"Resetting" grain of beard on last strokes prevents razor irritation?

[Augustiner]

Does anyone do this method to prevent razor irritation? If so, does it work?

I have never heard this one before but I just read it online somewhere. Here is the exact quote cut and pasted:

"Razor burn can be easily prevented if the very last strokes on your face with the razor are with the grain, not against it. In other words, you can shave as instructed above AND in any direction to get a close shave, but be sure that the very last strokes on your face are with the grain of your beard (typically a top-to-bottom stroke). Reason: The strokes of the razor blade actually changes the way your pores will grow the new hair. As such, you want to be sure to "reset" the grain of your beard by ensuring the last strokes are with the grain, or top to bottom. Works like a charm."

It sounds like a bunch of junk to me but it seems easy enough to try out, maybe I'll try it next shave. Razor burn is caused by scraping off small amounts of skin and has nothing to do with direction of growth. If the skin has already been scraped and irritated I don't see how this method would help?

[HoratioCaine]

It sounds like a bunch of junk to me...

Me too. What's the source of this drivel?

[mblakele]

WikiHow, eh? But pores don't grow hair: that would be follicles. When someone has the details wrong, I tend to disregard the message. You can get the right answer by adding up the wrong numbers - but only by accident.

[HoratioCaine]

WikiHow, eh?

Hmm...well, after looking it over, I wouldn't put much stock in what that site has to say. Still, if you want to try out their recommendation, go for it. What have you got to lose? I just wouldn't expect much.

[dpm802]

I'm not sure if this is the same thing you're talking about, but for a few weeks I was experimenting with a technique of "painting" on lather ... I would use circular brush motions at first to work the lather into my skin and exfoliate, but prior to applying a blade, I would brush the lather (and hence, my whiskers) in the same direction that I was going to shave.

Each time I relathered for the next pass, I would change the direction of "painting" ... so that the lather and whiskers would be lined up the way I was going to shave, whether it be WTG, XTG or ATG.

I don't know if anyone's ever tried this ... I don't recall reading about it here or elsewhere. I just thought it up on my own.

The improvement to my shave was minimal. If there would have been a dramatic improvement, I would have kept on doing it and reported the results here.

If nothing else, it does make it a little easier to see what you're doing, but not by much.

[Augustiner]

Hmm...well, after looking it over, I wouldn't put much stock in what that site has to say. Still, if you want to try out their recommendation, go for it. What have you got to lose? I just wouldn't expect much.

I don't put any stock in what the site says, I just happened to stumble upon it on google and posted it here for the hell of it. Whoever wrote it clearly doesn't fully understand the fundamental anatomy or physiology involved in shaving and razor irritation.

With logic this far off from reality I know the method can't work but stranger things have happened.