You can, and I have, get a reddened razor "burn" from just the irritation caused by an overzealous hand or too dull a razor .... i.e. just the blade irritation. But the more lasting razor burn is actually a bacterial infection.
Religiously disinfecting your razor with, for instance, 70% isopropyl alcohol followed with a tap-water-hot rinse will greatly reduce your exposure to razor burn.
As a scientific sidebar, alcohol needs a solution of water to be effective in disinfecting. Purer alcohol concentrations are going to be less effective. Leave the 90+ percentages on the shelf!
daviduthe