My Doctor Advised Me To Stop Shaving With a Straight Razor!

Last week I had a stent put into one of my arteries that was blocked. The procedure went great and I feel amazing afterwards. But at one point my cardiologist and I were discussing hobbies and wet shaving came up. Because I am going to be on two different blood-thinners for the next year or so, he thought that shaving with a straight might be too dangerous, as a serious nick would bleed and bleed. He went so far as to ask me to go out and buy an electric razor.

I understand his point and I think my doctor is great, but I didn't even tell him I'd think about it. In fact, my quote was "Ain't gonna happen. I'll be cautious."

:rock:

I hear the lumberjack look is on its way back into fashion:shrug: Or you could get an early start for Movember '17...and'18.

All jokes asides, blood thinners are no joke, depending on what you're on so if you insist on straight shaves, slow and steady wins the race.

And you may want to stock up on some band aides just in case.

Be careful and IF you do get a nick...ice with direct pressure for minimal 10 mins without peaking (I'd go 15-20 mins of direct pressure).

disclamer: I'm not a MD, but the Navy has given me the privilege to practice medicine with just a GED and 13 months specialized training:dropjaw:
(got prescription pads and the whole shebang...pisses some of the MDs off, but then again they would never agree to deploy to some of the places I've gone with only the medical supplies I can hump in).
Jer

As a medical professional, I say listen to your doctor. Give your stent time to settle in. It's not forever. I wouldn't stoop to an electric, but a DE for a few weeks might be a good idea. The best to you my friend.

Hank Jr., George Jones, Willie, and Johnny Cash all sang, 'There are more old drunks than there are old doctors...'

It all depends on how proficient you are shaving with a straight razor.

In my case (using a straight razor almost daily), I haven't suffered anything worse than a small nick in a long time, and even the more profusely bleeding cuts in the distant past did not happen while I was shaving, but after a shave when I was drying the scales and oiling the blade. Since I have long figured out how to avoid this sort of mishap, I consider the risks very low.

We also may want to allow for the fact that many people, not familiar with a straight razor, consider a straight razor a scary, dangerous tool and sometimes even refer to it as "cut-throat razor", a ridiculous term that is thankfully not in use around here.

So in the end, I would base my decision on the number of times I cut myself in the last 6-12 months.

If you want to play it safe - and as mentioned before - a safety razor might be a good compromise. It is not quite the same pleasure, but is clearly preferable to a cartridge razor.
Safety razors with the Mühle open comb head (R41 and similar) give shaves that are comparable to a straight razor. I still have one for those trips where carrying a straight is not practical.

Hope you won't have to take the medication for too long and the stent can be removed.



B

Maybe take the passes down to one to minimize risk. By your join date you've been SR shaving for nearly two years. You're probably good enough now to get by with just one pass for awhile. As said, blood thiners are no joke. I once was on them for six months after my coronary artery stent. (High blood pressure, stress test, angiogram, angioplasty, stent). Every time I slightly bumped something I'd bruise terribly. All is good now with BP meds, but as a truck driver, I can only get a one year medical card because of it.

BTW, that stent ain't coming out till the autopsy.

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Originally Posted by beluga

It all depends on how proficient you are shaving with a straight razor.

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And that's where I'm pretty confident. My technique and my liberal use of shave oil have worked out to where my nicks are minor and so infrequent, I don't know if I have seriously nicked myself this year. Knock on wood!

Just to be on the safe side, pick up some Wound Seal powder.
It stops bleeding in cuts in about 5 seconds, deep punctures in about 30 seconds.
I think it is sold over the counter now at most drug stores..

Or have your doctor recommend a wound sealer

Just keep a buncha duct tape and super glue on hand!

Now that is dedication to the cause!

Doctor: "You need to stop using a straight. You're on blood thinners and a serious cut could cause you to bleed out."

Wet Shaver: "What are my chances doc, should I get a good gouge?"

Doctor: "There is about a 90% you won't make it."

Wet Shaver: "So, your saying there is still chance I'll pull through? 10% is good for me! Saaaayyy, can you spare one of those scalpels? I want to see how it compares to my Wade and Butcher."

