Is it wrong to shave against the grain?

Question

I always hear, shave with the grain, never against. But if i do that i dont get a clean shave. Is it something i need to do a couple times to "train" my facial hair to be cut that way? Whats the advantage? Im not getting any razor burn or cuts, so how is it better?

Answer 1

You have pretty much nailed on the head the reasons why its not desirable to shave against the grain on a man's face:
- Leads to ingrown hairs
- Leads to razor bumps, burn, irritation & redness

Most men suffer from these symptoms, so its a bad idea to shave against the grain. Women can do it on their legs, but other areas where you can get curly hairs tend to be more prone to ingrown hairs.

The best advice I got from shaving is this article (see link below), which claims:
"You want to shave downward on your face and neck, WITH the direction your whiskers grow. At least for the first pass, a North-to-South stroke will get rid of most of your stubble without irritating your skin. If you want a closer shave, wet your face again, lather up again, and shave very lightly upward, against the grain, in a South-to-North direction. Most men’s skin is too sensitive to stand up to an against-the-grain shave without redness, razor burn, and even ingrown hairs, but if you can deal with it, go gently."

Read more about how to get the best shave at this link - really a must read for all men!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6886845

Hope this helps

Answer 2

Shaving Against The Grain

Answer 3

The best way to get a real close shave is warm up your face with a hot towel of water. Lather up really well and let it sit for a minute, this is to soften the hair. Begin to shave against it, then with it all different directions, your hair doesnot grow one way, so you have to shave all directions. Most importantly use a new blade. When done shaving either use cold towel or cold water to close the pores and moisturize after.
Try going to a barber for a old fashion shave you'll see the difference and notice the way a professional does it. Ask him for tips too.

Answer 4

Huh. Never heard that advice before. I was taught to shave against the grain for a cleaner shave. There was some redness and stuff early on, but after a week or so it's no longer an issue.

I always shave against the grain now.

Answer 5

dude shave against the grain
its the best way to go
trust me
oh yea stay away from the inner thighs
you'll regret it

Answer 6

I've never heard an admonition not to do so! I (and most women) do that every time we shave our legs, so no, there's nothing inherently bad about it.

It does give you a closer shave. Other techniques that might help include shaving in the shower, so your skin is really warmed up and moist :-)

Answer 7

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it causes razor burn and ingrown hairs

Answer 8

ive never heard it put quit like this but its because of the chance of getting ingrown hairs