Thread: Weight loss

I've been str8 shaving for about two years and had reached a point where I was getting BBS shaves with no nicks. The I went on a diet and lost 30 pounds. Now I'm hacking myself again just like in the beginning. Any body else experience this?

It might be time to examine your priorities. Anyone can gain back 30 pounds (I've done it time after time), few can master the straight razor. This advice comes to you at no charge.

Just guessing here, but perhaps as you have lost weight your face has changed a bit. If your brain and hands are still working from the old 'face map' that's in your noggin, you may have to relearn a slightly different routine for your new and improved mug.

Congrats on the weight loss, and good luck with the shaves!

Jason

Tom, Think on this for awhile.

I am old (60) and lean (6'3' 180lbs). Lots of sharp angles and somewhat loose skin. To shave well, I need to stretch my old hide tight and pull it away from sharp angles, i.e. adam's apple, jaw and chin.

Teaching my young (30) cousin to shave with a straight was a real eye opener for me. He is a somewhat rotund chef with supple skin and few angles. After two lessons, he was off to the races. And, his beard is coarser than mine!

You need to stretch your skin taut and pull it away from facial protrusions. Do this and you will get back to where you were.

I wish you success and congrats on losing the weight!
Jimbo

you'd be surprised how much your body changes when you lose weight. I lost 40 lbs over the course of a summer and I was amazed at how my hair pretty much everywhere changed. Body hair that had been patchy coalesced when the extra skin shrunk away, and the beard on my neck got thicker. As your skin shrinks those follicles move around.

Yep, the exact same thing happened to me. I didn't do any damage however I had to make some major adjustments in my technique. Losing weight really does affect the contours of your face and you have to make some real adjustments.

I dunno -- it's not like he lost 30 pounds overnight (you didn't, did you?) --- it seems like such a gradual change would sort of work itself out with gradual changes in shaving habits. Are you sure you aren't secretly angry with yourself?

Originally Posted by stimpy52

I dunno -- it's not like he lost 30 pounds overnight (you didn't, did you?) --- it seems like such a gradual change would sort of work itself out with gradual changes in shaving habits. Are you sure you aren't secretly angry with yourself?

It's like the straw that broke the camels back. As you lose weight your face changes gradually but you keep shaving the same and then you reach that point where suddenly you realize things are not as they were before. It may not seem logical but that's how it was for me.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

It's like the straw that broke the camels back. As you lose weight your face changes gradually but you keep shaving the same and then you reach that point where suddenly you realize things are not as they were before. It may not seem logical but that's how it was for me.

I had a similar (albeit non-shaving) thing happen to me. I went to work one Friday and my clothes fit me pretty well...they were getting baggy by this point but they still fit. Monday morning I went to put my belt on, the same belt I had worn on Friday, and it suddenly didn't have enough holes to hold my pants up. So I had to shuffle into school (I'm a teacher) and I found a hammer, nail and scrap board in the art studio and punched myself a new belt hole. It was amazing how the belt worked just fine on Friday, but two days later it just wasn't enough anymore. I imagine the same thing can happen with your face. One day it works, the next it doesn't. Let's face it: our bodies are weird.

No, I have never experienced that. The only weight I have lost since straight razor shaving, is from my wallet.
RAD, HAD and whatever else straight razor disease is waiting for me.