I have a friend with a stent who takes blood thinners. If he bumps his forearm against a table he gets a large purple bruise where he is bleeding under the skin. Years ago when I was still working at a tattoo shop the boss was tattooing an old guy on serious blood thinners.

As soon as the needles punctured the skin the surrounding area (under the skin) would fill with that same purple bruising (blood) making it almost impossible to see the stencil. So the guy had to get the tattoo, which ordinarily would have taken 30 minutes or so, in stages. Wait for it to heal and come back for more.

From my observation a superficial cut/nick would not cause you to bleed to death, though it might be difficult to stop for a time. I imagine your doctor has a distorted image of what a straight razor nick is like.

OTOH, if you get an electric razor my buddy with the stent swears by the Norelco. :gl:

I like the idea of using a double edged safety razor for a few weeks for a couple of reasons.

First, double (and single) edged safety razors are really cool. I enjoy shaving with them. Admittedly, not as cool as a straight, but still way cool.

Next, a challenge all people face as they age is whether to face body changes with acceptance and grace. While it's better now, I had to have back surgery because of my challenges here.

Interesting thread. I have been on 2 different blood thinners for about 7 years. Currently on 5mg Eliquis twice a day and Clopidogrel 75mg. I am also taking anti clotting drugs. I have several heart stents, femoral artery stents and illiac artery stents. I had a 3 vessel CABG in 2009. In late November if this year I had two heart attacks and reveived another heart stent. I am 71 years of age.

While I will on ocassion use my mongoose single edge, or a couple other of the recently produced single edge razors that all use Feather Pro's. Mostly though I use my straights and I do so with a slow and steady process that always has my full attention. Experience and confidence and your complete attention to your razors edge on your face is all it takes.

There two things I refuse to give up, period. That is my straight razor shaving and either a daily cigar or a couple of pipes of tobacco.

With your experience, any nicks you get with a straight razor are unlikely to be worse than ones received from a DE safety razor. So continue having fun and just pay attention, going slow and steady. Be sure to watch those spike points if you use them!

Read it as doctor advised you to strop and I was like yea... probably a good idea to strop. Good luck deciding

Well everyone is different but for me, I always wind up with bits of toilet paper on my face after using a DE. Nothing serious but annoying weepers and bleeders most likely from taking off some protruding skin feature or growth. Doesn't happen to me with a straight. Most of my SR shaves are fairly bloodless. But law of averages says any one may have an accident once in a blue moon. I imagine your Doctors concern is that big "What if' and that it may lead to a problematic situation. Doctors will always give advice on the side of caution.

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Originally Posted by Razorfaust

Well everyone is different but for me, I always wind up with bits of toilet paper on my face after using a DE. Nothing serious but annoying weepers and bleeders most likely from taking off some protruding skin feature or growth. Doesn't happen to me with a straight. Most of my SR shaves are fairly bloodless. But law of averages says any one may have an accident once in a blue moon. I imagine your Doctors concern is that big "What if' and that it may lead to a problematic situation. Doctors will always give advice on the side of caution.

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This post brings up an interesting point. I came to straight razor shaving from single and double edged safety razors. They are easy for me and I don't cut myself. I've been shaving with a straight since the first of the year and can't go more than a day or two without using a styptic pencil.

I'm guessing Razorfaust got started with a straight and finds it easy and the other more challenging.

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Originally Posted by Pete123

I'm guessing Razorfaust got started with a straight and finds it easy and the other more challenging.

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That's the situation I find myself in. My first wet shaving experience was with a straight. I've never shaved with an SE or DE safety razor. Heck, I've never even shaved with a straight that has scales! I've been a pure-bred Kami guy since Day 1. So that's where my comfort zone is for sure.

I think it is better to stay with what has worked for you. You know you have to be extra careful now, so. Changing mid stream increases chances of error.

I'd go for caution and get some bleed stop on board though.

Has anyone ever seen a "Do you use a straight razor?" on any medical questionnaire?

[QUOTE=jmercer;1744206]I think it is better to stay with what has worked for you. You know you have to be extra careful now, so. Changing mid stream increases chances of error.

I'd go for caution and get some bleed stop on board though.

Has anyone ever seen a "Do you use a straight razor?" on any medical questionnaire?[/QUOTE]


uhhh, no to that question.

