I've recently gone from 250lbs to 205lbs. At the same time, somewhere in my weight loss, I started shaving with a straight.
My shaves have become a thing of luxury! I no longer fear the 5 blade disposables. ! I also don't get ingrown hairs/acne in my go-t area any more.
Is this really just the blade or does the fact that I have less fatty deposits on my face result in less in-grown hairs after shaving???
First of all, Congratulations on the weight loss. I'm without a doubt sure your health improvements have attributed to better skin. And the technique needed to shave with a straight have led to your results concerning in growns.
Keep up the good work sir.
Well, my ingrown hair problem disappeared when I made the switch to a straight-- and I'm still fat:beer2: So, my guess is that you can attribute it to the razor; btw, congrats on the weight loss.
Congratulations! I too have lost a lot of weight. Only get ingrowns when I drag out the 5 blader.
The ingrowns were a real bummer, fat or not so fat.
Its the razor, not the weight, IMHO.
I too lost a buttload of weight (about 100 lbs) and it was the straight that stopped the ingrowns, not the weight... But losing weight is still a good idea :)
Looks like it really is the shaver then! I'm glad to hear about all the weight loss. Perhaps the fact that i'm eating SO much healthier and have less oil/fat in my diet is causing my skin to somewhat improve as well but I too think it's mostly the shave!
Congrats on both! :D A straight shave is very good at exfoliating your skin, so it reduces the chances of getting an ingrown. Elementary, my dear Watson :cool: To expand, if you wanted to give yourself a facial (never admit to that in front of a straight male - take it to your grave) that's where you'd prep an ice bath to end the process that should start with a face wash and hot towels. The only difference is that instead of an apricot scrub, you're using a really sharp blade ;)
I would bet dollars to donuts that it has more to do with using a badger brush (or any brush) to apply your bubbles, than it does shaving with a straight. Sure a straight is sharp... but so are carts!
Congrats on the weight loss!
From the countless hours of research I've done here... I'd say the cartridge razors lift and cut the hair, then it falls below the surface of your face. Wen it grows back in, since its below the surface they sometimes don't quite make it back through the pore, creating an ingrown hair.
With a straight/DE/SE, they all cut at the surface and not below. It's results in a smooth face but doesn't allow the hair to get trapped below the surface. Does that make sense? That's at least what I've gathered from all this :)
Keep up the good eating and exercise!
I have PFB and used to get bad ingrowns and bumps. It happened with everything I shaved with. Since going to straight in 08 the ingrowns and bumps have dramatically disappeared. Still get the occasional little white head from shaving, but I think that has to do with lather and prep. If I take my time and lather up right I get a nice clean shave with no irritation. The ingrowns show them selves from time to time, but before a straight it was everyday.
Razor, for sure. My weight varies, but the "hi-tech" disposables (and poorly honed straights!) always irritate my skin like crazy...
Congrats on the weight loss. I would agree the Str8 prevents the in grown whiskers. Enjoy your good health and Str8 Shaving.
Zerocool has the answer. It's the lift-and-cut action that causes ingrowns. Can't happen with straights.
Congrats to you guys who are living healthier!
Best wishes
I would say the primary reason is using a straight razor. Losing weight (something I'm having to do as well) should mean you can see your feet whilst shaving and you won't end up getting diabetes in later years.
I came to straight razor wet shaving for the very reason that ingrown hairs would reduce in number. They have and I have never looked back! I started in 2005 :)
I don't think the two are related, other than it identifies you as a disciplined person. One of the rewards of learning to straight shave is, frankly, learning things like direction of your beard growth and how to attack the whiskers intelligently so you can avoid things like ingrown hairs. In my opinion, using a multiblade razor caters to speed and exacerbates hair and skin problems if you don't know what you're doing. Straight shaving forced me to learn how to shave, really for the first time.
I would think that you have the razor to thank for the skin clearing, but you have yourself to thank for becoming a lot healthier! :)
Healthier eating made a big difference in my skin. By following "Eat to Live" plan I lost about 100 lbs and the problems I had with zits on my face, scalp and chest simply went away. This was before I started with straight shaving. People following the plan refer to the skin improvement as "the glow". I've been less diligent with my nutrition recently and those problems are starting to sneak back in.Quote:
Originally Posted by brooksie967
As far as ingrown hairs, I think part of that definitely has to do with the type of hair and how it's shaved, but having healthier skin to begin with would tend to fend off minor irritations that would otherwise escalate, imho.