Shaving tips...

Shaving Techniques and Methods

Some Shaving Methods and Techniques for Shaving facial hair:

Electric Razor or Wet Shave?

Whether you chose to use an electric or a razor blade like a Gillette Mach 3, will depend on your skin. If you have acne, or rough uneven skin, it would almost definitely be better to use an electric razor, like the Philips Coolskin. Using a razor blade on skin with acne could lead to a lot of irritation, nicks and cuts. Talk to your doctor about controlling your acne, and either use a beard trimmer to keep the beard short (designer stubble!), or use an electric razor with very light pressure.

The second group of people that should avoid wet shaving, are those who experience irritation from ingrown hairs in the beard area. This occurs when the hair emerges from the follicle, and then grows back into the skin. This condition is known as PFB or Pseudo-folliculities-barbae. Sometimes the hair will grow into the side of the hair follicle before emerging above the skin. People disposed to PFB should avoid using razor blades, and instead use an electric razor with light pressure, or trim the area with an electric trimmer or alternativelygrow a beard. There are also some new treatments for this condition. Our article on PFB is being added to A1Lovers in the near future, so check back often.

Some people can wet-shave provided they only shave in the direction of hair-growth (with the grain), while other people can shave with the grain, and then against the grain without irritation. It is advised to experiment on different areas to see what works for you, and if you experience irritation such as ingrown hairs, don't shave that area until the hairs have grown out, or the irritation has cleared. You can speed this up by applying some Retin-A or 10% AHA cream to the area affected by ingrown hairs.

Shaving with a blade:

1. Firstly wash the skin with some warm water, and a cleanser to soften the beard hair. You can use a piece of muslin or a face-cloth to gently exfoliate the skin. It is best to shave after a bath or shower, as the skin and beard-hair are softer then.

2. Then apply a layer of shaving gel to the beard hair, as this further softens the hair, and provides some lubrication for the razor. Don't apply too much gel as it will make it more difficult to shave.

3. Use a sharp razor blade every time, such as the Gillette Mach 3, or Gillette M3 Power, and don't use a blade too often without replacing it. Dull blades lead to more irritation, nicks and cuts.

4. Shave in the direction of hair growth to reduce irritation and the risk of ingrown hairs. Don't rush when shaving. Use smooth strokes using very little pressure and be careful around any uneven areas like moles etc. You can use an electric trimmer to trim hairs around moles.

If you need to use pressure with your razor, then your blade needs replacing. Try not to shave any areas twice, as this would increase the risk of irritation.

5. You will get a closer shave if you shave against the grain after first shaving with the grain, but this isn't advised if you are prone to irritation and ingrown hairs. Try it on a small area (1/2 an inch o r so) and if irritation occurs don't shave that area until the irritation has disappeared - and then only with strokes in the direction of hair-growth.

Bear in mind also that susceptibility to ingrown hairs can be different in different parts of your face. While you may be able to shave against the grain on your cheek, you might experience irritation elsewhere like under the jaw line. So proceed with caution, and see what's best for you. Always refrain from shaving until irritation has disappeared.

6. Rinse the blade often while shaving in hot water, to maintain a clean blade and when finished you can rinse the skin with warm (not hot) water. This will wase away the foam or gel used and help to restore the skin's moisture level.

7. It is no longer advised to use aftershave when finished, the alcohol in aftershave could dry out and irritate the skin. As shaving can remove skin oils, you can replenish the moisture balance with some non-irritating moisturiser such as Aveeno Moisturising Cream.

8. It is also advisable to apply a layer of suncream before going out, to protect your skin against year-round UV damage. UV radiation contains UVB and UVA rays, and UVA penetrates cloud by up to 90%, so use an SPF of at least 15 (sun protection factor) all year.

Electric Razor

There are now electric razors available that can be used with water, in the shower, and can deliver excellent results whilst minimising irritation. The Philips coolskin is highly recommended, and is best used in the shower with a mirror, applying very little pressure.

If you have longer facial hair, and would like to go clean shaven, firstly use a trimmer (no. 1) to trim the hair to a short stubble and then use the electric razor. If you attempt to shave long facial hair directly with a razor it could tug on the hair and cause irritation, so make sure that it's short first.

Dry electric razors are also popular, and the friction of the razor across the skin can be reduced by applying some corn-starch powder to the skin prior to shaving. Also use very little pressure when shaving.

Electric razors are available in two forms, a foil guarded razor (Braun and Panasonic) and secondly the rotary razor produced by companies such as Philips. You can try both, and see what works best for you. But beware that paying more doesn't guarantee you a better shave.

