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Hair on the face grows most rapidly immediately after shaving; then the rate becomes slower until a normal average of from 11 to 12 mm a month is attained. This was revealed in a recent issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association. The greatest difficulty in the majority of cases was encountered on the upper lip and on the central portion of the chin. Hair on the face never grows out perpendicularly, except occasionally on the curvature of the chin in front. The true cause of ingr own hair is not known except I in one disease, keratosis pilaris. Wounds of the skin above the hair root and surrounding the hair shaft seem to have a predisposing action. Some writers have erroneously ascribed such traumas to "dull razors." The experi ence of the investigators in regard to safety razors was that trauma occurs less often with dull blades than with sharp ones. Preparing the face for shaving modifies the initial hard condition of the hair shaft, protects the skin from traumas and affords the antiseptic action of soaps. Dull blades, incompletely softened hairs or improper shaving angles are the main causes of un satisfactory shaving. The original purpose of the safety razor was the addition of a safety razor in the form of a guard to the blade, so that the amount of skill required to shave without cutting the skin would be diminished to the point at which relatively unskilled hands co uld accomplish it. Safety razors differ in shaving quality largely as a result of their differences in the effective shaving angle. The effort required to obtain a close shave was judged from the number of passages of the razor required or from the amount of pressure or digging needed during having. The effort needed increased as the effective shaving angle decreased; as the blade be came dull; if the preparational period of watering and lathering was inadequate, and as the stiffness of lather was increased or if it clogged the razor. Less effort was needed if the skin was stretched enough to smooth the wrinkles and to raise the level of the pits; with dull blades when a diagonal or slanting stroke of the razor was used, and if the razor stoke was made against the direction of the hai r growth or "grain."

It is best to shave after washing your face with warm water. This will condition the skin and expand the facial hair. Partially fill your sink with warm water. This will be used to rinse your shaving blade as required and conserve water. Wet your shaving brush with hot water and brush the mug shaving soap briskly until a consistent solid white lather forms. Brush the shaving soap onto the area to be shaved. Rinse your shaving blade and begin to shave: Start Shaving where hair growth is the lightest (below the sideburns and at the neck). Leave the chin for last. First shave should be in the direction of hair growth to flush hair stubble to face depth. Rinse your shaving blade as often as desired. If a closer shave is desired, apply more shaving soap and shave again cutting against the direction of hair growth. Apply an after shave lotion to the shaved area.