Skin grain

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Dave T
Posts: 485
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2004 10:25 am
Location: West Virginia

Skin grain

Post by Dave T »

Does skin itself have a grain direction? Would it necessarily be the same as the grain of the hair? Or does the hair grain naturally always follow the skin grain?

Dave
95%
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Location: North Carolina

Post by 95% »

Speaking without the benefit of training in dermatology, I would say no, the skin cells lie flat on the surface, whereas hair grows at an angle, which we call grain. If I run my finger in various directions across a hairless stretch of skin (my forehead), I feel no difference.

What did you have in mind with your question?
Porter
Dave T
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Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2004 10:25 am
Location: West Virginia

Post by Dave T »

Porter,

I was wondering if one could shave with the beard grain yet still irritate the skin because he's shaving against the skin grain, probably not 180 degrees against it, but possibly across it, maybe as much as 60 degrees, more or less.

Dave
brothers
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Post by brothers »

The irritation is likely to come from technique. Things such as too much pressure, wrong angle, maybe a blade with sharpness issues.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
Dave T
Posts: 485
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2004 10:25 am
Location: West Virginia

Post by Dave T »

It was neck shaving that got me thinking about whether there is a grain to the skin. My neck hair is typical in that the upper part under my chin grows mostly straight down, and the lower part is at diagonals outward to different degrees, including nearly straight up at the lowest points. Even shaving with the grain of the hair can be irritating - the neck is a sensitive area, after all - and that's what makes me wonder if there's also a skin grain and if it would necessarily be the same as the hair grain.

Dave
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KAV
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Location: California, just above L.A. between the Reagan Library and Barbra Streisand's beach house

Post by KAV »

Skin, our largest organ is made up of individual cells in a 'zipper' interlocking pattern with space between them for moisture control via sweat glands and hair follicles. The older individual cells slough off as new ones rise from the epidermal layer.
Take twin men; one shaves and the other has a beard. Shave the bearded one after 20 years. The brother who shaved will have better skin health and appearance from the regimen of exfolliating with brush and blade.
Skin is not a perfect plane. This is why some shoe leathers are 'corrected' or sanded to a uniform thickness or grain. Irritation is nothing more than 'sanding' a few new cells off.
Like so many other activities; it's in the technique. Like grain in wood- measure twice and cut once.
roboboticus
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Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 2:25 pm

Post by roboboticus »

I've wondered this as well, also in relation to neck shaving. On much of my upper neck the hair grows front to back, roughly horizontally, and I find I tolerate XTG better than WTG there. I also find diagonal strokes (somewhere between WTG and XTG) to be useful there.

So I can't say whether there's an actual "skin grain", but you find what works, and for whatever reason, sometimes that's not truly WTG. Sometimes...
Ivan
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