[QUOTE=rolodave;1744210]

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Originally Posted by jmercer

I think it is better to stay with what has worked for you. You know you have to be extra careful now, so. Changing mid stream increases chances of error.

I'd go for caution and get some bleed stop on board though.

Has anyone ever seen a "Do you use a straight razor?" on any medical questionnaire?[/QUOTE]


uhhh, no to that question.

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Only on questionnaires evaluating the person's mental health .......... :gaah: ............ :rofl2:

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Originally Posted by Deeter

As a medical professional, I say listen to your doctor. Give your stent time to settle in. It's not forever. I wouldn't stoop to an electric, but a DE for a few weeks might be a good idea. The best to you my friend.

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A DE can cause cuts just the same, I have the scars to prove it! ;)

I came to straights via safety razors. I developed my skill with lathering and paying attention to angle with them; I could get a nice clean, irritation and nick free shave every time. Two years ago I switched to straights and I rarely even get a weeper now. 6 or so months ago I gave my safety razor a whirl just to remember what it was like, and my neck looked like I was trying wet shaving for the first time! Stick with what you're used to and buy a styptic pencil. Blood thinners slow clotting; pressure will still close the same wound, but it will take longer to clot. Unless you slit your throat, the odds of you making such a serious cut that you could bleed to death are basically nil.

After I got my stents I was on Plavix (anti -coagulant),blood pressure meds and baby aspirin regimen.

Prior to the stents any cut I got would clot and stop within a minute or two.Unless of course it was a deep gash of some kind.But even those would stop quickly if bandaided.

Once I got the stents any little cut I got would take quite a long time to stop and I would gush blood like water was running out of the cut.I would bleed from paper cuts where that never happened before. Most times the only way I could get the bleeder to stop was extreme pressure behind the cut and even then could take as much as an hour before it would.

Now years later that I'm off the Plavix and aspirin regimen I'm almost back to pre-stent days.

A few months time being on the meds doesn't do anything as far your body acclimating itself to the bleeding situation. Anyone who's telling you that has no idea what they're saying.
Only coming off the meds does.As long as you're on them you will bleed.I know.Been there done that.
Your Dr will not want you to come off the Plavix for at least 1-1/2 years and rightfully so. You want to give your stents every damn chance of acclimating without clotting up or collapsing.
They are not removable other than a bypass and if you think stenting was no picnic.............



My advice would be don't completely ignore what you're being told by your Dr.
Every person is different.You might NOT bleed as badly as I did.

I can tell you, had I been shaving with a straight post stents while I was on those meds there is no way I would have continued with it.Even the slightest of nicks would have been a long lasting bleeder for me.

I have never heard of the Wound Stop product you're being point to.Maybe it works.
Get some, cut yourself somewhere slightly to cause a little bleeding and see if it works. If it does. Go for it.
If it doesn't my advice would be listen to your Dr. till your off the Plavix.

Or at the very least shave before bed so you at least have overnight for the bleeding to stop.
You don't want to have to show up to work pouring blood out of your face.

Only your body and your experience will tell you what to do. You aren't going to die if you nick yourself. Might be an issue.....

Try it and see what happens. At worst I bet you look good with a beard!

I'm sure unless you slit your throat you'll be fine. I would continue to shave as I see fit.

Just to answer what some previous posts said about my DE experience. When I first started shaving it was with a DE that was the norm at the time the Schick injector just came on the scene as far as I recall. Then after time became the dreaded cartridge razor then a few years later I tried a straight I bought on impulse for a few months until maintenance became impossible, then back to the dreaded cartridge again then rediscovered the DE then the Straight, lol sounds confused right? Now its 99.9% Straight. Yes DE's cut me because I don't respect them and I use them only when in a real rush so it goes without saying rush = blood.

Aloha!

After over 25 years in the medical profession I am not one to tell any patient to disobey a Doctor's orders or recommendation. However, Doctors do not know all the facts about proper straight-razor shaving. When a novice to straight razors thinks of a straight blade, they immediately think of blood and cuts and nicks. The fact is, I cut myself far more with my DE, and for sure cut myself more with cheap disposables and cartridge razors when I used them at a health club for a quick shave after working out. For me personally, I'd go with my Straight Blade to keep cuts to a bare minimum. YMMV of course, but that's my experience.

