I recently had a bad experience with ingrown hairs as a result of shaving my legs. I’m thinking of switching to an electric shaver, like Mr. Neville uses to shave his face (NOT the same shaver, of course). I don’t know much about electric shavers, though, other than that Mr. Neville uses one.
Has anyone here tried shaving their legs with an electric shaver? Does it actually prevent ingrown hairs, like I think it would?
I’ve noticed that, when Mr. Neville shaves, he doesn’t put any shaving cream or anything to wet the skin on his face when he shaves. Could you do the same thing for shaving your legs with an electric shaver? If I could, not having to shave in the shower would be a huge advantage for me. My glasses prescription is around -3, and I often cut my legs when I shave them, because I’m shaving blind. I love the idea of being able to shave outside the shower, while wearing my glasses.
Are there any disadvantages of electric shavers that I’m not thinking of here?
I shave my legs with a Norelco brand rotary-blade style shaver and have for many years. It gives a great, close shave and I’ve never had to worry about nicks or anything else. It’s a great convenience for me to shave outside the shower, both because I can’t see a damn thing without my contact lenses, and because I never learned how to use a safety razor. Oh, and also I don’t have to worry about charging a battery, because it just plugs into the wall.
Incidentally, I actually do use the same razor my SO uses on his face – I don’t see why not, I’m not shaving my butt with it or anything.
I’ve never had a problem w/ingrown hairs, so I don’t know if it would help you with that, but… give it a try, I say.
I don’t recommend a men’s electric razor for armpits, though – now that really hurts. I have a women’s wet-dry rechargeable that I use in the shower with shaving cream for the pits.
They actually market leg-shaving electric razors for women. I used one for a couple years in college, and it was nice. No cuts or nicks and it was a nice close shave, and since you dry shave, you can do it sitting down in your bedroom while watching tv (that was my favorite aspect lol, just vacuum after of course).
I am not sure about preventing ingrown hairs though, I only ever get those in my bikini area and I never tried using it anywhere but my legs and pits. I never get ingrown leg hairs.
I hate shaving my knees with a blade in the shower so I use an electric shaver on them. I still shave the rest of my legs in the shower though because I feel like I get a better shave. The electric one is great in a pinch though and for those days when you planned to wear pants but change your mind after showering.
Maybe it’s just me, because I have very very thin skin, but electric shavers nick the hell out of my legs. I’ve tried different kinds of razors - rotary, non rotary, whatever. They all have shredded my legs. YMMV, of course. I would try the Mister’ s razor before investing if I were you.
If what its worth, my wife uses and electric razor and loves it. As the man on the other side of things, I seem to think it does a good job too. Here is a link to the one that she uses.
Huh. I have this razor, and it absolutely does not give a close shave. I bought it specifically because it’s advertised to work well, but it does a horrible job compared to a razor, and it’s not like as a natural redhead I have thick, dark leg hair to challenge the thing. I definitely don’t think it’s adequate for a shave prior to wearing something that bares your legs.
Anne Neville, I know no one has brought up epilators up yet, but make sure you dismiss the idea of trading to them out of hand. The biggest complaint (and my own personal complaint) is not pain like you’d expect, it’s that they cause so many ingrown hairs compared to razors. It sounds like it would be a nightmare for you if you get them from shaving already.
Anne, do you have a tub or just a shower? My vision is terrible and I always shave in the bath with my glasses on. As long as the water isn’t too hot they don’t steam up.
(I use a plain old multi-blade and soap so I’m no help otherwise).
I keep reading the thread title to the tune of “What do you do with a drunken sailor?”
I’ve been using a women’s electric razor on my legs for years, and it gives me a smooth shave with no nicks. I just run warm water over the razor head before I shave. It does not help my ingrown hairs, though, and they drive me crazy - I have dark hair and fair skin, so they really show up.
Bummer. Back when I was going to camp (in Jr High and High School), there were some young ladies who shaved in the bathroom with, as I recall, one leg up on the sink. I can’t recommend it. I don’t think I could do it.
Eleanor, what kind of razor is it? At this point I intentionally don’t shave very close so I don’t get as many ingrown hairs.
I used an electric for years, and loved it (a discontinued Remington). It takes a little while for your leg hairs to get used to it, somehow, but once they do, you can get a really smooth shave.
And I have to say I’m marveling a bit at a -3 prescription wearer feeling blind. That seems like it’d be crystal clear vision to this -14 gal.
I have dark hair so maybe that’s the reason I’ve never had any luck with electric shavers. I’ve never had a close shave with an electric shaver, I can always feel stubble immediately after using one. BUT it’s been a long time since I’ve tried one, they may have gotten better over the years. I’ve never had an ingrown hair using a regular razor and I’ve been using them for over 40 years. Also, I can usually feel stubble after about a day even using a regular razor. So I probably have thicker hair.
My wife has tried a few of my electric razors over the years and has the same complaint I do with them; you need to shave more often. Once the hairs get a little longer they just don’t seem to do as good of a job. We both have fairly thick and dark hair which may be a tell of some kind.
On the other hand ---- she has never tried my straightrazor -------- which really is understandable when you think about it.
