Styptic Pencil and Alum Block: How to Stop a Shaving Cut Bleeding

A styptic pencil is a small white stick that stops a shaving cut bleeding in seconds. An alum block does a similar job across the whole face. Both are old barbershop staples, both cost a few pounds, and either one beats walking out of the door with a scrap of toilet paper stuck to your chin. Here is what each one is, how to use them, and how to stop the nicks happening in the first place.

Puntos clave

• A styptic pencil is for a single nick. It is a stick of compressed mineral salts that you dab onto a small cut to stop the bleeding.
• An alum block is for the whole shaved area. You glide it over damp skin after a shave to close up tiny nicks and tighten the skin.
• To stop a shaving cut bleeding: cold water, firm pressure with a clean tissue, then a dab of the styptic pencil.
• Most nicks come from a blunt blade, too much pressure or not enough shaving cream. Fixing those is better than any pencil.
• Get medical help for any cut you cannot stop bleeding with firm pressure, or if you take blood-thinning medicine and cuts are slow to stop.

What is a styptic pencil?

A styptic pencil (sometimes sold as a shaving pencil) is a short, chalky white stick, about the size of a lip balm, made mostly from aluminium salts. “Styptic” simply means something that helps stop bleeding. It has been part of the wet shaving kit for generations. It is designed for pinpoint use on the small, annoying cuts you get from shaving: on the chin, along the jaw, on the upper lip or over the contours of the neck.

Aluminium salts stop small bleeds by making the proteins in the blood and surrounding tissue clump together, which plugs the tiny blood vessels. Doctors use a related salt, aluminium chloride, the same way to stop bleeding after minor skin procedures.^[1] It stings for a moment. That is normal, and it fades quickly.

A styptic pencil is meant for minor cuts and is for external use only. It is not a treatment for deep cuts, large grazes or any wound that would normally need a plaster or a doctor.

What is an alum block?

An alum block is a smooth, translucent block of potassium alum, a natural mineral salt, usually about the size of a bar of soap. Smaller alum sticks work the same way. Potassium alum is also an aluminium salt, so it works on the same principle as a styptic pencil but gently, and over a wider area. After you shave and rinse, you wet the block and glide it over your face. It helps stem the small nicks you may not have noticed and leaves the skin feeling tight and fresh.

Some men use an alum block after every shave as a final step. Others keep it in the cabinet for days when the shave did not go to plan. How well it suits you depends on your skin type. It can dry out sensitive skin, so if your face feels tight or itchy afterwards, use it less often or rinse it off sooner.

Styptic pencil vs alum block

Both do the same basic job, so the choice comes down to how you shave and how often you cut yourself.

If you rarely cut yourself, a styptic pencil in the bathroom cabinet is all you need. If you often finish a shave with a few small spots of blood, an alum block is more useful. Plenty of people keep both.

How to stop a shaving cut bleeding

This is the quickest routine for a normal shaving cut. Most stop within a minute or two.

1. Enjuaga con agua fría. Cold water helps slow the bleeding. Splash the cut or press a cold, clean flannel against it. It also clears away any shaving cream and hair.
2. Apply pressure with a clean tissue or folded cloth. Hold it firmly against the cut for 30 seconds to a minute.^[2] That alone stops a lot of small nicks.
3. Dab with the styptic pencil to stop bleeding. Wet the tip of the pencil with cold water, then press it onto the cut for a few seconds. Expect a short sting.
4. Leave it to dry. Do not wipe it straight away. Once the bleeding has stopped, rinse off any white residue gently with cool water.
5. Clean the pencil. Rinse the tip, dry it with a clean tissue and let it air for a few minutes before you put the cap back on.

If you only have an alum block, wet it and hold the corner against the cut for a few seconds instead.

Home fixes, and why toilet paper is not great

Toilet paper tends to stick to the cut and pull it open again when you peel it off. An ice cube wrapped in a clean cloth does a decent job of slowing the bleeding by cooling the area. In a pinch, cold water and steady pressure with a clean tissue work for nearly every shaving cut. A styptic pencil just gets you there faster.

Why do you cut yourself shaving?

A shaving cut almost always comes down to one of a few things, and most of them are easy to fix.

