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electric razors are EVIL

It could be just the change of seasons, and the more humid air now, but the timing is too much of a coincidence, I would think. For a number of years I am suffering from seborrheic dermatitis, which has been really annoying and inflamed around my temples and sideburns, to the point that I've found myself repeatedly mumbling "I haaate my skin". Lo'and'behold, three or four days into wet shaving and... "hey, this is nice and smooth, not itchy at all, and no shedding skin".

It's probably a number of factors, but I would not be surprised if wet shaving played a large role in this. I think it helped in the following ways:

1. closer shave, less ingrown hairs poking at the skin from inside... less irritation to the inflamed area, making it easier for it to cure itself

2. started using aftershave and shaving cream... I thought I read somewhere about AS or SC affecting pH balance on the skin... Also, as part of the shaving procedure, your skin gets far superior hydration... ("wet shaving: it's all about the water")

3. biggest factor: it just occurred to me that, unless you majorly disinfect the whole razor mechanism and assembly every time you shave with an electric razor, there will be tons of little nooks and crannies (and, my god, there are TONS!) where oily shaving offal sticks and accumulates, harboring the yeast/fungus which is thought to lead to seborrhea. So even though I was washing face and applying the topical steroids prescribed by the dermatologist, on the next shaving pass I was probably putting all those nasties right back on my skin. Compare that to cartridge and especially DE razors, which you can get wayyyyyyyyyy cleaner, after every shave. Heck, you can just plop the razor into Barbicide after every shave...

Still, I'll have to see how the skin holds up next winter...
 
Two other things to consider:
  1. Using proper shave prep, a brush and a DE you also exfoliate the skin somewhat. The result is that every time you shave you get rid of a few of the top layers of dead skin.
  2. If you prep properly, you also open the pores and the warm water and shave cream will clean in the pores.
 
3. biggest factor: it just occurred to me that, unless you majorly disinfect the whole razor mechanism and assembly every time you shave with an electric razor, there will be tons of little nooks and crannies (and, my god, there are TONS!) where oily shaving offal sticks and accumulates, harboring the yeast/fungus which is thought to lead to seborrhea. So even though I was washing face and applying the topical steroids prescribed by the dermatologist, on the next shaving pass I was probably putting all those nasties right back on my skin. Compare that to cartridge and especially DE razors, which you can get wayyyyyyyyyy cleaner, after every shave. Heck, you can just plop the razor into Barbicide after every shave...

Ewwww... I don't even want to think about electric nose hair trimmers. Though they are easy enough to clean.
 
It's all a matter of preference. There are people, as crazy as it seems, that do enjoy the pleasures of maintaining an electrical instrument with the same rigor we do with our brushes and razors. To them, I bet it's crazy that we take 30 min every day to shave, let alone spend time in the day to talk about it with others:001_tt2:
 
3. biggest factor: it just occurred to me that, unless you majorly disinfect the whole razor mechanism and assembly every time you shave with an electric razor, there will be tons of little nooks and crannies (and, my god, there are TONS!) where oily shaving offal sticks and accumulates, harboring the yeast/fungus which is thought to lead to seborrhea. So even though I was washing face and applying the topical steroids prescribed by the dermatologist, on the next shaving pass I was probably putting all those nasties right back on my skin. Compare that to cartridge and especially DE razors, which you can get wayyyyyyyyyy cleaner, after every shave. Heck, you can just plop the razor into Barbicide after every shave...

Still, I'll have to see how the skin holds up next winter...

I guess that's why Braun came out with the self-cleaning razor? But then, who cleans the cleaning solution? (and so on,and so on)

Also, think about the times you/we shaved with the electric right after cleaning it-mmmm, nothing like fresh petroleum based chemicals on the face to make you know you're a man. :wink:

Marty
 
"3. biggest factor: it just occurred to me that, unless you majorly disinfect the whole razor mechanism and assembly every time you shave with an electric razor, there will be tons of little nooks and crannies (and, my god, there are TONS!) where oily shaving offal sticks and accumulates, harboring the yeast/fungus which is thought to lead to seborrhea. So even though I was washing face and applying the topical steroids prescribed by the dermatologist, on the next shaving pass I was probably putting all those nasties right back on my skin. Compare that to cartridge and especially DE razors, which you can get wayyyyyyyyyy cleaner, after every shave. Heck, you can just plop the razor into Barbicide after every shave..."

