# What kind of electric shaver should I get? (Solving ingrown hair problem) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-electric-shaver-should-i-get-solving-ingrown-hair-problem/562991 "2010-12-05T02:10:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-electric-shaver-should-i-get-solving-ingrown-hair-problem/562991/1 "2010-12-05T02:10:54Z")
OK, lads, I am in the US and need to get an electric shaver. I have been a blade shaver for years but my beard or something has changed, for now I get so many ingrown hairs that it’s unbearable. I’ve tried everything (exfoliating, changing blades frequently, etc.) but I get one or two ingrown hairs every time I shave around my mouth. For the past week or so, I’ve made do with blade on most of my face and a beard trimmer where I get the ingrown hairs, but it’s hard to tell where the frontier of the problem is, and I still get them. So, I need your advice. I’d like a good shaver that does NOT shave too close or at least can be set that way. Otherwise, I’ll be back to square one. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-electric-shaver-should-i-get-solving-ingrown-hair-problem/562991/2 "2010-12-05T05:49:04Z")
I’ve always used an electric razor; when I started shaving in high school, I had bad acne, and I was afraid that a regular razor would lead to much pain. I’ve primary had Norelco (now made by Philips) rotary razors, and have always felt that they give me a fairly close, but not uncomfortable shave – and never, in 30 years of shaving with one, have I cut myself with it. I once had a Remington “foil” razor (where the blades swing back and forth beneath a layer of foil with holes in it), and I cut myself fairly regularly with it. Got rid of it quickly. (I once had a rotary from Remington, but it wasn’t nearly as good as the Norelcos.) ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-electric-shaver-should-i-get-solving-ingrown-hair-problem/562991/3 "2010-12-05T08:04:31Z")
I agree with kenobi 65. Get a Norelco rotary, definitely avoid the “foil” razors. I have one of the “wet/dry” models and I shave with it in the shower using shaving foam. It may take a couple of weeks of use to get accustomed to the different kind of shave you get compared to a regular razor. I have somewhat sensitive skin and the electric razor doesn’t irritate my face as much as a regular bladed razor. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-electric-shaver-should-i-get-solving-ingrown-hair-problem/562991/4 "2010-12-05T13:49:25Z")
Thanks! The wet-dry rotary Norelco sounds good. I will give that a shot! ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-electric-shaver-should-i-get-solving-ingrown-hair-problem/562991/5 "2010-12-06T04:39:52Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > I have been a blade shaver for years but my beard or something has changed, for now I get so many ingrown hairs that it’s unbearable. I’ve tried everything (exfoliating, changing blades frequently, etc.) but I get one or two ingrown hairs every time I shave around my mouth. Have you tried a safety razor? I’ve been using them for the last couple of years rather than the double/triple/quadruple/quintuple super expensive blade systems. It doesn’t cut the hair below the surface of the skin like those types of blades do. ---
**Author:** ![rayman5321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@rayman5321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayman5321)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-electric-shaver-should-i-get-solving-ingrown-hair-problem/562991/6 "2010-12-07T14:09:55Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I’ve always used an electric razor; when I started shaving in high school, I had bad acne, and I was afraid that a regular razor would lead to much pain. > > I’ve primary had Norelco (now made by Philips) rotary razors, and have always felt that they give me a fairly close, but not uncomfortable shave – and never, in 30 years of shaving with one, have I cut myself with it. I once had a Remington “foil” razor (where the blades swing back and forth beneath a layer of foil with holes in it), and I cut myself fairly regularly with it. Got rid of it quickly. (I once had a rotary from Remington, but it wasn’t nearly as good as the Norelcos.) Norelco has always been made by Philips in the Netherlands. I’ve been buying Norelco/Philips for more than 40 years and I’m satisfied with them.