Dermatologist gives HeadBlade a thumbs up

[jusbnme]

I had to go to a dermatologist today to get a mole on my arm looked at.  While checking out the arm he took notice to how I shave my head.  He noticed that it looked irritated and asked me how I shave and what I use.  I explained to him that I had been using a regular  razor until I found the HeadBlade.  I went on to explain to him that I felt the HB was irritating me too much when I would go against the grain so I started to use a regular razor again.  I told him that I wasn't getting much success against the grain with the regular razor either.  He told me that I had some bad irritation and a little break out of acne on my scalp that was most likely coming from trying to shave against the grain.  He said in my case the skin on top of the dome is more sensitive than on my face.  He suggested that I definitely start shaving with the grain.  Then he went on to talk about the HB.  He said he had first heard of it a few years back when he had talked to a few other male patients that were also shaving their heads.  He did some research into the HeadBlade so he could get a better understanding of what exactly it was.  Ever since then he had been suggesting the HB to his male patients that shave their head.  He says the reason why is basically because of the reason HB uses in their instructions.  With the HB you use smooth full strokes to go over the head versus the short quick choppy strokes you would use with a regular razor.  He said when using a regular razor you end up having to go over most spots on the head a few times which just scratches off layers of your skin.  Which in my case with my sensitive skin type only damages the skin more.  Then that in turn only causes the damage I would get from the sun to be worse.  So basically he told me in his opinion if I was going to keep shaving the dome I should be using the HB and definitely go with the grain.  It was funny at first because I was joking with him asking him if he was a dermatologist or if he worked for HeadBlade.  It sounded like he was promoting it or something.  But I do understand what he's saying and it makes sense.  I was starting to get frustrated thinking I was never going to find anything to give me that nice smooth feeling on the dome without irritation.  Now I know it's just my skin type and that I'll just have to deal with shaving with the grain.  If you will excuse me I have to go get my HB out of storage now.  I just hope it will talk to me again since I had said I was through with it. 

[Tyler]

That's interesting Lance.  Thanks for sharing that with us.

[Sgt. Pate]

That is interesting.  The few times I've had an irritated scalp has been when I either tried to use a dull blade in my HeadBlade just one more time or when I used my Fussion on my roof!  Prolly not the razors fault, I'm Type "A" about getting things perfectly smooth!   

[jusbnme]

Just wanted to make sure everyone understands what I had said earlier about shaving with the grain vs. against.  My doctor only suggested that for me because of my skin type being so sensitive on my head.  It doesn't apply to everyone.  He said he has seen many people that shave against the grain on the head and face and they have perfectly healthy skin.  It's just because of my sensitive girlie skin on the dome.  Ha.    Like I said before, I hate the idea of not shaving the dome down smooth but I guess I should listen to what my dr. said especially if I don't want the irritation I constantly get.  I also feel bad for sort of, in a way, trashing the HeadBlade.  Then I go to a dr. and he's telling me I should use it.  Whoops.  It's always worked well for me with the grain, just not against it.  Since my dr. is telling me not to go against the grain at all with any razor I guess it doesn't matter now anyway.  Well, my next cut is due tomorrow morning so we'll see how the old HB will treat me after I talked smack about it.  Hopefully it doesn't develop a mind of it's own and start hacking at my head.   

[blondeguy]

I wonder if there are any kinds of special lotions or shaving creams you could use to get rid of that irritation and keep shaving against the grain.  I'm lucky to have been blessed with sensitive facial skin but a tough scalp.  I often use a regular razor without shaving cream to touch up spots I may have missed with the Headblade that morning.

[Paul]

Lance, that was some really great information, and from a professional.  How about trying the HeadBlade with the oil as a lot of threads have mentioned? I tried it today and got zero irritation.   I used the HeadShed afterwards and it removed the excess oily feeling and got a great shave.

[PigPen]

Reading this brought something to light for me. I get a lot of irritation when I shave my neck. Maybe if I try to shave with the grain on my neck it will reduce that.

[jusbnme]

Lance, that was some really great information, and from a professional.  How about trying the HeadBlade with the oil as a lot of threads have mentioned? I tried it today and got zero irritation.   I used the HeadShed afterwards and it removed the excess oily feeling and got a great shave.

Yeah, I'm planning on giving it a try tomorrow when I shave again.  Even though it's against what the doc said for me.  But I remember I had tried it once before with a shave gel and a regular razor on my head and it worked pretty good.  It's just afterwards it felt very oily and greasy all day.  But I didn't clean it afterwards either with anything like you have mentioned.  So I might give that a try.  Maybe like this, HeadSlick and baby oil, shave, HeadShed, then HeadLube.  If I get a bad irritation after that I think I'm just going to give up and listen to the dr. and just go with the grain for the dome and face.  I'm definitely going with the grain on the face from now on because I just get way too irritated under my chin when I go against it.

