How many grow beards because shaving causes irritation and ingrown hairs?

[StewB]

Now that I a DE shaver and am in the process of learning* how to actually shave correctly, I have noticed how many gents grow a beard. I wonder how many grow beards after getting irritation and ingrown hairs? I ask because I used to have a beard a few years ago and those were the reasons i grew it (irritation and ingrowns).

Did anybody else grow a beard because shaving caused problems?


*Still learning of course, but I've learned a lot since the legendary R41 is one of my favorite razors

 

[silverlifter]

I think you are polling the wrong audience. You probably want to ask on our sister site, Beard & Comb...

 

[StewB]

LOL, just read it again. When I said:

Did anybody else grow a beard because shaving caused problems?

I meant this:

For anyone else who used to have a beard, was it because shaving caused problems?

 

[Frank Discussion]

I used to grow a beard every fall and shave it off in the spring. It wasn't because of irritation or ingrown hairs. It was because of the harsh cold winters we get here in my part of Canada. The other reason is I use public transit, so I am outside waiting for a bus a lot. Now that I am semi-retired the beard is grey/white, so I shave regularly now since I have the time to do so. Back in the day I worked primarily full time in manufacturing where it didn't matter if I had an unkempt scraggly beard. I now work part time in a retail environment, I like to look neat and clean. Although my current employer wouldn't mind if I grew a neatly kept beard for me, it's just a personal choice not to do so. I also find the beard makes my face itchy and having a clean shave makes me feel better about myself.

 

[Eric_75]

I had a beard for over a decade. It was never due to shaving problems.

 

[CCS]

If you have ingrown hairs when you start growing a beard, what happens to them?

 

[StewB]

If you have ingrown hairs when you start growing a beard, what happens to them?

They're still there, naturally...you just tend get fewer new ones.

I had a beard for a few years, and one of the reasons was because I got irritation and ingrowns from shaving. Now that I have learned/am learning how to shave correctly (good prep, cleanse skin, good soap, etc.), thankfully I don't have these problems anymore. (I do have a goatee because the LOTH likes it.)

I see lots of gents with beards these days. For many it's a choice that's got nothing to do with shaving problems. But I just wonder, for people that chose to grow beards, whether shaving problems was a deciding factor.

 

[ivan_101]

To answer directly the question in the topic title:
Too many.

 

[CCS]

Beards are in fashion once again. They seem to work best with spec ops guys and least with men who wear their hair in buns...

I wore a mustache for over 30 years but in all my decades, I've never had a beard. I suspect the longest I've gone without shaving since I was 16 or so was maybe a week in the backcountry. Hard to imagine women liking to snuggle with a beard all over her face and neck but I guess some put up with it.

 

[StewB]

Beards are in fashion once again.

I think they've always been in fashion in one form or another. When I had a beard I can't say I really enjoyed the beard per se but I did like that I didn't have to shave my face. Now I have a quite different perspective.

 

[nik232]

I can tell that in the past it was more common. My father along with many of his colleagues had a beard in the 70's and up to middle 80's because shaving with DE razors was causing irritation to him. Those days apparently there wasn't a good supply of blades. I had seen his DE razor, it was a gillette (I believe it was a Tech, but I am not familiar with vintage razors so I can't be sure). In the 80's he started shaving using cartridge razors with a brush and shaving cream and he found it better.

 

[lancre]

I've had a beard for most of the last fifty years just to cover up my face, not because of any shaving issues.
I'm not unnaturally handsome like some people here.

 

[htownmmm]

I used to wear a beard just because shaving was wrecking my face. I had pseudofolliculitis barbae on my face and folliculitis barbae on the back of my neck.

Multiple trips to the dermatologist, many injections, and lots o tubes of Retin A creams was just too much. Growing a beard was easier- after the ingrowns grew out.

Learning how to shave "old school" and what equipment to use was life changing.

marty

 

[emwolf]

My beard has always been to hide additional chins

 

[Steve56]

Learning to use a properly honed straight razor will fix the OP’s issue. That said, there are 3 learning curves, shaving, stropping, and touching up the edge. That last one can be avoided if you sent them out for honing, but then you’d need multiple razors. A decent starter kit will cost you about what a year of DE, injector, or disposable razors would cost you, but then you can shave the rest of your life for software.

 

[Leo K]

I'm just getting tired and may just grow a beard this winter. Feeling run down this autumn after illness and don't feel like doing anything sometimes.

 

[StewB]

@Leo K we all hope you gain strength and feel better soon.

 

[Leo K]

@Leo K we all hope you gain strength and feel better soon.

Thanks so much Stew, appreciate it greatly!

 

[Ron R]

I was off work for a few weeks so I grew a beard, found it different and itchy and some for my hairs where like flattened at the root when pulled out, they where not ingrown hairs but uncomfortable when pulled out. I was not on the forums then (not sure they existed even then.)
Then back to work and clean shaven was mandatory and still is enforced to this day because of the environment we worked in.
I seldom ever get ingrown hairs and if you are prone to them I recommend just take a dry bore brush or a worn out tooth brush and lightly brush areas that are showing red spots or areas of concern after shaving and that will help free any hairs going in the wrong direction usually and I have not had issues for years(I also use witch hazel 14% alcohol with some clove essential oil drops in a witch hazel bottle 1/4 full and apply with a Q-tip on any red spots or blemishes- Great stuff ). I use to shave with 5 bladed cartridge razors everyday and when I think back more than likely got a few ingrown hairs also but did not know any better and they cleared up eventually.

 

[RookieGuy]

I grew a beard 20 years ago because I just got out of the army. It wasn't the shaving per se that drove me to cultivate my facial fur, but more it was backlash from being required to shave daily. I keep it because it makes me look older than Mrs. Rookie. The fact I'm 4 years younger than her isn't relevant, the fact I look it down shaven is.