Shaving

spector551
spector551 Member Posts: 109
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

How do you guys shave? I thought I saw something in the heaps of paperwork I got from the cancer center that I shouldn't shave with a razor any longer. But the thought of shaving with an electric on my already sensitive skin seem like an egyptian torture.

 

God bless,

Jamie

Comments

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #2
    OK tough guy

    If you are still needing to shave, you are tougher than I.  A bit into my taxotere/carboplatin my whiskers all fell out, every one of them.  Then of course during radiatio they did not grow either, and most of them didn't come back after rads.  Heck, two years out, I still have only a couple hundred whiskers, and I shave every now and then.  I don't miss it much, lol.

     

     

    Pat

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    don't do it

    Jamie.

    I was told to go electric and not use a razor, but I knew better and used my razor anyway.  Boy did I get a tongue lashing (and my tongue was sore).  Needless to say I only did it once and put off shaving all together for a while.  As it turned out I have virtually no whiskers below the chin line anymore.

    I get a kick out of the pictures with whiskers since I know they are most likely pre-treatments

    One time whiskered,

    Matt

  • spector551
    spector551 Member Posts: 109
    #4
    longtermsurvivor said:

    OK tough guy

    If you are still needing to shave, you are tougher than I.  A bit into my taxotere/carboplatin my whiskers all fell out, every one of them.  Then of course during radiatio they did not grow either, and most of them didn't come back after rads.  Heck, two years out, I still have only a couple hundred whiskers, and I shave every now and then.  I don't miss it much, lol.

     

     

    Pat

    HAHAHA

    Pat,

    I'm only finishing my third week, so I'm sure it's coming. But, for not it's still growing... but much softer lol.

     

    God Bless,

     

    Jamie

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #5
    spector551 said:

    HAHAHA

    Pat,

    I'm only finishing my third week, so I'm sure it's coming. But, for not it's still growing... but much softer lol.

     

    God Bless,

     

    Jamie

    you know, this reminded me of something

    When my whiskes gave up, they came "loose" all at the same time, but were still stuck in my skin.  Like thousands of little pins, stuck in my skin.  It actually hurt.  If i rubbed my face, it felt like i was getting poked everywhere.  Then over a few days they all fell out, and the sensation with them.  I had completely forgotten this, ad haven't heard anyone else talk about it, but I swear that's the way it was for me.

  • catfish_58
    catfish_58 Member Posts: 138 Member
    #6
    Electric Razor

    Yea I was told to use an electric razor too.Went to Walmart and bought myself a Braun Electric Razor,Said it was for sensitive skin didn't like it for the first 5 or 6 shaves but finally got use to it.Am back to the razor now,Bet they said no alcohol on your skin too,plus Mine said to use aquaphor everyday.A kind of lotion for your skin plus a toothbrush that has soft bristles on it too.Dentist gave me a prescription for some toothpaste made for dry mouth.mouthwash was biotene for dry mouth.No alcohol in your mouthwash.Soon you'll know why they ask for these things,maybe not,hope all goes well

  • dunedintech
    dunedintech Member Posts: 90
    #7
    Electric

    Hi Jamie - I used a electric up until about week 5. After that there was no need for any shaving. 7 months out and I am back using the good old gillette. However the days of me growing a beard are long goneso shaving is a fairly quick process these days.

     

     

  • Mikemetz
    Mikemetz Member Posts: 465 Member
    #8
    It might grow on you...get it

    I did the electric shaver thing as well during treatments and for a while after--I had some spotty growth that needed to be cleaned up.  For the first year or so post-treatments I could get away with shaving about once a week, and only when I really needed to be presentable.  Gradually over the last 3+ years my whiskers have come back to the point of needing to shave every two days, and sometimes on consecutive days.  I'll never get my old beard and moustache back, and that's OK, but I do need to check every day to see if I can get away without shaving.

    mike

     

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #9
    Fell out

    During induction chemo The all hair fell out.  I had same experience as Pat.  At some point,  I  used tweezers to pluck the prickly ones out.  Very strange sensation to pull them and feel it but no pain. At five months post, facial hair is quite thin and slow growing.  Throwaway blade razor every few days does the job.  

  • Steve5
    Steve5 Member Posts: 147
    #10
    Using a Braun

    Hi Jamie - like Catfish I bought a Braun electric, I start treatments next week - thought I would get use to using one but see I may not need it in a few weeks - funny thing is at 53 I now wear those 1.25 reading glasses when I read, sometimes don't need them - but I looked in the mirror and my face looked okay, put my glasses on and wow I needed a shave - so I tried the electric - got use to not getting a real good shave from it, also shaving around the scar for my salivary gland movement  and under the chin is really senstive since they had to interrupt the "shaving muscle" under there - so I have this huge furry 4 inch arc under my right jaw and hair under my chin and right side - every thing else is shaved but it looks like if I press hard it shaves off some skin too- I wear turtle necks alot right now - any recommendation on that since it is cold and winter time - does that bother the neck area from radiations - should I just wear a crew to keep it open

    Steve

     

    ps- last time I used an electric was when I started shaving as a young teenager - norelco electric in my folks bathroom - and my grandparents always gave me aftershave for Christmas

  • hrowe
    hrowe Member Posts: 57
    #11
    I switched to an electric

    My neck gathers a little peach fuzz which I cut about once a week. Rest of my face is pretty much back to normal. I'm guessing I could go razor again on the face but have opted for an electric. I'm 17 mo post tx.

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