Wet razor

Wet razor are manually operated razors. They are used primarily to remove whiskers, but can also be used for shaving other parts of the body. The hair is not removed with the root as with epilation, but only superficially shortened.

What is a wet razor?

The development of the wet razor began with the introduction of the Safety razor at the end of the nineteenth century. However, ancient finds of shaving scrapers are known as early as the sixth millennium BC. These have often been used to remove beard or other body hair with the aid of water. Hard rock blades were later replaced by razors with fixed metallic blades. Razors could be used for both dry and wet shaving. They were mostly used by barbers who carried out dry hair and beard removal on a commercial basis.

Today's manually operated razors are wet razors. They usually consist of a handle that can be reused and a replaceable blade head. Before shaving, skin and hair must be prepared to avoid irritation.

Wet razors shorten beard or body hair down to the surface of the skin. It does not remove hair roots. The shave must be repeated at regular intervals.

Shapes, types & types

The first real wet razors were introduced in the late nineteenth century with the development of safety razors. A razor blade is used, which is inserted into the planer head and only protrudes slightly from it. In contrast to the razors used before, this results in fewer injuries.

The safety razor consists of a handle and a plane head, in which worn razor blades are replaced with new ones after several shaves. The safety razor was the predominant razor from the First World War into the 1970s. However, with the development of system razors, they quickly lost their importance.

System razors are wet razors with a replaceable blade head. They are composed of a reusable handle and a shaving head that contains several razor blades. They also contain streaks of moisture that wear out over time. This shaving head must be replaced after several shaves.

Outwardly, the system razor looks similar to the safety razor. In contrast to this, however, the razor head of the system razor is equipped with several blades. Here, not the blades, but the entire shaving head are replaced. Today only system razors are usually offered, although plane razors and straight razors are much more environmentally friendly and cheaper to buy.

Structure & functionality

In preparation for the wet shave, the beard or body hair is first treated by moistening it with warm water and shaving cream, shaving foam, shaving soap or shower gel. This softens the whiskers and creates a layer on the skin that allows the razor to glide gently.

Shaving soap was traditionally used and is still popular today. Shaving soap is high in stearic acid and coconut oil. It is offered in bar form or as small bars of soap. For greater shaving comfort, the industry today offers shaving foam from the spray can. The disadvantage here, however, is that the softening of the whiskers is not as effective as with shaving cream or shaving soap.

A good alternative is shaving oil. Shaving oil contains so-called tannins, which have anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effects. Often shaving oil is also applied before using shaving foam. This results in a combination of beard-softening, anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effects.

After shaving, a so-called aftershave enables micro-injuries to be disinfected. After eight to twelve shaves, the blades of a system razor are so dull that an effective shave is no longer possible. It is therefore recommended that the blade head be changed at these intervals.

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Medical & health benefits

Today shaving, including wet shaving, is mainly carried out for cosmetic and aesthetic reasons. Of course, hygienic reasons can also be given, because beard or body hair can carry germs. However, good personal hygiene can prevent this.

In the past, shaving was often for ritual reasons. In ancient Rome, for example, the first shave was celebrated as a religious ritual. However, shaving has no primary health benefit. However, a few things should be observed when shaving wet so as not to suffer from skin irritation later.

It is strongly recommended to use warm water before shaving to soften the hair better. After shaving, cold water is better because it refreshes and closes pores. However, as a result of shaving, skin irritation can occur, which is commonly referred to as razor burn.

After wet shaving, razor burn often develops if the wrong care products are used. This can happen even if aftershaves are not used. As already mentioned, the alcohol-based care products are used to disinfect the micro-injuries. Razor burn manifests itself in skin irritation and itchy skin. The symptoms usually subside quickly. However, shaving should be stopped until the irritation has healed.

However, longer-term inflammation can occur on sensitive skin. To prevent razor burn, gentle, frequent shaving of the affected area is recommended until the skin has got used to shaving. Blurred blades should be replaced and excessive pressure should be avoided when shaving.