Hi, all. I'm a relatively new member. I started DE shaving with my Dad's Hoffritz OC when I was a teenager in the late 70's ... shaved every 3-4 days at that time, but my beard was heavy. Guess I was a lazy kid. Anyway, I drifted into the abyss of disposable and cartridge razors as the years went on. I've recently returned to DE shaving, but notice that since I went back, my beard tends to grow faster than back in the day ... this necessitates shaving every day or every other day. What gives? When I shaved with cartridges, this didn't seem to happen. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, I'm just curious about this. Thanks for your opinions and advice.
Does Beard Back Grow Faster With DE Shaving?
- Thread starter RandyB
- Start date
I've been DE shaving since the beginning of this year. I routinely get good daily shaves with my different DE razors, but they never shave me as close as a new Fusion cartridge. Consequently, my whiskers have the illusion of growing back faster with DE razors. Still, I dont mind. I like shaving with DEs more, and I like shaving every day. So, no harm, no foul...
Try a straight razor..my beard feels coarser than my de's..which have a bar that limits closeness...real straight razors don't have any bar.. just my $.02
personally I get better shaves with a de because I found the right razor and blade that I enjoy and soap- also perfected my technique over the months. I shave against the grain on my third pass. I have light hair facial growth, no full beard. d.r. harris and arko soaps are my favorites thus far. razorock working its way in.
but I don't find that hair grow faster. it seemed that way at first because I got closer shaves and I was spoiled with the smooth baby face every morning.
i think its psychological.
but I don't find that hair grow faster. it seemed that way at first because I got closer shaves and I was spoiled with the smooth baby face every morning.
i think its psychological.
Your just paying more attention to your shaves now than when you shaved back in the day.
For me, it is the opposite. Electric razor shaves would last me unti 1 or 2pm, then the shadow would start being noticeable. Now, does not start until 7pm or so. No comparison!
I have never heard or read of anything even remotely scientific that suggest shaving make whiskers change their rate of growth. Some of my razors, howver, shave closer than others. So, at the end of the day, depending on the razor I used (and attention to techique), I may have more stubble or less stubble showing.
Stop Fasturbating 
But no, I don't believe it is growing back faster. Like Foyle said above, you are paying more attention to your face, checking the mirror, constantly rubbing your cheeks/chin and notice it now more then before.
But no, I don't believe it is growing back faster. Like Foyle said above, you are paying more attention to your face, checking the mirror, constantly rubbing your cheeks/chin and notice it now more then before.
First, the answer given is accurate. Hair growth rate is consistent. Next, the nature of the shave mechanism differs between a cartridge with multiple blades and a bladed razor that shaves with only a single edge at a time. The multiple bladed hardware has its blades quite close together, and just as advertised, the first blade catches the whisker and begins cutting it, and in doing so, raises it out from the skin. The second blade can thus cut the whisker off below where it would have been under the skin level.
Potentially, a single pass from a cartridge cuts closer than two passes from a razor using a single edge at a time. In actual practice, it skips some whiskers, and the extra blade often causes skin irritation. Two passes are required from most razors to obtain a complete shave, because whiskers just do not grow in any kind of easily shaved patterns, they vary a great deal. For many people, the whiskers that are cut below the skin are potential ingrowns, an unpleasant feeling condition.
Over the years, at least ever since the days of the Mach3, I've often shaved one side of my face with one razor, and the other side with a different razor, using the same preparation and same shaving soap. To be totally accurate, I have to do it with two shaves, because I'm not ambidextrous, and give myself a better shave on the right side than on the left. Two-bladed Sensors always outshave anything with a greater number of blades than two. The best first pass WTG is always from an Injector.
Potentially, a single pass from a cartridge cuts closer than two passes from a razor using a single edge at a time. In actual practice, it skips some whiskers, and the extra blade often causes skin irritation. Two passes are required from most razors to obtain a complete shave, because whiskers just do not grow in any kind of easily shaved patterns, they vary a great deal. For many people, the whiskers that are cut below the skin are potential ingrowns, an unpleasant feeling condition.
Over the years, at least ever since the days of the Mach3, I've often shaved one side of my face with one razor, and the other side with a different razor, using the same preparation and same shaving soap. To be totally accurate, I have to do it with two shaves, because I'm not ambidextrous, and give myself a better shave on the right side than on the left. Two-bladed Sensors always outshave anything with a greater number of blades than two. The best first pass WTG is always from an Injector.
+1. I agree with this statement. Paying ALOT more attention as a DE shaver and I am also feeling my re-growth to understand it and its direction.
You were probably getting closer shaves with carts than you currently are with DE. Keep refining your technique and you'll eventually equal, and probably exceed, the results you got with carts.
DE cuts the ends of hairs sharper and more square than a cart or electric, so your beard feels different as it grows back in.
When you trim or shave your beard is not necessarily make your beard grow faster because you are cutting your hair from the bottom and hair grows from the top. but it does promote part of having healthy hair.
Last edited:
Mine grows fast I always go for a BBS. I shave every 3-4 days.
When a multi-blade cartridge works as it is supposed to, which it does across much of the beard, the leading blades may still be snagging the whisker when the next blade cuts. That's the whole idea of multiblade cartridges since the Trac II. When you are done shaving the beard settles, and some whiskers settle back into the follicle where it takes a while to broach the surface, so you may not detect some of your whiskers until the next shave, if even then. DE blades have no such properties and they do not pull and cut below skin level. That is the drawback of DE. Multiblades have their drawbacks too. For one thing, they do not perform well against two or more days growth, whereas DEs do. Since cartridges do not cleanly cut the sideburn growth, the sideburns tend to creep downward from shave to shave. They also are not very clean about shaving around a tended and trimmed beard. On top of all that, they cost a lot, especially the newer ones. DE enthusiasts would rather put the money into a rich experience of brushes, creams, soaps, preps, and aftershaves.
I love B&B. The fact that we can have a conversation about the pros and cons of single vs multi-blade razors is amazing. I appreciate all of the input.
I think the first pass pulls the hair out some, and it is still out for the next pass to cut closer. I base that on my face feeling smoother an hour after shaving than it does a minute after shaving, unless I go for BBS smooth. But a DFS- shave one minute after putting the razor down will feel like a BBS shave after 30-60 minutes. YMMV.
Similar threads
