Solving Some Shaving Issues for Men – From Razors to Grooming Tips

Properly used, most electric shavers can offer the user a shave that is just as close as a blade razor. How is this possible? An electric shaver rolls up the skin ahead of the hair-forcing the whisker up above what would be considered the skin line where it is then cut off.



Other benefits of electric shaving are its ease of use and almost complete absence of cuts and scraping. You can even shave with your shirt and tie on with an electric shaver; most men wouldn't attempt this with a blade razor. The time spent shaving is so variable due to individual habits that it would be debatable as to whether blade razor or electric shaving is faster, but most men find that the electric shaver is a quicker, less messy, more convenient way to shave.



The four steps of good daily shaving



STEP ONE: Clean your shaver's screen and cutter regularly. On most shavers you can lift off the head frame which holds the screen, and gently brush out the whisker dust from the underside with the cleaning brush all manufacturers furnish with their product. Do not touch the screen itself with the cleaning brush. It is very fragile. Below the screen is the cutter and that's the part you need to brush out with your cleaning brush. Get all of the accumulated whisker dust out of the cutter so that it can properly apply its metal surfaces to the task of cutting off your whiskers. Whisker residue built up on the cutters can seriously impair the effectiveness of your shaver. It is best to clean your shaver after every third shave, and preferably after every shave. The weekly use of a cleaning solution is recommended for a really thorough cleaning.



STEP TWO: The metal surfaces of your screen and your cutter need lubrication. Spray a product, an aerosol lubricant, on the shaving screen while the shaver is running. This immediately frees up any metal against metal binding. Use this lubricant sparingly. No need to wipe it off. Proceed with your shaving. You'll notice a pick up in the sound level of your shavers’ motor which tells you that it is then operating at its maximum power level. Do this daily, while the shaver is running, just before you shave



STEP THREE: Use gentle pressure against your beard and shave against the grain of your beard growth. Do not press down hard, or move your shaver too rapidly over your face. This will not get you a closer shave but will cause your shaver head to wear out quicker



STEP FOUR: Many men who have very sensitive skin report that it helps to shave the tenderest areas of their face (the neck area below the jawbone) first and then move up to the tougher areas of their face in the areas between the ears, nose, and mouth. Some shavers generate heat on their shaving surfaces and heat can cause irritation. So shave the tender areas of your face first while the shaver head is coolest.



Switching shaver systems/manufacturers



If you have been using a different brand electric shaver than the one you are switching over to, then please allow some breaking in time. Although most shavers have somewhat similar shaving principles, their "in use" applications differ. Give yourself a week or two for your face to adjust to your new shaver.



If you have been using a blade razor, then you must give your face a minimum of 2-3 weeks to adjust to electric shaving. Why? Well, every time you shave with a razor you actually take off a very thin layer of skin. With electric shaving, you are shaving at or below the skin line. So, you need this 2-3 weeks adjustment time to get rid of the replacement scar tissue that the body produces after every razor blade shave. You don't produce this scar tissue with electric shaving. And don't fluctuate back and forth between blade shaving and electric shaving if you want to achieve the many benefits of electric shaving. Be determined, and stick with your decision to use an electric shaver.



Whether you are a young man shaving for the first time or a seasoned veteran at blade shaving, the process of getting used to an electric shaver for the first time is the same. Chances are that your first couple of shaves will be just awful (but not always) and you may experience irritation, missed areas of hair (especially in the neck area) and just a generally poor shave. FEAR NOT! Your face will almost always take at lease 1-3 weeks to adjust to the shaving system that you are using.



Shave every day with the new shaver and let your face get acclimated to the way the shaver shaves you. Your beard needs to be "trained" to be shaved a certain way and this process is the only way to do it. If after a few weeks of shaving you are still not happy with the shave results you are getting then that is not the shaver for you. Take advantage of any money back guarantees offered to you (most shavers offer 30-60 days) and try a different system.



It may take a little patience but you'll get there.



Changing your foil and cutter (heads)



Most foil and cutter sets (rotary included) need to be changed about once per year. Tough beards, rough handling, dirty cutters will all lessen the amount of time that a foil and cutter set will last. Usually you will want to change the foil and cuter at the same time even if the foil looks "fine". The reason being that as your blade (cutter) gets duller, your foil gradually gets thinner as you press harder on your face to get the same quality shave you are used to. Putting a nice new sharp cutter under a thinning foil will usually put a hole in it rather quickly-possibly leading to a nasty cut or nick in your face.



Rechargeable vs. Cord Shavers



Contrary to popular belief cord model shavers are NOT more powerful than rechargeable shavers. It is true that a battery powered rechargeable shaver will lose its charge more quickly as the battery dies out (usually between 3-5 years). However this can usually be battled by following the proper procedure for charging and discharging your shaver:



Charge your shaver completely.



Use the shaver daily without the cord until it runs all the way down.



Recharge the shaver.



This procedure may seem obvious; however 90% of the premature battery problems that occur could be avoided if these 3 simple steps are followed. Using a rechargeable shaver continuously with the cord plugged in will destroy the batteries over time.



Foil (or "oscillating") vs. Rotary shaving



Foil shavers are machines that use an oscillating (back and forth) motion to cut hairs through a foil (also know as a screen) and cutter (blade) system. Rotary shavers are machines whose cutting system is based upon circular, rotating series of blades that move under a usually slotted head. Neither system is "better" than the other. Neither system gives a closer shave than the other. It is all based upon personal preference and very few people can get good results with both. Trial and error is the only way to know what will work best for you.