Are electric shavers as good as a blade?

By Chris Melzer Jun 30, 2011, 3:07 GMT

New York - Men continue asking the same basic question about shaving: Is it better to use an electric razor on dry skin or a blade on moistened skin.

In any case, shaving has improved from the days when a little bleeding was the norm. Today there are dozens of razors from simple to high tech with three, four, five or even six blades for shaving beards, moustaches and chest hair.

It all goes back to a revolution in shaving a little over a century ago when the US company Gillette introduced the simple razor blade, which made the knife-like razor obsolete. Just a few years later, immigrant Johann Bruecker developed the first mechanical razor.

Since then men have been split over which method of shaving is better: wet or dry? Once a man makes up his mind which method he prefers, he seldom changes to the other. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

In Gillette's time there was no question that the wet shave was the only choice and it seemed that, with the invention of the small changeable razor blade, shaving had been perfected.

For centuries the only thing that could remove the hair from a man's face was a sharp blade, and the procedure was seldom bloodless. The small thin blade introduced by Gillette fit into a holder and was much shorter than the blade it replaced.

A man could use it to shave himself using shaving cream. Afterwards a few blood spots on the face were not unusual, but what was that compared to the previous method of shaving?

Bruecker's dry shaver was no competition for it. The rattling device with a winding motor was cumbersome. It received a patent, but no one bought it.

It was only after Bruecker's device was fitted with an electric motor that men finally had an alternative option to putting a blade to their throat in order to shave. The first electric razor went on the market in 1931.

'The time was ripe for something new,' explains Pieter van Groos, head of development at Philips in the Netherlands. In his view the advantages of the electric razor are obvious. 'It is simple and I can use it anywhere, even in the car right before an appointment. There's no blood and no shaving cream residue left on the face.'

Nevertheless, more men shave with a blade because it is more thorough, says Robin Vauth, chief executive at razor manufacturer Wilkinson. It also is better for the skin, having the same effect as a daily peeling. However, supporters of dry shaving also claim health advantages, saying there are fewer skin irritations when using their method of choice.

'It is not uncommon that skin problems are caused by shaving badly,' says dermatologist Regina Foelster-Holst. 'Both variations of shaving are good on healthy skin,' she points out, adding that each man can decide for himself.

But when skin problems already exist, Foelster-Holst, a professor at the university hospital in Kiel, recommends using an electric razor. It is more gentle on the skin because the blades don't actually touch the skin.

Even so, many people still prefer to use a blade - on a beard, chest and legs - because it's more thorough, according to Germany's consumer testing organization.

When shaving with a blade, no matter what part of the body, the skin must be washed and well moistened. Shaving cream should be left to work into the skin for one minute before starting - in the direction the hair grows. Shaving against the direction of growth is not good for the skin, experts say.

The blade should be rinsed off frequently and the same area of skin shouldn't be shaved over and over. Delicate areas such as the upper lip and the chin should be shaved last so that the shaving cream has the longest possible time to work into the skin.

When shaving with an electric razor the face should be dry. It's best to shave before taking a shower otherwise the skin is too soft and soaked with water. It's best to start with the harder places to shave, because the blades become hot the longer they run.

Both methods work best when the skin is pulled tight. Both also require frequent cleansing of the blade and regular changes of the blade to ensure sharpness. The use of aftershave is a matter of taste, says Foelster-Holst.

'Men who like it should use it. It doesn't hurt anything, but when the skin is healthy it isn't necessary.'