[jusbnme]

Reading this brought something to light for me. I get a lot of irritation when I shave my neck. Maybe if I try to shave with the grain on my neck it will reduce that.

Yeah bro, that could definitely help out.  I stopped shaving against the grain on my face about a week ago and all the irritation I would get under my chin and on my neck line went away after a few days.  The way I was doing it was against on the head and with on the face.  But I'm probably just going to go with the grain all over so I can feel more comfortable.  It's just something about the way the hairs pull from the skin when shaving against the grain. 

[Cam]

I always get a little bit of irritation on the sides of my head and I always shave against the grain. It doesn't bother me and it usually goes away within an hour or so. I can't shave my face against the grain though, it ALWAYS gets really irritated. I've found that if my head gets irritated and starts to itch some hyrdocortisone cream makes that go aways quick. You should try that out.

[blondeguy]

Also, Lance, I think you mentioned in one of the other threads that you don't shave in the shower.  I wonder if doing that might help?

[jusbnme]

Also, Lance, I think you mentioned in one of the other threads that you don't shave in the shower.  I wonder if doing that might help?

Yeah, I was going to give that I try also.  baldrob suggested that to me and it sounds like a good way to keep the dome wet to get the best "slickness" I can get.  I'm going to give it a try today.  I went out the other day and bought a fogless mirror. 

[MR. CLEAN]

Fogless Mirrior, good purchase.  I am a sink shaver... can't help it.  sorry to hear about your situation though.  Have you tried the rest of the HeadBlade Line?  HeadSlick and HeadLube maybe?  I know those have really helped to keep the irritation on my head to a minumum.

[schro]

After a run yesterday, I hopped in the shower and realized I left the HeadSlick on the sink. Being the traditional lazy guy that I am (plus, didn't want to get the bathroom all wet), I just used the shave cream that was in the shower at the time.
BIG MISTAKE.
After my run today, I made sure I returned to my regular shaving routine...

1. Warm up the dome and face in the shower, including putting the razors on the drain so the blades warm up
2. Apply HeadSlick to the dome AND my face (key)
3. Apply shaving cream to my facial hair (once the cream runs out, I've got some gel waiting in the wings)
4. Shave the face
5. Shave the dome (with the HeadBlade Classic....love that thing).
6. Cool water rinse on the head at the end of the shower (great suggestion, thanks Robmeister).

I can't say it enough...HeadSlick is awesome! It makes an unbelievable difference on my facial shave. If you haven't tried it, get HeadSlick. Even if it's not your primary shave cream for your face, put a little bit on your face and neck before you put on your regular shaving cream, gel, or whatever.

Anything else, talk to my candy striper nurses.
Dr. Schro

[jusbnme]

Yeah, I do use HeadSlick and HeadLube with my HeadBlade.  I think my whole problem all along has been my setup for the actual shave.  I've always been a sink shaver in the past.  Before I had ever gave HeadBlade a try a while back I use to get out of the shower, dry off, go to the sink, splash a little warm water on the dome, apply some shave gel, and shave with the grain using a disposable razor.  I usually wouldn't have much irritation at all.  That was probably all fine since I was shaving everything with the grain.  But a while back when I discovered the HeadBlade I started trying to go against the grain with the same kind of routine.  It didn't work well at all.  My head was a mess.  Of course being a first time user of the HeadBlade it was awkward to begin with.  On top of it I was shaving at the sink after letting my head dry up.  I would splash a little warm water on it before applying the HeadSlick but I don't think I was using hot enough water, or letting the HeadSlick set long enough.  But now after listening to a lot of good tips on this forum and changing my routine up I think I have finally mastered the HeadBlade.  I am also getting a very comfortable shave.  I went out and got a fogless mirror and some J&J baby oil.  I get in the shower with the water as hot as I can stand it, use HeadShed(or my newly discover generic St. Ives' Scrub), then rub a little handfull of baby oil into the dome, then lather up good with HeadSlick, shave against the grain with the HB, re-rinse  just a little with some more hot water to remove excess HeadSlick, then after I get out of the shower I go to sink and splash with cold water and apply HeadLube.  One thing I've noticed that has helped a lot besides shower shaving is the baby oil.  It really protects the dome from just about all irritation and any nicks.  It also helps leave the dome very smooth for the rest of the day.