If you experience irritation with a medium-cost rotary model, you will experience irritation with the one five times its price, as all razors of a certain family (foil-guarded or rotary) operate on the same principle! So try a foil-guarded or a rotary razor, and see what one suits your skin best, but upgrading from one rotary to another rotary isn't going to make a much of a difference.

The one notable development however is the rotary or foil-guarded razor that can be used in the shower. With this model you can soften out your beard hair with warm water in the shower, and minimise razor burn by using shaving gel with your electric razor while in the shower! The philips cool skin is one of the best models available. The model with two rotary heads is far cheaper than the one with 3 heads, and performs the same job.

Trimming a beard

For those who like to keep some facial hair, a combination of the above techniques with a beard or mustache trimmer will provide a satisfactory result.

Hair Removal in other body parts

Many men and women like to trim or remove hair in other regions of their body. The most common techniques used are shaving, waxing, the use of depilatory creams, electrolysis, IPL (intense pulsed light) and laser.

The most widespread means of reducing body hair is shaving. This can be used to remove hair from the legs, underarms, and - with care - the bikini area. However like shaving the face, be aware that it could cause ingrown hairs in susceptible individuals, especially if shaving against the grain.

It is advisable to experiment on very small areas (1 or 2 inches) with the different techniques, and find what works for you. If you experience irritation with a particular technique, don't use it again, as it could lead to scarring, especially from ingrown hairs.

Techniques such as waxing should only be performed on persons that don't experience irritation or ingrowing hairs. If you experience ingrown hairs refrain from waxing. It won't improve the second time you do it, but could leave your skin scarred.

Men are advised to be particularly careful about choosing waxing as a hair removal method, as their hair is usually far denser and more strongly rooted than that of women, and waxing can cause serious rashes and ingrown hairs in cases, with a possibility of scarring. So again try on a small area, and abandon if any irritation occurs for longer than 24-48 hours.

Sugaring is essentially the same as waxing, though the "wax" is made out of sugar and water! The same cautions apply to this hair removal method.

Depilatory creams are another method of hair removal. They contain strong chemicals and should only be used on areas of tougher skin, and not areas with sensitive skin. Again you should try on small areas first, and wait a couple of days before deciding if it's suitable for you. Depilatory creams should be used at most once or twice per week, depending upon the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Methods of permanent hair removal and permanent beard removal or reduction include IPL, laser and electrolysis. IPL is becoming increasing popular due to its convenience, and low level side-effects.

Patients should commence treatments with low powers, and those with a tendency towards ingrown hairs should trim the hair to be treated to around 1mm above the skin surface, and not shave it entirely for their treatment - as this could result in severe irritation.

Side-effects include redness for anything from a few days to 2 weeks, the formation of acne like eruptions (that go away after 2-3 weeks) and in very rare cases scars due to burns. Start treatments conservatively with low energy fluences, and the treatment of small areas, and judge how your skin reacts for a month or so, before proceeding with more treatments. Remember also that different body parts will react differently and with different levels of sensitivity, so check each area for a reaction first.

The new Gillette M3P, Now in the UK, Ireland and across Europe

M3Power builds on the background of its forerunner, the MACH3. Gillette claims that the razor outperforms its predecessors in terms of closeness, comfort and safety during and after the shave. The battery power produces a slight vibration of the razor, that Gillette claim results in the hairs standing to attention, ready to be chopped closer than ever!

The blades themselves are backward compatible with the Mach 3 (in the high-tech arena of shaving products), and have a moisturising Indicator® Lubrastrip and a technologically-advanced handle!!

Again bear in mind with all these "amazing technological advancements", that the performance of a razor and its effectiveness at removing beard hair, are largely determined by your skin type, density of hair-growth, hair texture and other individual genetic factors. No razor is going to change these (you'll need a shot of laser or intense pulsed light - IPL for that), so don't be too impressed with the hype!

In any case, regarding this new system, Gillette have baptised it Micro-Power™, and it provides a gentle pulsing action powered by a Duracell AAA battery. The pulsing action, they claim, stimulates the hair upward and away from the skin, making it easier to shave more thoroughly in one easy pstroke.

The blades have been improved, according to Gillette, by a new coating process, called "thin uniform telomer," which is supposed to provide an improvement in shaving comfort throughout the life of the blade. The razor may also be used in the shower, allowing you to shave wherever you prefer.

Make great savings by buying Gillette Razor blades online from the UK, Ireland and across the EU. At A1Lovers, there is free delivery always, and rock-bottom prices on Mach 3 and M3 Power blades!

PSEUDOFOLLICULITIS BARBAE (PFB), RAZOR RASH AND INGROWING HAIRS

The condition involves the hairs in the beard area, curling back into the skin, or failing to emerge from the follicle and growing into the side of the follicle instead. It is mostly found in those with dense beard growth, and curly hair.

