Shaving bumps, be gone!
Long term followers will remember reading Merging two cultures, an article I wrote back in January highlighting how language can be a difficult thing when we make assumptions about understanding each other!
Mr O has been plagued with “shaving bumps”, something he hates and which he vows and declares does not happen when using the shaving powder mentioned in the above article.
Unfortunately, it just isn’t available here in Australia. After trying just about every local option available (we have a cupboard full of lotions, shaving creams/soaps etc) with really no improvement, we researched. Research revealed this is a common problem for black men. It is the type of hair – it doesn’t take kindly to these multi-blade razors at all. USA web sites detailed this clearly and although Mr O knew he never used razors because his hair is different, neither of us had ever really delved into the specific science of it. It was a bit of a “duh” moment for us both, I think! After all, from Mr O’s perspective, his hair is the only hair he has ever had to deal with!
Because black men have body hairs that are predominantly curly and wiry, shaved hair follicles tend to curve back and re-enter the skin as they grow, causing irritation and razor bumps. Ingrown hairs can also occur when hair doesn’t fully emerge from the skin’s surface and instead sits coiled underneath, leading to bumps and possible infection.
http://www.menscience.com/African-American-Shaving-Tips_ep_174.html
One of the recommendations is not to shave every day, but in societies where the clean-shaven look is almost mandatory, this can be difficult. Mr O likes to shave every day as a personal preference irrespective of social norms.
English: A shaving set composed of brush and a safety razor. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
DE (double edged) razors seemed to be the recommended solution on most sites. The LESS blades the better was the consensus. But where to buy them? I managed to find some actual blades in Safeway, but after trying three pharmacies and two supermarkets, I decided the razors themselves are just not available any more in general retail outlets. I’m of the opinion that because you buy one razor and it lasts for years, the general retail outlets, depending on fast and high product turnover, just do not stock them.
One pharmacy recommended a place called The Shaving Shop: they do sell some, so I swung past on my way to Costco today as a short term solution. We had done an on-line search and found some available on line, with prices from $29 to $400. I already knew blades would be hard to come by: internet shopping seemed to be the only solution. How on earth are all the other black men in Australia managing, we wonder?
Mr O was still depressed about his shaving powder: for him it is the ultimate solution. Understandably so, given he had used it most of his life and it worked! So we searched. Why we didn’t do this months ago I don’t know, but we didn’t. Life is busy! We think of solution hunting only when it drives him nuts and he usually only mentions it at night.
Suddenly Mr O spotted the shaving powder product: “That’s it!”
Turns out this product is made in the USA! So thanks to the miracles of eBay, we have bought a case. How long it will take to get here, we don’t know. Hopefully, not too long. We are going to take photos of before and after and publish the results as we both find this whole thing interesting. It is an aspect of moving to a country where you are definitely in the minority: appropriate products are not necessarily available that must cause many people endless frustration. I remember arriving in Australia and not being able to get my favourite toothpaste, but that was hardly a major issue as suitable replacements were easily available.
The shaving powder, I noticed from the USA web site, is often recommended by doctors. Doctors here, with little or no experience of the hair type, had given Mr O tablets and a cream. This wasn’t getting to the root of the problem, though, so really didn’t fix anything. We had even tried one depilatory cream for men available here, but it didn’t have enough strength on Mr O’s facial hair and most of those creams really aren’t meant to be used on the face anyway.
It will be interesting to see how long our purchase takes to arrive and also the results! Mr O is very pleased we are finally going to get the product he is used to. I am very pleased he is very pleased.
The freight was actually more expensive than the product, but given Mr O knows what he is getting, it will be worth it!
If you are someone who has relocated to a new country, what problems have you experienced getting products you have always used?
I wouldn’t suggest using shaving powders as a long term solution as its a chemical which dissolves your hair, you’ve got to ask yourself how healthy can this really be and just because a products is sold too many in the USA, does it mean that its 100% safe, relaxer’s and skin lighteners are an example of how a product which was once deemed as safe many years ago are now banned in a number of countries, plus what did black men used to do before all these chemical products were available, don’t recall my father or grand father having any issue with shaving bumps and they used razors, think you need to do some more research and learn how to shave correctly
Yes, Remma, it worries me too. The relaxers I particularly worry about. The shaving powder seems to have been used for years with as far as I know, no ill-effects, although I do worry about how long it needs to be left on. The success of shaving seems to depend on each inidviduals hair – I know some African men who have no trouble shaving too.
Skin lighteners definitely have no place in this house! They horrify me. The concept is just all wrong. We have white girls dying from skin cancer using solariums and dark girls trying to lighten their skin and suffering who knows what skin damage.
The single blade razers do seem to be much better. I will do some reseach on any ill effects of the shaving powder.
Thank you for your thoughts.
Now you do not have to wonder why so many African Americans wear beards. Its those little tiny hairs that refuse to grow straight out that dictates the growth.
It does illustrate my article that equality does not mean sameness in a very practical way. This is a difference in this country that is not being catered for yet. I am surprised we couldn’t find products locally though. It is all a question of numbers: until the buyers exist in “worthwhile” numbers for a business, no-one will import. Supply and demand, the old first law of economics!
Poor Mr O! Finding familiar products when we move to a foriegn country is a real nightmare. And I don’t blame you importing your shaving product.
I want some miracle gro for my plants, but you can’t buy in Portugal and companies, even Amazon won’t deliver. THis means I need to have it delivered to a shipping company in the UK and then they deliver to a depot about 80miles away. A lot of money to feed a few tomatoes!
Good luck with your quest Mr O!
One question though.
Dont you have to pay import duty if it’s coming from the USA?
Heavens, Carole, I hadn’t thought of that! I hope not, but I guess we will find out.
Your tomatoes must end up quite expensive after they’d shipping and the petrol to collect the miracle gro! Might be cheaper to buy them locally! But that would take the fun out of growing them…..
Fascinating… absolutely fascinating..
I always thought shaving was probably a nuisance, but relatively easy and getting easier with the newer, fancier razors and so on. Not so, I have discovered! I remember a man once saying to me he didn’t understand why women moaned about their menstruation, it is only once a month, at least we din’t have to shave everyday. I thought that man was just being difficult: I am now appreciating it isn’t as easy as I thought, at least not for some men!
yes I rember that being said to me too !! but of course men don’t have to shave everyday if they don’t want to they can grow a beard !! whereas women pretty much HAVE to deal with menstruation…like it or not!
Very good point! We have no choice! I’m not much into beards myself, so I like Mr O’s clean shaven look.
I’ve learnt a lot through his difficulty with this though.
learning is always good…
Finally, the long search comes to an end
The facial hairs with our men are very tricky. When my grandpa used to kiss me on the cheeks, I always swore I would get scratchmarks haha. It’s awesome Mr.O finally has a solution for those hairs…
From what we researched, not everyone has the toughest facial hair, but it certainly seems Mr O does. The shaving equipment used here is just not appropriate.
I also found this much safer relaxer newly out in the USA too, but the girls’ hair is a whole other story!