Hot towel AFTER the shave?

[Magruder]

Who has tried a hot towel on the face after the shave, as well as before?

In Lynn Abrams' demo shave on the straight razor dvd, he uses the hot towel both before and after. I tried it for several days running, and I can't see that it does anything for me post-shave. Before the shave, of course, it's a huge help, but not after.

This may be another case of YMMV -- well, heck, that applies to everything, doesn't it? -- but what's the point of the hot towel after the shave? What am I missing?

 

[Thebigspendur]

I have always used a hot towel after the shave. If nothing else it feels very good.

 

[norman931]

Lynn's video has an excellent demonstration of the use of the hot towel. I really couldn't figure out how to use it until I watched him. Now I use it every day.

Norm

 

[OldSaw]

I believe warm water aids clotting if you nick yourself. Cold water helps close pores but reduces clotting. I often use warm water & wash clothe followed by cold water.

 

[minstrel]

I believe warm water aids clotting if you nick yourself. Cold water helps close pores but reduces clotting. I often use warm water & wash clothe followed by cold water.

'Scuse me? Unless I'm very much mistaken, warm water prevents clotting. That's why Ye Olde Romans slit their wrists in warm water when they wanted to bleed to death...

I was also a bit confounded by the use of a hot towel after the shave in Lynn's DVD (which I acquired recently). Personally, I follow the hot water/towel before, cold water/towel afterwards routine. Works for me. Cold water also helps soothe any razor burn in my experience.

 

[OldSaw]

'Scuse me? Unless I'm very much mistaken, warm water prevents clotting. That's why Ye Olde Romans slit their wrists in warm water when they wanted to bleed to death...

I was also a bit confounded by the use of a hot towel after the shave in Lynn's DVD (which I acquired recently). Personally, I follow the hot water/towel before, cold water/towel afterwards routine. Works for me. Cold water also helps soothe any razor burn in my experience.

I'm not familiar with ancient Roman suicidal rituals. However, I am familiar with removing blood from clothing and cold water soaking works best and warm water can set the stain.

 

[minstrel]

I'm not familiar with ancient Roman suicidal rituals. However, I am familiar with removing blood from clothing and cold water soaking works best and warm water can set the stain.

Yes, but try running warm water on a cut next time you cut your finger and see how long it will take to form a clot. Then try cold water. My experience is that if you run warm water on a cut, it will continue to bleed (good for cleaning it out thoroughly), but when you want it to stop bleeding you run cold water on it, and it will form a clot pretty fast.

Or maybe I'm an alien and I didn't know that before?

 

[Furex]

Maybe it's just me, but I do not like hot water on my face after the shave, especially if I have some nick or razor burn...

 

[Smedley]

If it feels good and works for you, do it. I'm a bigger fan of pure cold water rinses after a shave is over, but that's only my preference.

 

[OldSaw]

Yes, but try running warm water on a cut next time you cut your finger and see how long it will take to form a clot. Then try cold water. My experience is that if you run warm water on a cut, it will continue to bleed (good for cleaning it out thoroughly), but when you want it to stop bleeding you run cold water on it, and it will form a clot pretty fast.

Or maybe I'm an alien and I didn't know that before?

OK, so I slit the throats of two cats and held one under warm water and the other under cold water. Apparently neither one could hold their breath as they both drowned. I'll have to try another experiment...













Just kidding. It was really the neighbors two obnoxious dogs. ...













Well..., actually no animals were harmed in this fictional experiment.

 

[Iceman]

Always!!!!

 

[SilkySmooth]

I use a warm towel to wipe off the excess cream/soap when I'm finished shaving. Then I use cold water to close the pores.

 

[TimmyBoston]

I use a warm cloth immediately after my final pass, but after that it's always cold water to close the pores.

 

[TimmyBoston]

OK, so I slit the throats of two cats and held one under warm water and the other under cold water. Apparently neither one could hold their breath as they both drowned. I'll have to try another experiment...

