Shaving in Black and White

Friday, 30 May 2014 16:57

Byron Bailey

Clean shaven perfection is achieved on television commercials but is it your reality? The sharp ads portray the manly art of shaving as a refreshing and simple morning exercise that dispatches hair stubble with a few strokes of a razor before the man splashes on after shave. The man’s wife http://www.cialispharmaciefr24.com/acheter-cialis-en-ligne-france/ then draws the palm of her hand across his smooth face, exclaiming over its softness. But for most black men this never

happens.

Razor or blade shaving works for white men and other men who have straight hair. But for black men and those with course curly hair, shaving with a razor or a blade is an ordeal that can lead https://www.acheterviagrafr24.com/prix-viagra/ to the face being disfigured by razor bumps and skin discoloration, both of which can affect a man’s appearance, self-image and self-esteem.

Historically, razor bumps remain a significant problem for black men. Certainly, most black men have razor bumps, but not all,” explained  Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield, III, owner of Crutchfield Dermatology, an Eagan, Minn.-based practice that treats African-American men for razor bumps. Dr. Crutchfield is also a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

The Journal of the National Medical Association published a study by a black physicians group in 1974 titled, Pseudofolliculitis barbae in the Military. Pseudofolliculitis barbae, first described in 1956, is the medical term for razor bumps.

Razor bumps are more common and more severe among African-American men, reported the journal article, which was written by Major Alvin M. Alexander, M.D., chief of Dermatology Service at the U.S. Army Medical Center in Okinawa, Japan, and Walter I. Delph, M.D., a physician at Montefiore Hospital in New York City.

There are two causes of razor bumps, explained Dr. Crutchfield.  “One is called extrafollicular penetration and other is called transfollicular penetration.  Because black men tend to have curly hair, the hair curls back into the skin after shaving, causing  inflammation. The inflammation can look like pimples. The hair follicles can also become infected.”

Razor bumps can be physically disfiguring, and they can affect black men’s psychological well-being, Dr. Crutchfield said. Black men are often so self-conscious about their razor bumps they don’t apply for jobs because they are concerned about how they will be perceived.

For shaving tips and techniques along with solutions for razor bump concerns, visit www.lookimpeccable.com

Read full article from The North Star News.com 

http://www.thenorthstarnews.com/fullstory/story/for-many-black-men-shaving-is-an-ordeal