.
How often you should change your razor blades
According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, you should change your razor blades or throw away disposable razors after every five to seven shaves. High-quality razor blades should last five to seven shaves if you take care of them properly and keep them clean. However, cheaper disposable razors may wear out sooner.
Signs it’s time to change your razor blades include skin irritation after shaving, a less close shave, patchy areas or spots missed, skin that still feels rough after, dullness of the blades, feeling hairs are getting pulled instead of cut, and excessive friction of the blades across your skin that it feels like you have to drag it over your skin.
Moreover, a razor that has an accumulation of gunk that can’t be rinsed away should be immediately discarded, as this causes nicks and infections by dragging unevenly across your skin and introducing harbored bacteria into your pores.