The simplest solution to the problem is to grow a beard, or to trim the hair to a short stubble, however many men would rather shave,so it can cause problems.

PFB can cause inflammation and a foreign body reaction, which results in further discomfort, redness and iritation. If the person persists in shaving skin that is prone to PFB (ingrowing hairs in the beard area), over time it will result in keloidal scarring of the beard and neck area, that is irreversible (though can be improved with acid peels, laser and IPL treatments).

Keloidal scarring looks like hard bumps in the beard area and neck area, and is often of a different colour to the surrounding skin, darker in some people and lighter in others.

Those prone to PFB should avoid shaving the area, as shaving tends to sharpen the beard areas creating mini "spears", that will grow back into the skin in those disposed to PFB.

An almost 100% effective solution to the problem of ingrowing hairs (PFB) is to let the beard grow. Once the hairs get to be a certain length they will not grow back into the skin, and hairs that are trapped under the skin will spring free after a number of weeks.

Hairs that have burrowed into the skin can be released by applying retin-a or glycolic acid 10% (aha creams 10% or greater) to the area for a number of weeks or months. In some cases it will be necessary after a couple of weeks to use a sterile syringe needle to gently pop the hair out, having sterilised the skin with some alcohol. This treatment should be done with great care, guiding the needle (ultra thin insulin type needles should be used to avoid scarring) and only penetrating the epidermis, not penetrating deeply as this could cause scarring. Ideally it should be done by a doctor.

Applying a mild prescription cortisone cream (1% hydrocortisone) can also help the skin recover from any inflammations, but should only be applyed for a maximum of 10 days at a time, as long-term use could lead to thinning of the skin and premature ageing. You should ensure that all irritation and ingrowing hairs have resolved before attemptin to remove beard hair again, as shaving areas with ingrowing hairs will lead to irreversible scarring, as will repeatedly attempting to shave skin that is prone to PFB.

Use of an electric razor may also help those suffering from pseudo-folliculitis barbae, as it doesn't cut so close to the skin. On some razors like the philishave coolskin, you can adjust the razor, so that it doesn't cut too close to the skin, by leaving it on the high setting, and you can prepare the beard area by using an electric razor pre-shave.

Try not to stretch the skin while shaving and shave with the grain of beard growth. Also avoid multiple repetition of strokes in the same area, and apply very little pressure, as the razor glides over the skin. If you have long stubble, you should use the beard trimmer or side-burn trimmer first, to shorten the hair before using the razor section, as this will reduce the risk of the rotary razor section from tugging at the beard hair.

Shaving every second day, rather than daily will also reduce the problem of razor burn, irritation, pfb and ingrowing hairs in the beard area.

Even better again is a barber's hair trimmer, with clipping guard, so that you shave the beard hair to around a millimetre. You can also use the side-burn trimmer section of the philishave or a beard trimmer.

Recommended razors for those suffering from PFB, that would like to continue shaving, include the coolskin philishave razor by Philips. There is also a side-burn (beard trimmer) on the back of this shaver, that can be used to trim the entire beard area to a short stubble, which is ideal for those disposed to ingrown hairs.

There is also a razor called the Aveeno PFB Bump Fighter Razor or the Flicker razor, which are milder on the face, but you must shave only with the grain of the beard and not stretch the skin. Also you should use only one stroke over each area of the beard.

Also recommended by a number of doctors, are chemical depilatories, specifically made for the beard area, and men suffering from PFB. Don't use chemical depilatories (like Veet's bladeless razor) on the face, as these aren't designed for sensitive skin like the face.

These depilatories contain Barium sulfide and work by dissolving the hairs but can also cause chemical burns on facial skin if left on for too long, or if your skin is paricularly sensitive. It should be left on for less time than in indicated on the package, until you see how your skin reacts to it. Howeve many patients can't tolerate these products, as often those with PFB have sensitive skin, and also these depilatories can only be used every 2-3 days.

For people that would like to try this solution, it's recommended to try it only on a small section of the skin at a time, and wait a number of days to see what the reaction is. And remember different parts of the face will react differently, so try each part before slapping it all over your beard area!

Wait until the hair has become free from the follicle, and all bumps have cleared. Then start with the mildest one that you can find and apply a layer enough to cover the already trimmed beard hair (to 1mm).

Apply the depilatory cream to small areas at a time (1 square inch of the face) and start removal no later than 3 minutes (for Barium sulfide depilatories) or 5 minutes (for calcium thioglycolate types) after application (always look at the manufacturer's instructions and make sure that you use a depilatory suitable for use on the face).

