Over time I've found that the best treatment for my skin is to minimize the amount of heat/product it is exposed to. Shaving once a day is fine provided I don't use too hot of a towel softening up my whiskers. Moreover, all I use is shaving cream and a PH neutral water-based moisturizer. I exfoliate with a simple cotton wash cloth and water once or twice a week. I don't use balms, aftershaves, styptics, pre-shave oil, post-shave oil, cleansers, etc. My face has been better off ever since I've simplified and minimized my reliance on "products".
Dermatologist opinion on shaving
- Thread starter tm3
- Start date
I was expecting something about heavy fragrance and other irritants and alcohol!
My husband was an electric shaver/trimmer and he always struggled with acne and ingrown hair. Now is doing one pass every other day with my EJ and finishes up only with a bit of alum and his skin is getting much, much better.
I think the number of passes really depends on how strong your hair is and how thick your skin is. We are both very fair and in our twenties so we have pretty thin skin. People with thicker hair and skin can probably get away with shaving every day and doing multiple passes.
Honestly, for people with sensitive skin I would worry more about some essential oils like citrus, mint, bergamot, lavendar and cinnamon which are known irritants and/or can cause photosensitivity.
My husband was an electric shaver/trimmer and he always struggled with acne and ingrown hair. Now is doing one pass every other day with my EJ and finishes up only with a bit of alum and his skin is getting much, much better.
I think the number of passes really depends on how strong your hair is and how thick your skin is. We are both very fair and in our twenties so we have pretty thin skin. People with thicker hair and skin can probably get away with shaving every day and doing multiple passes.
Honestly, for people with sensitive skin I would worry more about some essential oils like citrus, mint, bergamot, lavendar and cinnamon which are known irritants and/or can cause photosensitivity.
- Thread starter
- #44
interesting comments, as always. to follow up:
i can't vouch for the cred of the source, except to say that he has an MD degree, residency training in dermatology, and a successful practice of 20+ years. that does not mean that he is right, or honest, but when it comes to skin care and health he is a lot more likely to be right than a layman.
optimal overall health likely would mandate never driving a car, due to the risk of an accident, but obviously that is not practical for most of us. similarly, it may not be practical for some to shave every other day, even though that may be best practice as far as skin health.
the setting and time did not allow getting into razor types, ASB, etc.
i'm not sure how much influence this info will have on my own shaving practice. for a year or so i have been skipping days when feasible and seem to have a more enjoyable shave after 48 hours than after 24.
i have read a number of "admonitions" re skin care here over the years, with little or no substantiation. www research on my part has turned up conflicting info again without much substantiation. i was pleased to have the opportunity to try to extract some information from what likely is a knowledgable source, and to share same with this shaving community.
i can't vouch for the cred of the source, except to say that he has an MD degree, residency training in dermatology, and a successful practice of 20+ years. that does not mean that he is right, or honest, but when it comes to skin care and health he is a lot more likely to be right than a layman.
optimal overall health likely would mandate never driving a car, due to the risk of an accident, but obviously that is not practical for most of us. similarly, it may not be practical for some to shave every other day, even though that may be best practice as far as skin health.
the setting and time did not allow getting into razor types, ASB, etc.
i'm not sure how much influence this info will have on my own shaving practice. for a year or so i have been skipping days when feasible and seem to have a more enjoyable shave after 48 hours than after 24.
i have read a number of "admonitions" re skin care here over the years, with little or no substantiation. www research on my part has turned up conflicting info again without much substantiation. i was pleased to have the opportunity to try to extract some information from what likely is a knowledgable source, and to share same with this shaving community.
Thanks. More exposure to information cannot help but be of benefit to everyone.
As you mention, each of us has to vet what they hear against their own experience and evidence provided by other sources.
I find stainless blades often irritate my skin and wonder if I have a nickel/base metal allurgy.
Carbon steel blades always leave my skin feeling great and this has helped steer me towards mainly using straights and SEs.
Carbon steel blades always leave my skin feeling great and this has helped steer me towards mainly using straights and SEs.