I used to clean the to of my razor with a napkin of alcol and grape seed extract. Every once in a while, I take the whole thing apart and soak the parts in disinfectant. At least the next shave is sterile. I was thinking along the same lines.

I was browsing toiletries, and found a bottle of disinfectant that kills staph. It said to wipe the blade with it to avoid razor bumps. It made sense to me. But i always forget to sterilize before shaving. I end up with those nasty white headed pimples.
 
It's all a matter of preference. There are people, as crazy as it seems, that do enjoy the pleasures of maintaining an electrical instrument with the same rigor we do with our brushes and razors. To them, I bet it's crazy that we take 30 min every day to shave, let alone spend time in the day to talk about it with others:001_tt2:

I think they (electric razor adherents) don't talk amongst themselves because they are busy STILL cleaning their razor. :smile: I bet if you pit a DE wetshaving crazie against an electrical shaving crazie, all in all, the DE crazie is still going to spend way less time per year cleaning his tools... I mean, with a DE, swirl it in a mug of hot water (maybe with mild soap), rinse under hot water, and for bonus points, toss it into a glass of Barbicide. OK, maybe a tiny bit of simple buffing with a napikin, but that's about it. With an electric, even if you clean it out once a week, I don't see it taking less than an hour... I mean that gunk is sticky and REALLY hard to get out of all those little nooks... I don't think a chemical solution would cut it; massive amounts of elbow grease required, and it needs to be applied to very minute detail work...

As for the self-cleaning ones, my dad's got one of those... next time I'm over I gotta have a look just HOW well it self-cleans, under the hood... I am skeptical of any and all advertising... :biggrin:
 
I'm a bit compulsive about buffing up my DEs.
I rotate most every week (except when I'm consumed with using a straight) with a toothbrush. When I put them up, I clean them and polish with MAAS.
But, when it comes to electrics (confession, I have used them) there is no truer statement than "tons of little nooks and crannies (and, my god, there are TONS!) where oily shaving offal sticks and accumulates".
Give me a razor I can rinse in very hot water and feel confident with, even boil.
Try that with an electric.
 

OldSaw

The wife's investment
It could be just the change of seasons, and the more humid air now, but the timing is too much of a coincidence, I would think. For a number of years I am suffering from seborrheic dermatitis, which has been really annoying and inflamed around my temples and sideburns, to the point that I've found myself repeatedly mumbling "I haaate my skin". Lo'and'behold, three or four days into wet shaving and... "hey, this is nice and smooth, not itchy at all, and no shedding skin".

It's probably a number of factors, but I would not be surprised if wet shaving played a large role in this. I think it helped in the following ways:

1. closer shave, less ingrown hairs poking at the skin from inside... less irritation to the inflamed area, making it easier for it to cure itself

2. started using aftershave and shaving cream... I thought I read somewhere about AS or SC affecting pH balance on the skin... Also, as part of the shaving procedure, your skin gets far superior hydration... ("wet shaving: it's all about the water")

3. biggest factor: it just occurred to me that, unless you majorly disinfect the whole razor mechanism and assembly every time you shave with an electric razor, there will be tons of little nooks and crannies (and, my god, there are TONS!) where oily shaving offal sticks and accumulates, harboring the yeast/fungus which is thought to lead to seborrhea. So even though I was washing face and applying the topical steroids prescribed by the dermatologist, on the next shaving pass I was probably putting all those nasties right back on my skin. Compare that to cartridge and especially DE razors, which you can get wayyyyyyyyyy cleaner, after every shave. Heck, you can just plop the razor into Barbicide after every shave...

Still, I'll have to see how the skin holds up next winter...

I never knew I had seborrheic dermatitis until I went to a dermatologist for psoriasis on my foot. She insisted I needed a prescription for the seborrheic dermatitis on my face. After burning my face with the samples, they all went in the trash and I continued using my usual treatment of Corn Huskers, (didn't use it the day I saw the derm). I've recently replaced the Corn Huskers with John Michael Kohler after shave balm. It's only $16 for a nine ounce bottle and works great on my whole face. Ounce for ounce it's a little more than Corn Huskers but a lot less than other ASB's, about the same as Nivea sensitive. I like the way it feels on my face better than Corn Huskers though.
 
