Shaving is by far the most used hair removal method in the world, but is it really deserving of its ubiquity? We’re going to take a look at the pros and cons of shaving and find out whether it should be so widely used or if there’s a better alternative.
Let’s start with the negatives:
1. Razor Burn: One of the main problems with shaving (either on the face or the body) is that people with sensitive skin often end up with razor burn. If you don’t use the correct combination of moisturisers or your technique is a little off, you’re likely to suffer.
2. Ingrown hair: Another thing a lot of people face with shaving, though to be honest this also happens with wax and also with an epilator , is ingrown hairs. This is where the hair that is trying to grow back will get caught on the edge of the skin and will end up curling and continuing to grow underneath the skin instead of up and out like it should. Ingrown hairs can be painful and unsightly, not to mention irritating!
3. Short term results: Shaving slices the hairs at the surface of the skin so that they can't be seen and the skin will be smooth. The difference between this and other methods is that other methods will often pluck the hair from the root meaning that there is a much longer time between getting rid of the hair and the hair resurfacing again. This is because the hair will have to start from scratch and grow all the way up to the skin surface before you see it again. With shaving, it is already at the surface of the skin so only has to grow a little before you’ll see it and will be forced to shave again.
Okay so with the bad parts of shaving out of the way, let's take a look at why it's such a loved hair removal method:
1. Quick and easy: It's easily the fastest and most convenient way of removing hair. You simply put some shaving gel on the area you want to shave and run the blade across your skin a few times. Voila! The hair is gone… for now. There is a very small learning curve to be mastered with shaving and once you understand how it works you’ll be ready to shave anywhere.
2. Cheap Shaving is cheap, let's face it. A razor costs nothing and shaving gel lasts a pretty long time for the cost too. The only problem with this is that you have to buy replacement blades fairly often. Thank god they’re so cheap else the cost will add up over time.
3. Painless: Finally, and this is probably the most important reason for a lot of people, is that shaving is painless. Unless you cut yourself while doing it, you’re not going to feel as much pain as waxing or laser hair removal.
So in conclusion I think the main reason people opt for shaving is that it is the cheapest, fastest, and least painful of all the hair removal methods. Even though it needs to be done way more frequently it is still the choice of the majority of the population, unless of course, you can afford permanent laser hair removal treatment!
This is a guest post by Jackie at A Smooth Life. A great resource for guides, tutorials, and advice about different hair removal methods and products.