Close Shave

Q: I regularly get skinhead haircuts and the closest shave measure I get in my barbershop is quite simply a zero all over. I find that when touching my hair after this type of shaving, there can be a bit more hair left than you would expect and it can be tighter again and I also see some other guys with it tighter than mine.

One of the options is to shave my head with a rotary shaver, normally used for facial hair which should leave it being as tight as possible. What I want to know is: is this a good idea and is there an alternative to this to get my hair tighter than after my barber shaves? Also does this affect the growth of the hair and it will obviously take time to grow back, but will it eventually grow back?

A: For the average individual, a zero (#0) haircut is almost terrifyingly short. However, since you are a fan of short-buzzed haircuts, that 1/16th of an inch left after the bare clipper blade glides over your scalp can seem like a significant amount of hair.

Because of this, guys who are after that skin-smooth look and feel, often look to follow their buzz cut with a shave of some sort. You have come to this same conclusion, which is why you’ve written.

Shaving the scalp has its own hazards as nicks and scrapes can result due to the contours and bumps of the skull. Electric razors are an excellent option to prevent the problem, as long as you use them properly.

Most traditional electric razor models are designed to work best giving a dry shave. Because of this, you have to be sure to use an astringent to clean away the oils and residues that are more common on the scalp than the face in order to get a good shave with them.

I recommend, however, that you look for one of the newer, “wet shave” electric razor models. These are designed to use a shaving lotion in conjunction with the razor and are reported to give a closer, smoother shave and cause less irritation to sensitive skin.

This can be particularly helpful if you are new to such short hair styles, although the skin of the scalp can be more sensitive than that of the face, by virtue of the increased number of blood vessels and nerve endings.

As for concerns over how an electric shaver will affect re-growth, there’s no need to be concerned. The hair follicles would have to be damaged to stop hair production apart from the changes caused by male pattern hair loss. Besides, if electric shavers caused the hair to eventually stop growing back, they’d be driving themselves out of business in a hurry.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

How to shave your head

Clipper cutting techniques for short-buzzed haircuts

Men's grooming

How to use a straight razor