Very interesting thread - it would be interesting to hear from a dermatologist as to whether there is a difference between DE/Straight and cartridge systems - I know that in the past month my skin feels and looks healthier since switching to DE - then again, that could be down to better prep.
Interesting points. I think much of the exfoliation that people credit to a shave brush really comes from the razor. I mean, c'mon, which is more likely to exfoliate? Soft hair or a steel blade? 
As to the one pass only, is that with a cart? Because if it is that's really 3 to 5 passes, right? So I'm still good with my 3 pass shave on a single blade, right?
All in good fun
Scott
As to the one pass only, is that with a cart? Because if it is that's really 3 to 5 passes, right? So I'm still good with my 3 pass shave on a single blade, right?
All in good fun
Scott
A Straight Razor and BBS for me.
Gotta die from somethin'
Gotta die from somethin'
I work around healthcare and I have come to realize a doctor's opinion is just that. Doctors also gave us "cigarettes are fine", "tetraethyl lead doesn't raise lead exposure", and "vaccinations give children autism." Oh ... and more people are killed by Doctors every year than guns.
Unless it comes from a proper study, he's just another guy with an opinion. Of course YOUR doctor is a choice like your girlfriend or wife (hopefully you do not have both). If you chose to participate in the care of your well being with a health professional, good discussions are key and listening to the advice you pay for (either with flowers, mortgage payments, or medical bills) is a good idea.
Unless it comes from a proper study, he's just another guy with an opinion. Of course YOUR doctor is a choice like your girlfriend or wife (hopefully you do not have both). If you chose to participate in the care of your well being with a health professional, good discussions are key and listening to the advice you pay for (either with flowers, mortgage payments, or medical bills) is a good idea.
Thanks for the info. I'll keep shaving everyday with WTG and then ATG. I am not worried about contracting beard or shaved-neck cancer.
Nice thread.
If all of us followed a derm's advice all alcohol splashes would become obsolete. I'd be intetested to see what his opinion is about sunscreen too
If all of us followed a derm's advice all alcohol splashes would become obsolete. I'd be intetested to see what his opinion is about sunscreen too
I've shaved daily, and a few times twice daily, since I started using straights and my skin has actually never looked and felt so good.
I actually have very mild eczema on my scalp and since I started shaving daily (skipping one day a week), my scalp has never been healthier. I always shave before I shower, but I do an extensive prep. I use an alcohol splash before I shower and finish my hot shower with a cold rinse to close the pores and then I apply a small amount of tea tree oil. The scent of the AS stays through all that,but is significantly muted and made more subtle, which really works for me because I wear another scent on my beard and another on my body and I like all of them subtle so that they combine to make a very unique "me" scent that isn't at all obnoxious or overwhelming.
Anyway, my point is that there are as many healthy ways to shave as there are people, and for me, the whole idea of shaving is about being good to my skin as much as it is about having a beautiful bald head.
Anyway, my point is that there are as many healthy ways to shave as there are people, and for me, the whole idea of shaving is about being good to my skin as much as it is about having a beautiful bald head.
An accredited Dermatologists unbiased personal opinion is a more informed and credible opinion than a layman's opinion. My overall read of the Dermatologists advice in the OP's post is that Shaving is hard on the skin and taking steps like single passes/skipping a day, minimizes skin damage which is essentially what irritation is.
I definitely agree that the dermatologist opinion is more informed and fact based than my own or any other layman's, I just feel that if your skin feels healthy and looks healthy, there probably isn't anything wrong with what you are doing. Just my two cents.
- Thread starter
- #58
i had an interesting discussion with another dermatologist re sunscreen a while back. as expected, she was a big proponent of sunscreen and sun protection. i jokingly asked if the George Hamilton approach would be OK, that is, no sunscreen but getting all early cancers promptly removed. surprisingly she said that there could be some merit to that approach, as while there is not concrete evidence there is some indication that the chemicals in sunscreen may not be as benign as originally thought.
January 14th
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