Electric razors: how they work

In short: Electric razors remove beard hair using rapidly moving blades, without needing water, foam, or a wet shave. There are mainly two types, rotary and foil shavers, which rely on different mechanisms.

In more detail: Unlike wet shaving, an electric razor cuts hair slightly above the skin, meaning a lower risk of cuts and ingrown hairs.

In detail

• Rotary shavers: Three round shaving heads rotate and flexibly adapt to facial contours, capturing uneven skin areas well too.
• Foil shavers: A thin, perforated metal foil guides hairs to underlying blades that move very rapidly sideways, cutting precisely.
• Shearing principle: The blades move along fixed counterparts, shearing off hairs similarly to scissors.
• Dry and wet shaving: Many modern electric razors can be used both dry and with foam or gel in the shower.
• Battery life: Modern razors use powerful batteries that allow several shaves per charge and often offer quick-charge functionality.
• Cleaning: Regular cleaning, and sometimes automatic cleaning stations, remove hair residue and prevent a decline in sharpness.
• Skin tolerance: Electric shaving often causes less irritation than wet shaving for sensitive skin but usually achieves a less smooth result (buegeleisen-und-daempfer-funktionsweise, haut-aufbau-und-funktionen).