A lot of people mistake clipper irritation for clipper burn, and I'm here to set the record straight.

Clipper irritation is most commonly found in the sanitary, and potty path areas of a dog just after clipping. The only safe blade to use in these areas is a #10 blade. Any other blade used, and you run the risk of cutting and tearing the sensitive skin. Most of the time, the sanitary trim is one of the first things a groomer does during the grooming process. A #10 blade is put on the clipper and it literally takes less than thirty seconds to complete. However, the dog breaks out in a rash. This is clipper irritation, not burn. The blade does not get hot enough during the thirty second sanitary trim to leave a burn. Clipper irritation can also happen on heavily matted dogs because the mats pull the skin tight, causing irritation when the mats are removed. Some dogs, especially smaller lighter skinned dogs, are prone to clipper irritation due to "sensitive" skin. It doesn't help when dogs continuously lick the affected area, In turn, making it worse. Pet parents that have animals that are prone to clipper irritation should raise their concerns with the groomer, so they can be sure to use an aftershave spray. Aftershave grooming spray contains aloe vera, vitamin E, and witch hazel in it to soothe irritated skin.

Clipper burn is a result of complete negligence, and disregard for the pets safety. Most groomers are taught that every few minutes you need to check the temperature of the blade on your wrist. Dogs temperatures run a few degrees higher than ours so you can bet if it's too hot on your wrist, then it's too hot to place on the dog. You can cool the blade with cool lube, by switching out the hot blade for a cool one, or by placing the blade on something cold and metal to disperse the heat. You can recognize clipper burn because the area will be bright red, raw, ooze fluid, and eventually scab over and scar. Clipper irritation happens every now and again due to sensitive skin, but there is NO excuse for clipper burn.

It's unfortunate that groomers get a bad wrap because pet parents don't know the difference between clipper burn and irritation. Most groomers are in the profession because they love animals and want to make pets look and feel their best. unfortunately, there are some bad apple groomers out there that give the rest a bad name, but nine times out of ten, you can bet your precious pup is in good hands.