Every so often there is a revolution in the shaving industry, and one of the latest innovations has been the development of vibrating razors. These razors utilize a small 1.5 volt motor inside the handle to generate a gentle but noticeable vibration as the user shaves normally. At first, many consumers were a little dubious about putting vibrating razors with sharp blades against their skin, but the action turned out to be more of a gentle hum than a violent shake. Many shavers now prefer the performance of razors that vibrate to the multiple blade razors competing for their attention.
The principle behind vibrating razors is rooted in sound scientific principles. One of the main problems faced by shavers is the elusive nature of individual hair follicles. An ordinary razor can only shave the hairs which rise above skin level and remain there. Other hairs may lay flat against the skin and escape the wrath of the blade. Vibrations are believed to stimulate the muscles around hair follicles which cause hairs to stand on end. Once these hairs have been raised, they are quickly shaved off by the blades. The result is often a perceived closer shave, although it may be more accurate to say it is a more thoroughshave.
Vibrating razors are also said to aid shavers by reducing the sensation of drag often created by other manual razors. The vibrations appear to create a gliding sensation as the blade is drawn across the skin. The motor assembly and battery contained in the handles of these razors also change the balance, which many shavers find to be an advantage over lightweight razors. By improving the grip and balance, vibrating razors encourage shavers to use more definite strokes.
But do vibrating razors successfully address problems such as ingrown hairs and shaving bumps? Any razor is capable of cutting a hair too close and creating ingrown hairs or other shaving irritations. The vibratory action of the razors does not appear to aggravate the problem, however. Ingrown hairs are often the result of poor shaving technique, not the razor itself. Stretching the skin while shaving or overshaving a particular area can cause sharpened hairs to go below the skin line and grow inwards or puncture surrounding tissues. Users should avoid the types of shaving techniques which encourage ingrown hairs or shaving bumps, such as stretching the skin, overshaving an area or shaving against the grain.