Remove the cream using the spatula, using short, rapid strokes against the direction of hair growth, cleaning the spatula with some water, as you clear the cream off your face. After you have completed the operation, be sure to rinse the area thoroughly with water. Certain depilatories require the application of a neutraliser afterwards, such as vinegar (see the instructions).

If hairs remain, you can try leaving the depilatory on a little longer the next time, provided no irritation shows. You must only use these products every 2-3 days, not more frequently as there is a danger of chemical burns. And if your skin becomes irritated, abandon this method and try something else.

Topical creams that can improve the condition, mostly by helping hairs to pop free, include exfoliating creams like Glycolic acid lotion (8-10% Neostrata), Retin-A (0.025% or 0.05%), and topical antibiotics including Benzamycin and Stiemycin, which help with infection and inflammation (short-term use only).

Retin-A is a potent treatment that can even help in evening out scarring after a few months. It is applied nightly or every other night (as tolerated) to the beard skin while the beard is growing out. Use it as tolerated, as it is somewhat irritating, and requires the use of sunscreen during the day (year-round). Don't use depilatories if you are using these creams, as the result would be some pretty nasty irritation of the skin!

More permanent and lasting methods to solve the problem of ingrowing hairs in the beard area include electrolysis. laser hair removal and intense-pulsed light. Certain lasers have received approval for the treatment of PFB, and IPL is also used with success, though expect to undergo up to 20 treatments (spaced apart by 4-8 weeks) to get long-lasting results.

However IPL also provides shorter term results, as you can expect a number of weeks clearness before the hair grows back, and every time there will be some degree of reduction in hair growth, though it will take several treatments to start see significant reductions in the male beard area. Bear in mind also that you should start with power levels well below those that IPL technician's are used to using for other body parts, as the hair in the beard area is far denser.

Treatments are most successful on those with dark hair and light hair, such as many british and irish people, as well as other northern europeans. Energy fluences of as low as 12 or 13 Joules/cm2 are successful in the initial treatments for many, and the energy can be increased in later sessions as the beard hair thins out.

Those with PFB should trim the hair to 0.5 - 1mm prior to treatment, using the side-burn trimmer on the Philishave razor. Shaving any closer will lead to quite severe irritation after treatment, in many individuals. Many IPL technicians will insist on shaving the area, but this shouldn't be permitted in most cases as the irritation will be considerable in those who suffer from PFB. It's best to go to a clinic that is used to dealing with cases of IPL.

When your treatment is completed, its helpful to apply a cold comress to the area for up to a half-hour, to cool the area. To do this fill a bowl with cool clean water, and add some ice cubes. Then dip a fresh and clean face cloth in the water, and apply to the face. Dippping it back into the water, when the cooling effect has subsided. Don't apply ice directly to the face, as this could cause an ice burn (where the ice sticks to the skin).

You could also use a shower head to run some cool water over the area. For 4-5 days after treatment, don't allow any hot water to get in contact with the treated area, as it needs time to recover from the treatment.

Afterwords the treatment area will be red for a number of days, and acne-like pustules could form if you are using a higher energy-fluence, but these symptoms will subside after 2-3 weeks or so. A topical antibiotic can be helpful to reduce this, if it occurs.

It's also important to keep the area clean before and after treatment, as skin that has undergone IPL will be more prone to superficial infection for a week or two. Consult with the technician for detailed after care advice, which includes avoiding heat-treatments such as saunas for a number of days, and avoiding direct exposure to sun or sunbeds (using suncream daily is also necessary).

The hairs will remain in your skin after treatment, and the beard area will look a little darker, as they have absorbed heat from the IPL. The hair won't automatically vanish after treatment, contrary to some people's expectations, but instead it will begin to fall out after around 3 weeks - BE PATIENT. Many people think that nothing has happened, but just relax, and don't think about it for a few weeks. Take a look in the mirror in week 4, and there'll be a dramatic reduction in beard hair!

You shouldn't tug on the hair, or force it to fall out, nor should you pluck the hairs. The beard hairs are rooted particularly deeply (up to 2 cm), and take time to fall out, 3-4 weeks is around normal.

In the mean time you can trim the hair to around 1 mm using a beard trimmer, starting 4-5 days after treatment, and gently use piece of muslin cloth on the beard area, along with water and a facial scrub with gentle micro-beads, to keep the beard area exfoliated (free from dead skin cells).

This is an overview of the treatment options. Check back often as we are constantly updating or articles, and another article on PFB is planned for the near future here.

We are extending our range of shaving products at A1Lovers, and you will soon be able to buy razors for PFB (aka beard rash, razor burn razor rash, shaving irritation, ingrowing or ingrown hairs) here, with free shipping to all customers in the UK, Ireland and EU.

Buy Cheap Gillette products online in the UK, Ireland and EU!!