# For people who shave their legs/faces **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946 "2010-08-11T16:29:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/21 "2010-08-11T19:17:38Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Legs used to be against the grain, but I’ve only used an epillator the last 10 years, so haven’t needed to shave legs in a while. I use the epillator against the grain. I hardly have any hair left on my legs! How long has it been the case that you haven’t had much leg hair left? I’ve been using an epilator for a year and while I definitely do have less hair, I’m wondering how long it takes to inflict the most permanent damage to the hair follicles. You know I actually saw that framed as a **warning**? Like some women would think “I thought I’d give it a shot, but now I hear repeated epilation damages the follicles’ ability to grow hair back. I don’t know if that’d be a good thing…” Anyway, razor or epilator, I go ankles up. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/22 "2010-08-11T19:45:34Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > I use a Merkur DE razor, Feather blades, and Mitchell’s Wool Fat Shaving Soap with a badger hair shaving brush. This sounds like it came straight out of Monty Python. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/23 "2010-08-11T20:02:53Z")
My answer has already been said a few times. With first, then against. I’m lazy, so I only shave a couple times a week. On the rare occasions that I actually shave every day, I go with the grain. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/24 "2010-08-11T20:24:51Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > > [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > > > Legs used to be against the grain, but I’ve only used an epillator the last 10 years, so haven’t needed to shave legs in a while. I use the epillator against the grain. I hardly have any hair left on my legs! > > How long has it been the case that you haven’t had much leg hair left? I’ve been using an epilator for a year and while I definitely do have less hair, I’m wondering how long it takes to inflict the most permanent damage to the hair follicles. You know I actually saw that framed as a **warning**? Like some women would think “I thought I’d give it a shot, but now I hear repeated epilation damages the follicles’ ability to grow hair back. I don’t know if that’d be a good thing…” > > Anyway, razor or epilator, I go ankles up. That is kinda funny. I don’t remember if there was a warning on the box or not, that long ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if that warning only showed up in the last few years, after someone complained! I would say it took about 3 years of fairly regular epillating before I started to realize I didn’t need to as often. In the first year, I remember still shaving after epilating to get the ones that broke off rather then pulled out. Now I do it probably every 8 weeks or so. The hairs that are left are so fine and sparse, it hardly seems worth it any more. They are the ones that were probably the most coarse in the first place, and still grow back dark brunette. If they were a smidge finer, or were blonde, I’d probably stop bothering except for special occasions or something! ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/25 "2010-08-11T20:39:10Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > > [@elfkin477](#): > > > > How long has it been the case that you haven’t had much leg hair left? I’ve been using an epilator for a year and while I definitely do have less hair, I’m wondering how long it takes to inflict the most permanent damage to the hair follicles. You know I actually saw that framed as a **warning**? Like some women would think “I thought I’d give it a shot, but now I hear repeated epilation damages the follicles’ ability to grow hair back. I don’t know if that’d be a good thing…” > > > > Anyway, razor or epilator, I go ankles up. > > That is kinda funny. I don’t remember if there was a warning on the box or not, that long ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if that warning only showed up in the last few years, after someone complained! Oh, sorry. I put that badly. It’s a warning reviewers have given, not the epilator companies. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/26 "2010-08-11T21:03:57Z")
With the grain. The only time I ever shaved against the grain was also the only time I ever cut myself shaving. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/27 "2010-08-11T21:07:43Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > Male face-shaver. > > I do a three pass shave. First against the grain, then across the grain, then against the grain. > > I use a Merkur DE razor, Feather blades, and Mitchell’s Wool Fat Shaving Soap with a badger hair shaving brush. > > I now find shaving to be a pleasure, instead of a chore. Feather blades are a little too sharp for my taste, but I agree with the sentiment. I actually look forward to shaving now. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/28 "2010-08-11T21:18:23Z")
I have to shave a given area in at least two directions. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/29 "2010-08-11T21:39:11Z")
Usually just in the direction of the hairs (on my face), unless I want a very close shave/no shadow, in which case I do both (which is why I voted Other). ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/30 "2010-08-11T21:40:03Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > You know I actually saw that framed as a **warning**? Like some women would think “I thought I’d give it a shot, but now I hear repeated epilation damages the follicles’ ability to grow hair back. I don’t know if that’d be a good thing…” My WAG: The problem would be if it did so in patches or inconsistently. So, you’d end up with the hair growing back normally in some areas and sparsely in others, which could look weird if you skipped removing the hair for a couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/31 "2010-08-11T22:10:34Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > I shave with the grain first, then against a few times until it feels smooth. Female & same. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/32 "2010-08-11T22:49:36Z")
Male. I shave down, with the grain. If there’s a spot that it seems like just isn’t getting getting shaved, I’ll go the other direction just on that spot. I used to shave against the grain, and got terrible razor burn. It’s much more comfortable this way, and nobody has complained yet. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/33 "2010-08-11T23:25:47Z")
Shaving against the grain almost always gives me a bunch of ingrown hairs. Even shaving only with the grain results in a few blemishes (especially on my neck). I’m growing my whiskers out right now, and my skin has been completely blemish-free since shortly after I stopped shaving. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/34 "2010-08-12T01:28:24Z")
I’m shaving around/between a mustache and a chin patch. Some of that is with the grain only. The rest of my face: some is against, and some is across. I also shave my head. Unless I miss a day or two, I mostly shave against the grain. When I miss a day or two, I shave with the grain first to avoid clogging up my razor. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/35 "2010-08-12T01:37:51Z")
I shave my head every day, and it’s always against the grain. Nothing else gets close enough. It helps if you use a Fusion razor. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/36 "2010-08-12T02:00:34Z")
Male here. I always shave in the shower. Lots of steam. I shave down, with the grain. And across. The razor hits every part of my face about three times (I still miss spots since I don’t use a mirror). But I never get razor burn or a cut. I don’t shave every day, and don’t have to for work. I will usually skip a day on weekends. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/37 "2010-08-12T02:14:15Z")
Male, both. My hair grows in crazy directions on my face. Like, for example, on my left cheek it alternates between up and down. My right cheek has up, down, and sideways hairs. I give barbers a fit. ---
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/38 "2010-08-12T05:16:54Z")
Male; I shave with the grain. Though the shaves are not as close, I no longer get ingrown hairs, so I think it’s worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/39 "2010-08-12T13:19:33Z")
With, then against. Then I pull out my cheeks like a bullfrog and do it against (really – it’s crazy how close a shave you can get when you do that). Never had an ingrown hair. ---
**Author:** ![bartleby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bartleby/32/10491_2.png) [@bartleby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bartleby)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946/40 "2010-08-12T13:27:34Z")
[Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2113/shaving-seminar-a-with-the-grain-or-against-it) chimed in on this very thing… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-people-who-shave-their-legs-faces/549946.md?page=3)