More is better, right? When we see a razor in the store with 4 blades and then a product next to it with 5 blades, we think “5 blades has to be better, right?”
Not necessarily.
The more blades that touch your skin while shaving, the more friction, irritation and other side effects can occur.
A single blade razor such as a disposable, double edge or straight razor cuts hairs at skin level which can reduce the chance of ingrown hairs and other side effects normally associated with multi blade razors. Multi blade razors pull hairs up and cut them so that they fall back below the skin which can lead to ingrown hairs.
Using a single blade razor can be beneficial to men who experience ingrown hairs on their face and scalp but there are other possible benefits too. Let’s go over each option and see what might be right for you.
Types of single blade razors
There are three styles of single blade razors that you might consider:
- Single blade disposable razor
- Straight razor
- DE (double edge) razor
Single blade disposable razor
A single blade disposable razor is still relatively easy to find even among all the multi-blade razors on the market. You often find them in drug stores or online and they are sometimes stocked in dollar stores as a shaving option.
With a single blade disposable razor, you can use it several times, dispose of it and then use a new sharp one. Rinse and repeat as needed.
The benefit of this type of single blade disposable is that it shaves the hairs at skin level which can reduce ingrown hairs. Only one single blade is touching your skin.
Plus, you hold the handle so that the blade sits flat against your skin. You don’t really have to worry about holding the razor at a specific angle. You just hold it flat against your skin and that’s the proper angle.
It’s also the cheapest up front option since you can just buy disposables as needed.
My experience:
This is the first type of razor many guys used growing up, me included. Of course when I was a teenager starting to shave, we didn’t have 3, 4 and 5 blade razors so the options were limited. Single blade disposable razors do tend to be no frills in that they often don’t have a lubricating strip and is often just a single blade and that’s it.
One option to look for with a single blade disposable razor that I found recently is a push bar on the blade that enables you to push out clogged hair that is stuck in the blade. So if you’re placing your razor under fast running water and still can’t get it clean and unstuck, the push button feature is very helpful to dislodge shavings.
DE (double edge) razor
You can used both edges of the blade for shaving, hence the name. This is the original safety razor as unlike the straight razor which we’ll discuss below, the DE razor blade sits in a closed housing that you then hold in your hand for shaving. So you need both the handle and the individual blades to use a DE razor but the blade is closed, hence the safety razor moniker.
The good news is that the patents on double edge razor blades are long since gone so you can pick up replacement blades very cheap and use them multiple times too.
And since you only have one blade to deal with, you only have a limited amount of sharp metal against your skin. This reduces skin irritation and since the single blade cuts the hairs at skin level, the chances of ingrown hair is reduced if not eliminated.
My experience: I’ve written in detail on this website here, here, here and even here about using a DE razor. In a word…it took me awhile to get it right. The first time I used it, I cut myself in several places, gave myself razor burn which I NEVER get and almost gave up using my DE razor. It did take a number of times before I got to the point where I was using the double edge razor correctly.
Having said that, I still cut myself – typically my head around the crown area and my upper neck – when using the DE razor. It can in my opinion be easier to cut myself than with other razors.
Straight razor
The original razor that men once solely used to shave. Also known as a cut throat razor. You hold the single, open blade against your taut skin at a 30 degree angle and then slowly shave by bringing the blade down with the grain of your whiskers.
It does take a bit of getting used to and there is some skill involved. But the straight razor does have a few advantages such as the fact that like the other options listed here, it shaves hair at skin level. So again, fewer chances of ingrown hairs.
A straight razor can be reused many times, resharpened with a strop and used again. It’s environmentally friendly in that regard. It can save you money over the long term rather than continually buying disposable razors.
It also gives some guys a feeling of really shaving given that most guys have never done it.
Regarding the actual skill involved with a straight razor there is one thing to consider. While you’re going to be at an advantage if you can shave with both hands, you can also use the same hand to shave if necessary. It just means reaching across the other side of your face to shave.
My experience: Never used one! I’ve seen straight razors in stores and have been meaning to try one but have not actually done it before. Today it’s the rarest of the three shaving options listed here but is making a comeback of sorts.
Summary
You have several options as shown above when choosing a single razor blade for shaving both your face and scalp. A single blade means that there is only one blade cutting the hair at skin level rather than lifting and cutting the hair so that it drops below the skin as is what happens with multi blade razors.
Single blade razors also tend to irritate the skin less since there is less friction.
If you suffer from ingrown hairs and have a tendency to cut yourself or suffer from razor burn, moving down to a single blade razor might be worth trying for several days or longer. Consider combining this with use of a pre-shave product and post shave alum for more benefits.