Thanks for sharing!
And, CONGRATULATIONS on finding a ‘new’ reason to collect a variety of razors!!
And, CONGRATULATIONS on finding a ‘new’ reason to collect a variety of razors!!
Shaving and Aging
- Thread starter Fuzzy2964
- Start date
Lost two good friends this month, one 72 Vietnam Vet Cancer, the other 97 after falling at home, and not recovering from Hip surgery. Both were clean shaven guys, both would I am sure would love to debate the problems of age.
Both guy would love to be complaining about the challenges of age. Great line from Ch]int Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge, Improvise, adapt, and overcome, your Marines.
Need not be Marine to figure out how to do things you did at, or during youth, but a little slower.
Both guy would love to be complaining about the challenges of age. Great line from Ch]int Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge, Improvise, adapt, and overcome, your Marines.
Need not be Marine to figure out how to do things you did at, or during youth, but a little slower.
Late 50’s here and my skin drying out has been the only big challenge so far. It’s what started me on my DE shaving journey 10 years ago. Drying, canned foam and tuggy cartridge razors were making shaving terrible.
The better shaves and facial care products have mitigated the problem for now. However, if you told me back then that I would someday have more products on the bathroom counter than my wife, I would have laughed at you
The better shaves and facial care products have mitigated the problem for now. However, if you told me back then that I would someday have more products on the bathroom counter than my wife, I would have laughed at you
Just entered the 60s. My taste for aggressive razors has dropped in the last 10 years of DE shaving.
I don't know what triggers it, but every so often I receive an email titled "Badger & Blade, See What You Have Missed." It contains several posts. Yours came up today. In February 2020, I had an early case of Covid. On the 24th, I got up for work, wound up staying home, and by the end of the day was on a vent and in a coma. 5 months and one day later I was released. End result is I can only walk with the aid of a walker, my right hand is numb, and I feel nothing below my knees. I now have to shave leaning on the counter at our kitchen sink. Yesterday, for the first time since this became my pathway, I took half an hour for a close and proper shave. I've become a cheater and generally use a (oh, the horror!) electric razor, with which I also use to shave my head. I miss using my straights and my daily routine. But we make adjustments where needed. Maybe the day will come where I have a sink that allows a safer and more comfortable way to shave. But for now, I'll stick with the occasional shave with my Merkur HD, one of my creams or soaps and my Shavemac badger brush.
Nor what time of day you do it.
Good afternoon. I live in Russia and am an active participant in one of the Russian forums. It is not customary to talk about your health problems on our forum. And I don't understand why you need to share these stories with strangers.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
Different customs. That doesn't necessarily mean either one is wrong.
Perspectives can matter. For some, It's sharing life experiences with strangers. For others, it's sharing them with online friends (even though others are eavesdropping). For some, it may be sharing their struggles, for others, sharing tales of triumph over their struggles. For some, reaching out FOR support, for others, reaching out TO support others who may have similar challenges.
This isn't just global differences, but within a 10km radius of me, there is probably just as wide a variation over whether or not people want to share their life challenges, or hear those of others, and also why they may or may not want to. Again, it doesn't necessarily mean that any of those perspectives are wrong.
What this guy said. I think it goes beyond that though. It’s not necessarily a generational thing as it is a society thing. Todays society tends to get most of their social interaction with…well, social media and, forums are a form of social media. Therefore, people tend to wear their hearts out on social media.
I don't have any issues that have affected my ability to shave, but I stumbled upon a
possible solution for later on when I do encounter challenges.
I purchased a Leaf razor and a Henson a while back.
They are very easy to use because the correct blade angle is designed into the razor head.
They both use DE blades, so no need to rely on a proprietary design and hope the company
stays in business.
For now, I'll stick to the traditional DE razors and I'll switch over to the Leaf and Henson
when I need to.
Good luck with your journeys, everyone!
possible solution for later on when I do encounter challenges.
I purchased a Leaf razor and a Henson a while back.
They are very easy to use because the correct blade angle is designed into the razor head.
They both use DE blades, so no need to rely on a proprietary design and hope the company
stays in business.
For now, I'll stick to the traditional DE razors and I'll switch over to the Leaf and Henson
when I need to.
Good luck with your journeys, everyone!
Very well said.
66 Here, been shaving for 50 years now. I am not from Russian, so I can share my health stories. Diabetic, heavy cancer on my moms side. Mom and one of my sister are cancer survivors. My amazing dad is still ticking at 97 and shaves everyday.
I am lucky to have my wife, retired dermatologist /cosmetologist. She has help me immensely in the skin maintenance and care department. For me, skin changes seem to occur around both weather and aging. Making adjustments pertaining them according.
Aging impacts seems to hit about every 8 - 10 years, skin related. I make sure changes occur. This is mainly around skin care or face management. Shaving will cause some skin stress, exfoliation and dryness. So I ensure I protect my face through out the shave and have a shave post recovery process. This may seem overkill to most. But again, with my wife's recommendations and guide, I find what works best from me. It is the only face I have, so I will do what is takes to take care it, I make sure the proper time is allocated for it.
Some of this is just bundled into my zen shave...
So hey, take care all.
Be healthy and have fun. Enjoy life, friends and family and truly enjoy that shave.
Yes...take care of that face, everyone else is forced to look it!
What happens in the B & B forum, stays in the B & B forum.