Just kidding. It was really the neighbors two obnoxious dogs. ...

I didn't know Michael Vick was a member here.

 

[MJB]

Back to the topic.

Cold will cause local blood vessels to narrow/constrict and warm will cause the opposite. In this way, cold would slow bleeding. Hot on the flip side would favor the chemical clotting cascade reactions. Frankly I doubt a whoosh of a warm or cold towel would make a difference that much.

Frankly, I suspect whatever anyone prefers is the way to go. More widely the cold is preferred here. I myself prefer the hot followed by an aftershave balm. I'm just not someone who enjoys the cold aftershave wash. I'm cool with being an outlier in this setting.

 

[minstrel]

I'm no doctor, but what little I've managed to find on the Internet about blood clotting and heat is contradictory. Clots in veins are treated with heat applied externally to the afflicted area. Presumably this isn't done to help them form or grow or to dislodge them by widening the blood vessels. That would be pretty silly in my opinion...

On the other hand heat is said to help with clotting in wounds, but then we're talking about temperatures of 150 degrees F for several minutes...

If people like the hot towel treatment after shaving, and they find it works for them, then go with it. Personally I rinse my face with lukewarm water to remove the remaining lather and spot any nicks so I can apply the styptic pencil to them, and then I rinse with cold water to close the pores and soothe the skin in case there was any razor burn. Then I finish up with either an alcohol based aftershave or an aftershave balm. Works for me.

To each their own, your mileage may vary, etc. and so on.

 

[OldSaw]

Back to the topic.

Cold will cause local blood vessels to narrow/constrict and warm will cause the opposite. In this way, cold would slow bleeding. Hot on the flip side would favor the chemical clotting cascade reactions. Frankly I doubt a whoosh of a warm or cold towel would make a difference that much.

Frankly, I suspect whatever anyone prefers is the way to go. More widely the cold is preferred here. I myself prefer the hot followed by an aftershave balm. I'm just not someone who enjoys the cold aftershave wash. I'm cool with being an outlier in this setting.

I'm no doctor, but what little I've managed to find on the Internet about blood clotting and heat is contradictory. Clots in veins are treated with heat applied externally to the afflicted area. Presumably this isn't done to help them form or grow or to dislodge them by widening the blood vessels. That would be pretty silly in my opinion...

On the other hand heat is said to help with clotting in wounds, but then we're talking about temperatures of 150 degrees F for several minutes...

If people like the hot towel treatment after shaving, and they find it works for them, then go with it. Personally I rinse my face with lukewarm water to remove the remaining lather and spot any nicks so I can apply the styptic pencil to them, and then I rinse with cold water to close the pores and soothe the skin in case there was any razor burn. Then I finish up with either an alcohol based aftershave or an aftershave balm. Works for me.

To each their own, your mileage may vary, etc. and so on.

Well that's good to know. Now I don't have to experiment any more.

I guess I'll just continue believing that the warm wash clothe actually speeds up the clotting process, since that's what appears to happen, whether it actually does anything or not, besides make me feel good, is undetermined. If I am ever in such danger of really needing to control the amount of blood loss I can always call 911. After my relaxing warm water rinse I will continue using cold water to close the pores, as everyone seems to agree that, that is what is actually happening, regardless of whether or not I actually enjoy it.

So that settles it then. I'm glad we had this talk.

 

[TstebinsB]

When I dealt with shaving irritation, a hot towel after my shave reduced the size or razor bumps.

 

[Nickie]

Heat expands atoms and speeds them up. Cold packs them together and slows them down.
Science says use cold water after shave to close pores and prevent bacteria from entering the newly shaved skin.

 

[PBrush]

I use a warm towel to wipe off the excess cream/soap when I'm finished shaving. Then I use cold water to close the pores.

I do as well, since the warm or hot water seems to better wash off the soap. It feels nice as well. I follow with alum, then rinse with cold water.