Thread: Goatee almost went down the drain today!

I've shaved off my long-term Van Dyke twice now, and discovered what the full-face shavers already knew.

The area covered by a Van Dyke is the most sensitive skin on your entire face, and the most tricky to shave with a straight razor. I am very happy and confident everywhere else on my face, but when i took off the Van Dyke, I had a constant problem with irritation and nicks in that area. Partly, I think the decades of coverage simply left that skin super-sensitive. Maybe if I'd taken it slow over time it would have cleared up. This summer I might try again.

But just know that if you shave that off, you will be facing another challenge in your shaving technique.

And...I suggest you don't "shave" it off. Use barber clippers with no attachment to clipper it down as close as you can, and then shave it off. I suggest first using only a WTG pass. Do that only for maybe a week, then work on getting it shaved closer.