BFX
I am lucky to have my wife, retired dermatologist /cosmetologist. She has help me immensely in the skin maintenance and care department. For me, skin changes seem to occur around both weather and aging. Making adjustments pertaining them according.
Aging impacts seems to hit about every 8 - 10 years, skin related. I make sure changes occur. This is mainly around skin care or face management. Shaving will cause some skin stress, exfoliation and dryness. So I ensure I protect my face through out the shave and have a shave post recovery process. This may seem overkill to most. But again, with my wife's recommendations and guide, I find what works best from me. It is the only face I have, so I will do what is takes to take care it, I make sure the proper time is allocated for it.
Some of this is just bundled into my zen shave...
So hey, take care all.
Be healthy and have fun. Enjoy life, friends and family and truly enjoy that shave.
Yes...take care of that face, everyone else is forced to look it!
What happens in the B & B forum, stays in the B & B forum.
BFX
No, not overkill. Take care of your skin. I have Rosacea. I have a careful routine too. Morning and night. Speaking of fathers; mine smoked two packs of unfiltered cigarettes a day, drank a bottle of Ron Bacardi mixed with Coke and lived to be 80.
I have spent a lot of time in Russia, and they aren't. They can be great hosts and a lot of fun. But they do hold their cards close to their chests. Closer than we do. Or, at least in my experience.Russia seems cold & hard? Congratulations…
i can't disagree with that. Take care.When in Rome I guess?
I have not been shaving as long as you. But my skin has changed a bit since I started shaving. Now I have to pull my skin with one hand and shave with the other. Its just the way it is as we age our bodies change.In the last year aging & health has changed my shaving - how I shave and what I use. I'm in my mid 60s and have been using a DE safety razor for over 10 years. Earlier this year I had a melanoma (non invasive - size a bit smaller than a quarter) removed from my face. Procedure was done by a plastic surgeon. This has left a lightly scarred area that I need to be very careful of when shaving. I also have picked up an essential tremor that causes minor hand shaking. The hand tremors kinda come and go. I live in a 55+ community where I see neighbors who have significant health issues ... I'm lucky just having some very minor health impacts.
But, they have impacted how and what I shave with. I have 3 Gillette Super Speeds from my birth year/quarter - red tip, standard, blue tip. A year ago I mostly used the red tip; I now mostly use the least aggressive blue tip. My Gillette Fatboy went from a 6 adjustment down to 3. I often need to use both hands on the razor handle due to my tremors. Also, my facial skin seems to be a bit more prone to cuts if I rush my shave. My point is how you shave now may not be how you shave in the future. Really glad that I decided to collect all 3 variations of the Super Speed, plus an adjustable razor is nice to have when things change.
Aging/Health ... has it changed your shaving? Great that DE shaving has tools/techniques that can allow for the changes we are all likely to see as we get older. Had to attach a pic
View attachment 1771889
I love that this thread is here.
I'm 56 and have been DE shaving for about 12 years. In fact, I started because I was no longer getting good shaves with cartridge razors (not to mention getting sick of the high cost). I've always had a high standard for my shaves. I didn't even think then about how my newly graying hair might be affecting my shaves when I was in my forties.
So, for almost 10 years I got great shaves every day right out of the shower with nothing more complicated than a Merkur 34C and Van der Hagen shaving soap.
However, my shaves have been going downhill for the last couple years. It went from near-BBS with little effort to having to work really hard to get to DFS+ and often failing. My neck never gets to DFS no matter what I do.
I've invested in gear, have fancy soaps on their way to me now, and have refocused recently on my technique. Aggressive razors get good shaves but kill my skin. My new mild RR Game Changer .068P doesn't get me to DFS unless I go ATG on the third pass.
In reading around, it turns out that all the changes in the aging man's face and hair conspire to prevent great shaves. The skin is thinner, looser, and bumpier. The beard is coarser (and thicker in my case, oddly enough). I feel for men who deal with physical ailments on top of these natural changes.
I'm not ready to give up on good shaves yet, but it's clear I'm going to have work for it. The neck might just have to stay rough, though. I went for a thick beard for a couple years, but I just get sick of it. I also enjoy the process of getting a good shave.
I'm 56 and have been DE shaving for about 12 years. In fact, I started because I was no longer getting good shaves with cartridge razors (not to mention getting sick of the high cost). I've always had a high standard for my shaves. I didn't even think then about how my newly graying hair might be affecting my shaves when I was in my forties.
So, for almost 10 years I got great shaves every day right out of the shower with nothing more complicated than a Merkur 34C and Van der Hagen shaving soap.
However, my shaves have been going downhill for the last couple years. It went from near-BBS with little effort to having to work really hard to get to DFS+ and often failing. My neck never gets to DFS no matter what I do.
I've invested in gear, have fancy soaps on their way to me now, and have refocused recently on my technique. Aggressive razors get good shaves but kill my skin. My new mild RR Game Changer .068P doesn't get me to DFS unless I go ATG on the third pass.
In reading around, it turns out that all the changes in the aging man's face and hair conspire to prevent great shaves. The skin is thinner, looser, and bumpier. The beard is coarser (and thicker in my case, oddly enough). I feel for men who deal with physical ailments on top of these natural changes.
I'm not ready to give up on good shaves yet, but it's clear I'm going to have work for it. The neck might just have to stay rough, though. I went for a thick beard for a couple years, but I just get sick of it. I also enjoy the process of getting a good shave.
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