• Una hoja sin filo. This is the main one. A dull edge drags and skips instead of gliding, so you press harder, and that is when it catches the skin. Our guide to Con qué frecuencia hay que cambiar la cuchilla de afeitar goes through the signs that a blade is past it.
• Too much pressure. Pushing the razor into your face makes the blades dig in. Let the weight of the razor do the work.
• Not enough shaving cream. Without a proper lather there is nothing between blade and skin. Shaving dry, or with soap and water, is asking for nicks.
• Rushing. Fast strokes over the jaw, chin and neck are where most cuts happen.
• Afeitarse a contrapelo. Going against the direction of growth catches the hair and the skin. Our post on Por qué no debes afeitarte a contracorriente explica por qué.
• Shaving over spots or bumps. A raised spot or an ingrown hair is easy to slice. Go round it, and never try to shave a spot off.^[3] If you get a lot of them, our guide to irritaciones por afeitado explains what causes them.

How to stop shaving cuts before they happen

A styptic pencil is a good thing to own. Not needing it is better, and less irritation for your skin too. These habits prevent most nicks.

1. Shave after a warm shower, or wash with warm water and hold a toalla caliente to your face for a minute. Soft hair cuts with less force.
2. Use plenty of shaving cream. A rich lather softens the hair and cushions the blade. A brocha de afeitar works it into the stubble and lifts the hairs so they cut cleanly.
3. Utiliza una cuchilla afilada. Change it as soon as it tugs. A fresh blade cuts with almost no pressure.
4. Movimientos cortos y con poca presión. Tilt your head to flatten tricky areas like the upper lip, chin and neck, rather than pulling the skin tight, which can lead to ingrown hairs.^[4]
5. Shave with the grain on the first pass. If you want it closer, re-lather and go across the grain.
6. Enjuaga la cuchilla cada pocas pasadas. so it does not clog.
7. Take your time on the awkward bits. The chin, the corners of the mouth and the Adam’s apple are where most nicks happen.

De la estantería del coronel

Fewer nicks to begin with

Una hoja afilada, siempre Clásico Most cuts come from a blade that drags. Fresh five-blade refills arrive on the schedule you pick, and the roller on the leading edge keeps the cream where it is needed. 10 £, y luego 10 £ por 4 recargas Empieza con el clásico Para pieles sensibles Crema de Afeitar Sensible Made for sensitive skin and allergen-free, with a fresh fougère scent. A thick lather cushions the blade so it glides over the skin instead of catching it. 8 libras por una lata de 75 ml Mira la crema Levanta las puntas del pelo La brocha de afeitar Builds a thicker lather than fingers can and lifts the hairs, so the blade cuts cleanly with less pressure. Vegan synthetic bristles on a hand-finished wooden base. £20 Mira el pincel

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A five-blade cartridge spreads the pressure across several edges, so no single blade is pressing hard into the skin. Ours has a roller on the leading edge rather than a fixed strip, which helps keep the cream on your skin, where the blades need it. Refills come with free UK delivery on a subscription, so a fresh one turns up before the old one starts to drag.

Safety: when not to use a styptic pencil

Styptic pencils and alum blocks are safe for most people on small shaving cuts. Some sensible limits:

• Use them on the skin only. Keep them away from your eyes, nose and mouth, and out of reach of children.
• Do not use them on deep cuts, large grazes or wide areas of broken skin.
• If you cannot stop the bleeding with firm, steady pressure, or the cut is deep or large, get urgent medical help.^[2]
• If you take blood-thinning medicine and cuts often take a long time to stop, mention it to your GP or pharmacist.
• Most shaving cuts start to heal within a few days. Watch for signs of infection, such as swelling, redness, pain that gets worse, or pus.^[2] See a pharmacist or GP if you notice any.
• If a pencil or block makes your skin burn for a long time or come up in a rash, stop using it.

For more on the basics of a comfortable shave, our guide to tu primer afeitado covers technique from the start.

Preguntas que suele hacer la gente

Fuentes

1. Coakley A and others, Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (2020), A Comparison of Ferric Subsulfate Solution, Silver Nitrate, and Aluminum Chloride for Pain Assessment, Time to Hemostasis, and Cosmesis in Acrochordon Snip Excision
2. NHS, Cortes y rasguños
3. Academia Americana de Dermatología, Depilación: Cómo afeitarse
4. Asociación Británica de Dermatólogos, Pseudofoliculitis (folleto informativo para el paciente)