So I can't tell anyone not to listen to their Doctor's orders or advice. But if my doctor told me to stop using my Straight, I'd at least tell him/her that if cuts and nicks were the concern, then my Straight Razor would be the least likely to cause an issue.

Good luck with your health!

Mahalo!

-ZipZop

I jumped into straights first, then shavettes and de's, i"m much mote liable to nick myself with them.

If nicks are an issue, get a wahl peanut trimmer. They last forever and cut pretty darn close. Used that before straights for years and never had any issue

You can take my straight when I get the shakes.
SR is one of my lifes simple pleasures.
Whats wrong with a styptic stick?
I ask myself what will it take for me to give up my straights?
Parkinson's shakes? Poor eye sight? Baggy skin?
Bright lights, skin pulled tight, Steady my arm on the wall.
You have a knowledge of your face that most men never will understand.
I have been practicing not using the mirror. All feel. Yes I do have missed spots, not cuts.
Smooth shaves, This aint your first rodeo. Best of health to you.

The Cardiologist's advice is meant well but based on the assumption that using a straight means cuts. If you don't cut yourself bleeding will not be a problem. There are so many ways to get cuts that don't involve a straight razor and you can only restrict yourself so much so if you are confident, stick with what you know. Bleeding always stops after the first 8 pints or so so nothing to worry about.

As long as you are aware that you are BETTING your LIFE that you won't run into serious trouble by shaving with straights while taking blood thinners, then by all means, go ahead.

I apologize for putting it so bluntly, but that is what you are considering. It's what we all do... we take a look at the risks at any moment and bet accordingly.

I fully support your right to make your choice, I just want to make it crystal clear what it is that you are putting on the line. A serious cut might cause you to loose enough blood to have to call the ambulance. The paramedics may or may not arrive on time and even if they do, will they be able to stop the bleeding? What if you cut yourself honing, stropping or just picking up the razor and bumping into something?

As this bloodthinner/stent thing is temporary..... I know what I would do.

Regards

Christian

Just take care HopChugger. Good luck to you.

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Originally Posted by wayne394

Just take care HopChugger. Good luck to you.

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Thanks, I appreciate that. Honestly, at this point in my life, if I cut myself all that's gonna come out of my veins is beer and cheese.

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Originally Posted by HopChugger

Thanks, I appreciate that. Honestly, at this point in my life, if I cut myself all that's gonna come out of my veins is beer and cheese.

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Ditto.
Hence the Stents Bahaha

I've had two major neck operations and the surgeon said to shave with a safety razor with the grain for 2-4 months mostly to avoid infection. I didn't like not using my straights but did it. Now the problems are scars on my neck. I use my DE around the scars even though I got good at shaving around the scars with a straight. If he said give it up all together, I'd get a second opinion.

I'm sure that your doctor is a competent medical professional, but his opinion is akin to someone who's never owned a gun or manned a defensive perimeter giving you advice on home-defense.

He's reactionary, and offering advice on a subject which he knows nothing about.

:deadhorse:

People who don't shave with a straight razor think that it's some sort of blood bath waiting to happen. I thought the same thing myself and was truly afraid to start until I found Lynn's videos. I don't say there is no potential for harm but being careful I have only had 2 very small nicks, both caused by a spike on a razor, which explains why I was told to avoid them before I get more experience:)
Physicians will always advice you with the worst scenario in mind and after that they will document it so you don't go back and sue them. One of the craziest lawsuits I have read about was a guy with chest pain dying one day prior his medical test while having a threesome with another couple he was friends with and then the widow suing the cardiologist for not telling him not to have a strenuous activity prior the test.
The meds you get after getting stents are usually not true blood thinners but antiplatelet meds which block the platelets from sticking together and creating a block in the stent. Do people bleed longer when they take them, yes they do that's why the surgeons prefer to operate when those meds are out of your system but I have never heard of anybody bleeding to death from a cut while on anti platelet meds. Of course if you manage to cut your carotid then you will probably bleed to death.

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Originally Posted by alex1921

People who don't shave with a straight razor think that it's some sort of blood bath waiting to happen.

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It's Johnny Depp's fault.
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