Why You Should Never Use The Same Razor You Shave Your Body With To Shave Your Face
For those who choose to engage in hair removal by shaving, it's certainly comforting to have that one handy-dandy razor you can rely on as your go-to. After all, it gets overwhelming (and cluttered) trying to keep multiples of any item straight — makeup brushes, toothbrushes, or sunscreens with various SPF levels. We don't need to add multiple different razors to the mix, do we?
When it comes to responsibilities, our skin wears many hats. Not only does it offer us protection from light, heat, and injury, but it also works with the sun to produce vitamin D, prevents water loss, and stops bacteria from making their way into the body (via Stanford Medicine).
However, the whole of our skin isn't all the same. Rather, our skin varies in color, thickness, and texture from one body part to the next. For example, the skin covering the palms of our hands is thicker in comparison to more delicate areas of the body. Alternatively, you'll find more hair growth on your scalp as opposed to the soles of your feet. Because our skin is so different from one area to the next, certain parts of our body are best served with different razors.
The risks of using one razor
For the sake of our health, we know it's a bad idea to share razors with a friend. After all, every one of us harbors germs on our skin. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Cynthia Bailey writes via Dr. Bailey Skin Care that when swapping razors, we make ourselves susceptible to the transfer of these germs, including fungal infections, viral infections (such as those responsible for herpes or warts), as well as blood-borne infections that can make their way into the body through small razor cuts on the skin's surface.
However, it's not just a friend's razor that poses risk for germ transfer. Rather, our own razors can facilitate the transfer of germs too if we're using the same razor on our face that we also use on the rest of our body.
"Never use the same razor for your body that you do for your face," Doug Janczyn, owner of Manscape Spa in Canada, told Men's Health. The reason is the types of bacteria that set up camp on our bodies are different from the kinds of bacteria that live on our faces. Therefore, when using the same razor, we run the risk of transferring germs — like those related to jock itch or staph infection — right onto our face. In fact, Dr. Bailey writes that an estimated 30% of individuals harbor staph bacteria on their skin, even if there are no symptoms that meet the eye.
The importance of using two separate razors
In order to safeguard your health, it's best to keep two handy-dandy go-to razors, one for your body and another for your face. "Ideally, you want two sets of razors," Janczyn told Men's Health.
Additionally, because razor blades can dull with use over time, you'll want to make sure to keep the blades on each razor nice and sharp in order to minimize the risk of cuts or skin irritation. To reduce these risks even further, stick to disposable razors. While perhaps not the most environmentally-friendly choice, a single-use razor will minimize the chances of accidentally using the same razor on your face if you're tossing it in the trash afterward each time.
However, if you find yourself in a pinch and a previously-used razor is your only option, fear not. While you should never take a razor from your body to your face, the opposite is less risky. Therefore, it's safer to use the same razor on your body that you've just used on your face.