Electric razor VS disposable razor

Akiss4me
Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
OK everyone, here is my question. How many of you have switched to an electric ravor after lymph node removal and how many are still using a regular razor? And, do the electric ones get just as close? I didn't bother with my first time nodes were removed (Because I wasn't told), but now my inscision is bumpier this time and I am concerned since I have lost additional nodes to be more careful. And if you did switch, any thoughts are brands or models that work well. As usual....thanks for your imput, it's always welcomed!! :) Pammy

Comments

  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #2
    Pammy
    I know I get a lot of flack about this, but I never used an electric razor under my arms because it made a rash. Now since I only have a few strands of hair there, I just hit it with a disposable lighter.....

    =^..^-
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    #3
    No Hair! lol
    This is an easy question for me! Finallyyyyyyy lol! I have no hair under either arm since the radiation, so, I don't have to shave. YEA! ( come on, i have to get one good thing out of rads )

    And, I never liked an electric shaver. I always used a regular one. I love the new ones now. I have the Schick Quattro for women now and it is great! I can shave everywhere with it! ( wink wink )

    Hugs, Jeanne
  • Ltalcott
    Ltalcott Member Posts: 119
    #4
    I bought an electric razor
    I bought an electric razor after my mastectomy. My arm pit was sort of folded into itself after surgery. Only as I have gotten back full range of motion has there been an area I could really get a razor to.

    However, I hate the electric razor. I can't really get any of the hairs to come off! I've gone back to a Daisy razor, the pink disposable kind. Much better. I have a smiley scar where the incision for the sentinel node biopsy was, but it's a little below the hair, so I don't shave it.

    Lisa
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159 Member
    #5
    I too hated the electric
    I too hated the electric razor. With the uneven skin surface following node removal, it seemed to want to "bite" me. I have very little hair under the affected arm, but being that I never got feeling back under my arm, I am not comfortable using a blade razor while in the shower, either. So, on those times when I feel I must have that underarm completely hair-free, I step out of the shower, lather up my pit and shave in front of the mirror. I just feel it gives me a bit of a safety net.

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
    #6
    chenheart said:

    I too hated the electric
    I too hated the electric razor. With the uneven skin surface following node removal, it seemed to want to "bite" me. I have very little hair under the affected arm, but being that I never got feeling back under my arm, I am not comfortable using a blade razor while in the shower, either. So, on those times when I feel I must have that underarm completely hair-free, I step out of the shower, lather up my pit and shave in front of the mirror. I just feel it gives me a bit of a safety net.

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    I do the same thing as

    I do the same thing as Claudia. One underarm has very little hair because of radiation. But, I feel better doing it in front of a mirror.

    Joyce
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #7
    jk1952 said:

    I do the same thing as

    I do the same thing as Claudia. One underarm has very little hair because of radiation. But, I feel better doing it in front of a mirror.

    Joyce

    In the minority - I like my electric razor
    I bought a Remington Smooth & Silky Ultra Shaver from drugstore.com (which they don't seem to sell anymore :-( )a month ago before my lumpectomies, and I'm really happy with it. The incisions from the sentinel node biopsies are just too close for me to be comfortable shaving under my arms with a blade and/or with any kind of cream/lather that would obscure visibility. And I also read in the some of the ACS materials that, once you start chemo (before you lose your hair), you should use an electric razor rather than a blade because of risk of infection. So I thought it was a good investment for me.

    I would say the electric razor does *almost* as good a job as a blade under my arms. I've also been using it on my legs -- admittedly, I don't wear shorts, so I'm not looking for silky-smooth legs, but it works just fine for me.

    I don't shave anywhere else, so I'll have to let others comment on that! :-o

    Traci
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    #8
    Pammy.........
    I bought an electric shaver, but have never gotten any underarm hair back. Nor legs.

    CR
  • maya00i
    maya00i Member Posts: 42
    #9
    Regular Razor. To many folds for electric razor.Not to much hair to shave there.
  • Bill.S
    Bill.S Member Posts: 177
    #10
    Razor choice
    Being warned about blades, I went to the barber shop and had them cut off my hair with their clippers but wouldn't allow the barber to shave my head.
    My facial hair fell off and I bought an electric shaver for that- what little would grow from time to time ( good for the head also)
    Sorry ladies but because of BO problems I have been shaving my arm pits for years and a blade is the only way to go for that for me. Soooooooooooooo for a while I just let it grow but eventually it NEEDED to be shaved. Used my beard trimer to cut it down to size then finished it off with a blade.
    Bill S
  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950
    #11
    cats_toy said:

    Pammy
    I know I get a lot of flack about this, but I never used an electric razor under my arms because it made a rash. Now since I only have a few strands of hair there, I just hit it with a disposable lighter.....

