Are you supposed to shave against the grain or with it?

I’m getting mixed answers on what I should do, because I was looking at sites advising to shave against the grain for the closest shave. I also heard to shave with it to avoid cutting yourself. What should I do? Against the grain would be an easier stroke for me, but I don’t want to hurt myself either.

By all means shave with the grain. Please not against! You will get a lot of ingrown hairs, bloody spots, and razor burn and bumps.

If you want stubble shave with the grain. I shave against the grain and have no problems at all. Of course you have to condition your skin over time. It takes a couple of weeks to condition your pubic area to shaving.

Falcon

Yes, well today I shaved my shaft with a razor for the first time. I was careful, very very careful. I shaved with the grain, and it didn’t get all the hair. Some of the hair didn’t seem to get shaved at all, but I did shave something. I know your not supposed to use much force, maybe I didn’t even use enough. I’ll get better with time, I’m sure, but it just annoys me that when I shave with the grain it leaves hair and doesn’t shave some hair at all. Does anyone have some tips for me?

Springer,

Shave with the grain first, always. If you have thick hair and can’t get a close shave this way, then you can go against the grain, but make sure you don’t go against the grain of long hairs.

Hope this is an appropriate place to ask this question:

I would like to shave my pubes without a mirror, but like many others, can’t see directly because my belly is in the way. This is very awkward and I usually find myself moving the razor at the wrong angles and in the wrong direction. I have cut myself many times. Please share any tips how to do this (by yourself) with better and safer control.

I have tried to get rid of my belly but that’s another story.

Klayton, I shave my hair down to a stubble with a beard trimmer before I use the razor so there are no long hairs.

roctober, maybe you could just suck it in while your shaving, or else use your free arm and put your arm across your belly and push it in so that it’s out of your way. If that doesn’t work, maybe sitting down would work. You could use a tight shirt to help tuck in the belly or use a belt just to keep it out of the way.

I think some people can and some people can’t shave against the grain successfully. Personally I’m told my hair has a natural curve, that translates into ingrowns if I shave against the grain. I’m satisfied going with the grain for my face, a smooth shave will only last till the end of the day anyways.

As for my pubic area, my bush gets the trimmer and my shaft gets the tweezer.

Like Springer, I always use a trimmer to keep the general pubic area short.

I then use a razor against the grain on areas I want to fine tune. I either do this in the shower, or have a shower afterwards to ensure all is clean and to prevent infection.

You are technically never supposed to shave against grain even on face. However, I always shave against grain because (a) it has never done anything bad (b) it is the only way to not have stubble

I use a body groomer, works great. All you have to be careful of is the angle at which you use it and remember to stretch the skin otherwise your skin gets caught.ouch !

The first month is a pain when shaving. I’d follow the “shave with the grain, then against” advice. Don’t be scared when you see a lot of skin irritation bumps and such, they’ll be less and less the more you shave.

I take it all off with the grain, run my hand over it to see where there is excess stubble (usually on the underside of the jawbones, towards the ears and around the adams apple) and then go over it against the grain.

The type of razor and foam is important - I have an old Gillette Mach3, I think, and I’ve understood the newer versions are better. Tried a cheapie and kept cutting myself, regardless of direction of shave…

That’s very important for me to hear. This is my 3rd day against the grain because I was tired of it not shaving anything and I can see ingrown hairs already and I’m pissed. I got over exited, shaving my entire balls too, and I heard vaseline or something will help with ingrown hairs before they start. Is this true?

Hahaha. I cut my nutsack.