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Is it possible to be allergic to certain blades?

Hi all,
I was just looking for some feedback on something that has happened with a few different blades.
I have not been DE shaving for all that long. Under a year in fact, but have tried a good few blades thus far:
Chinese and Indian Gillette Wilkinson Sword
Feather
Derby extra
Derby Premium
Bic Chrome platinum
Gillette 7 o'clock black
Voskhod
Astra Green
Persona blue
Sharp Star
Shark Super Chrome

However, when shaving with a few of these blades I get terrible red razor rash and bumps which is both unsightly and painful. It tends to last for up to 36 hours. The blades which gave me the nastiness are Feather, Derby extra, Gillette 7 o'clock black, and Shark Super Chrome.
Is it possible that I am having an allergic reaction to these blades?
Thank you in advance.
Lee
 
I was sitting on 100 of them. I even tried to a single shave per blade to use them but still ended to tossing about half of them because it just wasn't worth it.
 
If was one or two blades, with similar coating, I would say it's possible. With the number of blades that you are having trouble with, it's more likely how you are shaving with them...your technique. Angle, pressure, too many passes, etc.

Put them away and revisit them in the future. Your opinion may change.
 
If was one or two blades, with similar coating, I would say it's possible. With the number of blades that you are having trouble with, it's more likely how you are shaving with them...your technique. Angle, pressure, too many passes, etc.

Put them away and revisit them in the future. Your opinion may change.

Very true. Feathers can be a harsh blade do to the sharpness. You may just need a smoother blade for your particular razor. your razor may be more on the aggressive side.
 
Not likely. Most blades are coated with PTFE or a polymer, which means you don't get direct metal contact with the skin to any significant degree.

It's more likely you are reacting to an ingredient in whatever shave soap or cream you are using. Shaving causes trauma and primes the skin's immune response, add in a sensitizing chemical and it's a perfect storm for some kind of reaction.

The most likely ingredients that are offenders are fragrances.
 
It is possible that I sometimes do use too much pressure, but it does not happen with the other blades.
It has happened with one fragranced soap, but that was the only strongly smelling soap I have used. It would still happen with the blades mentioned if I used Prorase sensitive, Arko, Palmolive or Vi-John.

It could be a combination of more than one factor perhaps?
 
I have a friend who is allergic to wilkinson blades. He even had to get medical treatment and take antibiotics.
That happens twice.
 
If you are a beginner, it could be technique.

In my case, I hate these blades: Wilkinson sword germany, gillette wilkinson sword india, van ger hagen. Probably some others I don't remember.
 
A lot of people have blades that don't work well with the mixture: razor used, technique, coarse beard, soap used that day....multiple variables. All said, I can't stand: Bolzano, Voskhod, Derby Extra, Dorco...get a burning sensation.
 
A lot of people have blades that don't work well with the mixture: razor used, technique, coarse beard, soap used that day....multiple variables...

+1! Many variables indeed!! I suggest you keep your stash for now as you may find the blades work well with a different set-up. The second option is to PIF the culprits to someone else as they may enjoy them.
 
It is possible to develop an allergic reaction to nickel, which is used in many steel allows. Normally, this requires prolonged contact, for example: watchbands, earrings and other jewelry, or tools in the workplace.

Since your exposure time is so brief when shaving, this doesno't seem likely. More likely it's something in the shaving products you are using.
 
It's probably the Platinum or Chromium coating. Just like some people may be sensitive to Nickel, others can have a reaction to the Platinum or Chromium coatings. Many blades are Platinum or Chromium coated, like Astra SP (SP equates to Super Platinum) or some Bic/Shark (Chrome or as Chromium). - A reaction would manifest itself as contact dermatitis.
 
While most blades today do have a PTFE coating, such coatings are not durable. I find that most of the coating seems to come off during the first shave leaving behind a sharper blade for the second shave.

Iron and chromium are the primary components of stainless steel, but depending upon the source, other metals can be included as well. Many blades are also coated with metallic coatings such as platinum, iridium, etc. Some people are sensitive to nickel, platinum and other metals. Some people are so sensitive as to produce allergic reactions.

It is also possible that you are allergic to something in your soap. Many people are sensitive or allergic to lanolin, which is included in many soaps. Many men's fragrances contain oakmoss, a scent to which a small portion of the population in allergic. Personally, I cannot use soaps with significant concentrations of lime, lemon, grapefruit, peppermint, cinnamon, clove, or black pepper as they leave my skin inflamed for hours. I do not like menthol in either soap or aftershaves, but can tolerate the synthetic menthol used to provide a cooling effect in some soaps.

Try to rule out your shaving soap(s) by applying a lather to your face without shaving. Leave
the lather on for a minimum of ten minutes unless you experience irritation. If you do get irritation, rinse the lather off and eliminate that soap from your rotation.

I am not discounting your claim of a reaction to the razor blade as I have already stated that some people do have that issue. However, part of the problem could also be improper shaving technique. If you shave with either the wrong shave angle (especially too steep), or with excessive shave pressure, that is just going to make irritation worse.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I had a similar reaction to Bic Chrome Platinum and Shark Super Chrome in my first 6-8 months of DE shaving which lead me to wonder if it was caused by the Chrome content in the blades. Both times the razor was a Gillette NEW SC, which has some blade gap I found out later I dont like. Both blades are also very sharp.

Combined with the razors gap and a less than perfect technique, those blades in that razor at that time shaved me too closely. On a second use months later, my technique was better and I didnt have the same reaction from using them.

While there are allergies to different metals I'm willing to bet thats not the case when it comes to DE blades.

Derby Extra is in my top 5 but I will admit they need a rigid razor design to get the most from them.
 
If the exact same preshave products you may use, soap/cream, ,brush, aftershave, and et cetera are used each and every time and the only variable is the blade, then it's possible that the coating on the blade is what bothers you. Otherwise, it could be a number of variables.
 
It is possible to develop an allergic reaction to nickel, which is used in many steel allows. Normally, this requires prolonged contact, for example: watchbands, earrings and other jewelry, or tools in the workplace.

Since your exposure time is so brief when shaving, this doesno't seem likely. More likely it's something in the shaving products you are using.
This is correct in general, but we should keep in mind that clean-shaven skin is much more prone to absorb and interact with substances.

An example: Absorption of triphenylmethane dyes Brilliant Blue and Patent Blue through intact skin, shaven skin and lingual mucosa from daily life products

Both dyes showed no measurable permeation through intact skin but significant permeation was found through shaven skin.

Personally, platinum coating does not treat me well, but I do get along with some platinum coated blades without issue.
 
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