    =^..^-

    disposable lighter???!!!
    Ouch!!!!!!! or you got some long strands there chica!
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #12
    dyaneb123 said:

    disposable lighter???!!!
    Ouch!!!!!!! or you got some long strands there chica!

    lighter
    no, they are very fair, and thin, so they just burn up by waving the lighter across, hardly even feel any heat. I like it! he he

    =^..^=
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #13
    chenheart said:

    I too hated the electric
    I too hated the electric razor. With the uneven skin surface following node removal, it seemed to want to "bite" me. I have very little hair under the affected arm, but being that I never got feeling back under my arm, I am not comfortable using a blade razor while in the shower, either. So, on those times when I feel I must have that underarm completely hair-free, I step out of the shower, lather up my pit and shave in front of the mirror. I just feel it gives me a bit of a safety net.

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    Well said
    and exactly right on. I do the same thing.
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #14
    CR1954 said:

    Pammy.........
    I bought an electric shaver, but have never gotten any underarm hair back. Nor legs.

    CR

    We are all so different
    My underarm hair is scant, but my leg hair:P...Way more hairy now. I think it's from the Arimidex, but I'm not sure.
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #15
    I've always used a razor not
    I've always used a razor not an electric one. I don't like the electric ones at all. I even still used it while I had rads, even though they said not to. The new ones now don't cut you at all. And now, after rads, I have no hair under that one arm, so, I only have to shave one side.
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #16
    My utmost gratitude!!
    Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences with me. I am really glad that I asked, because it seems an electric razor is for the pits (or NOT! ha, ha).
    But now I have a new question! Some of you mentioned that you have no hair after radiation. Is this because your nodes were positive and you were being radiated in this area as well? Or was it the result of residual radition towards that area? My radiation will be from my side, across my boobie, and over to the middle of my sterum (except for the boosters that will be more concentrated). And was your hair loss temporary or permanent? I could only hope for permanent hair loss. Then I wouldn't need to worry about shaving at all!! How nice would that be? Gee, I am so full of questions tonight!! :) Pammy
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #17
    Akiss4me said:

    My utmost gratitude!!
    Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences with me. I am really glad that I asked, because it seems an electric razor is for the pits (or NOT! ha, ha).
    But now I have a new question! Some of you mentioned that you have no hair after radiation. Is this because your nodes were positive and you were being radiated in this area as well? Or was it the result of residual radition towards that area? My radiation will be from my side, across my boobie, and over to the middle of my sterum (except for the boosters that will be more concentrated). And was your hair loss temporary or permanent? I could only hope for permanent hair loss. Then I wouldn't need to worry about shaving at all!! How nice would that be? Gee, I am so full of questions tonight!! :) Pammy

    You are welcome Pammy! lol
    You are welcome Pammy! lol

    I have no hair where I had the radiation under my arm. The rads kill the hair follicles, from what I understand. My nodes were clean. The hair loss, I assume, is permanent. I had radiation from my collar bone, down under my breast and over to my side. You want them to hit your lymph nodes under your arm with the radiation to kill any stray cancer cells that just might still be there too.
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #18
    Akiss4me said:

    My utmost gratitude!!
    Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences with me. I am really glad that I asked, because it seems an electric razor is for the pits (or NOT! ha, ha).
    But now I have a new question! Some of you mentioned that you have no hair after radiation. Is this because your nodes were positive and you were being radiated in this area as well? Or was it the result of residual radition towards that area? My radiation will be from my side, across my boobie, and over to the middle of my sterum (except for the boosters that will be more concentrated). And was your hair loss temporary or permanent? I could only hope for permanent hair loss. Then I wouldn't need to worry about shaving at all!! How nice would that be? Gee, I am so full of questions tonight!! :) Pammy

    Hi Pammy, I enjoy your posts, even if they are for the pits! My hair loss is a result of direct radiation to my left arm pit around the nodal area, I am sure. There is a little section near the juncture of my upper arm and armpit that has scant hair. I have to say that the hair does grow more lightly under my right arm (no radiation to that side), but I shave it because it is more noticeable. But other body hair... you should see my legs (well, maybe not :P).
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #19
    Alexis F said:

    I've always used a razor not
    I've always used a razor not an electric one. I don't like the electric ones at all. I even still used it while I had rads, even though they said not to. The new ones now don't cut you at all. And now, after rads, I have no hair under that one arm, so, I only have to shave one side.

    A woman's razor. Never
    A woman's razor. Never liked an electric shaver at all. I think they really pull too much and the new women's razor's are great. You can't even cut yourself at all!

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