10 Strange Facts About Shaving

We thought we’d compile a weird and wonderful list of 10 strange shaving facts, certainly some you’ll have never heard of before. Fact number 10 is a particularly weird one, and I bet you had never heard of number 7…

FACT 1
A man’s face is covered with 10,000-15,000 hair follicles and the average shave comprises of 150 strokes with a razor.

A man will shave more than 20,000 times during his life and this accounts for more than 145 days!

The total length of hair shaved over a lifetime is about eight metres!

FACT 2
The first safety razor was designed in the late 19th century and patented in 1901 and today, remains the most common type of razor.

More than 25 million razor blades are sold in the UK alone each year.

FACT 3
Your skin changes and this can affect shaving.

Your skin changes in different temperatures, levels of humidity, as well as with different diets and when you are stressed.

As well as this, your facial hair grows at different rates in the different areas of your face. Hair growth also differs from one man to the next.

FACT 4 
The earliest razor was found in an ancient Egyptian tomb and dates from the 4th millennium BC. The razor was beautifully crafted in solid gold and copper

The Ancient Egyptians – both men and women – used to shave both their heads and facial hair. They wore elaborate wigs which gave their heads greater protection from the sun than hair could.

The Egyptians also used to shave off their eyebrows when their cat died as a sign of mourning.

FACT 5
There is an old wives’ tale that says that if you shave hair it will grow back quicker, it is actually completely untrue!

The hair appears thicker because its finely pointed end has been cut off by the razor.

FACT 6
A beard tax was introduced by King Henry VIII in England in 1535. The king had a beard himself and the tax he introduced was a graduated one, depending on the beard wearer’s position in society.

FACT 7
‘Pogonophobia’ is a fear of beards. The word comes from two Greek words, pogon (meaning beard) and phobos (a fear). Symptoms of pogonophobia include feelings of nausea, sweating, shortness of breath and an irregular heartbeat or palpitations.

Pogonophobia is triggered by many factors including a distrust of men with beards. Interestingly, there has not been a bearded American President since the 19th century!!…

FACT 8
Man has been shaving for more than 5,000 years.

In ancient times he used sea shells, sharks’ teeth and flint stones to obtain a good shave!

The Aztecs used to shave themselves using volcanic glass.

FACT 9
Most shaving problems are caused by bad technique.

If you want a smooth, close shave, invest in a good razor, use sharp blades and follow a good shaving procedure. You’ll be delighted with the results.

FACT 10
In the 3rd century BC, Alexander the Great forbade his soldiers to have beards as he said that the enemy could grab them by the beard during combat.

Most armies still do not allow their soldiers to have beards, not only for this reason, but because during the First World War it was found that a beard prevented a gas mask from fitting on the face snugly.

Likewise, Royal Air Force pilots are not allowed to have beards because during the Second World War it was found that oxygen masks did not fit tightly enough on the face.