Should I stretch skin while DE shaving?

[raccoonandbrush]

Should I stretch the skin while Double Edge shaving?

[kg4ghn]

I don't stretch the skin when shaving with a DE. I find the comb/bar does a good enough job for me. Now I may tilt my head a certain way to make the skin taught, but actually using my other hand to stretch like I do with my straights isn't necessary.

[GatorShaver]

I stretch the skin, but only on my neck. I can do well on my face without it, but stretching my skin and throttling up to hold near the top of the razor and get really good control of it gives me the closest shave on my neck.

It's certainly an acceptable looking shave without doing that, but I figure if I know how to get the best shave possible, why wouldn't I do it?

[raccoonandbrush]

Thanks for the advice!

[michiganlover]

Before I took up straight shaving, I never stretched my skin at all DE shaving.

One day I decided to stretch my skin during my DE shaves too, and found the results to be much improved.

Now I wouldn't shave without stretching the skin.

According to Mantic stretching the skin can lead to ingrowns for some people, however, I doubt it causes ingrowns for the majority of people.

I would say give it a try, and see what the results are.

[amishmotorboat]

I have to stretch it to get the general area of my adam's apple. Just too hard to get otherwise.

[Go West Young Man]

I'd say that you want to flatten and tighten the skin under the razor, I guess that could be considered 'stretching'.

[raccoonandbrush]

Before I took up straight shaving, I never stretched my skin at all DE shaving.

One day I decided to stretch my skin during my DE shaves too, and found the results to be much improved.

Now I wouldn't shave without stretching the skin.

According to Mantic stretching the skin can lead to ingrowns for some people, however, I doubt it causes ingrowns for the majority of people.

I would say give it a try, and see what the results are.

That's interesting how one things improves the other.

[ChristopherH10]

I stretch around my Adam's Apple to avoid nicking myself, but most of the time am satisfied with the shave I get from angling my head/face.

The irony is that I used to get ingrowns frequently when I used disposable razors (probably because I was never really satisfied with the shave so was always shaving too close maybe?) but have only had one since I started shaving with a DE safety razor.

I'm not experienced enough to know if Mantic59's explanation about ingrowns and stretching the skin is correct, but it seems plausible to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwGX415wkPw

[wulfgar1976]

I stretch my skin by using my face muscles apart from when shaving my neck, where I'll lightly stretch my skin with my hand. Not too much, however, as that would result in irritation.

[Easttexasman]

I have found that I get a little closer shave if i do stretch the skin but I am more likely to get a weeper or two if I do stretch the skin while using a DE.

Paul

[Monkeyboy]

After I started straight shaving I just got in the habit of stretching the skin with a DE and get better results than if I don't with no added ingrown danger. I think Mantic's arguement sounds plausible as well, just have to see if it works for you.

[kingfisher]

I think some amount of stretching is natural in shaving, whether it's done with contortions or with the other hand. Old-school DE shavers almost certainly did a bit of stretching, judging by videos I have seen.

[dirtdog]

I thought the guard bar did that for you ( stretch the skin )

[Go West Young Man]

I thought the guard bar did that for you ( stretch the skin )

Wouldn't you have to be pressing down pretty hard for the guard bar to actually stretch the skin?

[Sledgehammer39]

A little stretching never hurt anybody

[Bestarrkin]

First this is not my idea, I saw another B&Ber and second you should open wide your mouth when you are shaving your jawline. For your neck area you should move forward your jaw and and stretch your muscles.

[Slash McCoy]

Certainly, stretch the skin, unless it causes problems for you. You don't have to get medieval about it, though. I find that I get fewer cuts, as well as a closer shave, when stretching, even when DE shaving. Yes, the bar does sort of stretch the area to be shaven by pushing on the skin ahead of it, but the effect is sort of marginal, especially when using light pressure and a very slippery lather, both of which are considered desirable things in a shave.

Some stretching can be done without the offside hand, by making various ugly or "shaving faces", but using the hand will in some areas give you better results.

[RazoRock]

I do some mild stretching. I don't find the bar/comb does very much stretching. Stretching never seemed to cause any ingrowns for me, YMMV.

[pyrrhusmj]

I have noticed the more I stretch, the more ingrown hairs. There is a fine line between not enough and too much skin stretching.

Michael