Also, think about the times you/we shaved with the electric right after cleaning it-mmmm, nothing like fresh petroleum based chemicals on the face to make you know you're a man.

Marty

Ha Ha! I wonder if we can get one of the Sue's to make WD40 scented shave soap. I'd use it. :eek:
 
3. biggest factor: it just occurred to me that, unless you majorly disinfect the whole razor mechanism and assembly every time you shave with an electric razor, there will be tons of little nooks and crannies (and, my god, there are TONS!) where oily shaving offal sticks and accumulates, harboring the yeast/fungus which is thought to lead to seborrhea. So even though I was washing face and applying the topical steroids prescribed by the dermatologist, on the next shaving pass I was probably putting all those nasties right back on my skin. Compare that to cartridge and especially DE razors, which you can get wayyyyyyyyyy cleaner, after every shave. Heck, you can just plop the razor into Barbicide after every shave...
QUOTE]

This is why I firmly believe the straight razor to be the most hygenic means of shaving- tehre simply is nowhere for dirt and bacteria to grow. Cleaning it is absolutely simple, and if you really want to make it sterile, wipe it with a few drops of Ti Tree essential oil on a paper cloth.

Think about all the crap living in the head of a cartridge razor! Urgh!

As to electrics, I've never used one, so I can't really pass judgement.
 
I'm a bit compulsive about buffing up my DEs.
I rotate most every week (except when I'm consumed with using a straight) with a toothbrush. When I put them up, I clean them and polish with MAAS.
But, when it comes to electrics (confession, I have used them) there is no truer statement than "tons of little nooks and crannies (and, my god, there are TONS!) where oily shaving offal sticks and accumulates".
Give me a razor I can rinse in very hot water and feel confident with, even boil.
Try that with an electric.

I'm surprised that any of your razors actually still have any plating left on them with a weekly polishing! The brass ones must shine like gold, but I am wondering how long the nickel plated ones will have any nickel with that much polishing.
 
In the past five years, I've expended money and time keeping clean several electric shavers; I even got that self cleaning one that you have to swap a fresh cartrige of cleaning solution every three times one cleans the shaver, and you're right: Electric Shavers are evil, they burned my face, janked the hair out of their roots and most of all, they are incubators of bacteria. Wet shaving with a DE razor has changed my daily routine and improved my selfsteem to the point I look forward to shave every single day of the week; something that I was never able to do in the past! Marco:biggrin1:
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
It's all a matter of preference. There are people, as crazy as it seems, that do enjoy the pleasures of maintaining an electrical instrument with the same rigor we do with our brushes and razors. To them, I bet it's crazy that we take 30 min every day to shave, let alone spend time in the day to talk about it with others:001_tt2:

Heck, there are even people who like to collect flashlights!! :001_rolle
 
Alright everyone, here's a electric forum, let's infiltrate! Although I see a banner on the main page for the safety razors and collectables site so maybe there is hope for them.
http://jimelliott.suddenlaunch2.com/

Apparently someone beat you to it :biggrin: :
http://jimelliott.suddenlaunch2.com/index.cgi?board=talk&action=display&num=1164908256

*RULE CHANGE. PLEASE READ.
« Thread started on: Nov 30th, 2006, 11:37am »

We have made a modification to the very first ERR Rule. It concerns blade shaving. Here is the adjusted rule as it now reads:

This board is for the discussion of ELECTRIC male facial shaving only. After all, this is ELECTRIC Razor Rap, not Razor Rap. If you discuss blade shaving once, you'll receive a warning via email or private message. If it happens again, you'll be banned. Blade shaving may be referred to but not discussed. It's acceptable to say "I love my Philips HQ7782, I switched from a Gillette MS 3 Power Razor. I'm really happy." It is not acceptable to say " I use a Gillette MS 3 Power Razor, and here are my techniques..." That is a discussion of blade shaving. That is not permitted.

Any female members want to post tips on shaving legs on their forum? :devil:
  • blade-shaving: check
  • female: check
  • non-facial: check
 
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