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Male skin:
an increasingly
sensitive subject
A review of male sensitive skin and the role of the
Gillette® Sensitive Skin product range in its management
Executive Summary
Sensitive skin is a very real problem for the majority of the population and has a
measurable impact on quality of life. Although the precise pathophysiology remains
undefined, recent advances in the assessment of sub-clinical symptomatology have
revealed a potential relationship between structural changes in the stratum corneum
and the structure and function of the epidermal nerve supply. These changes suggest a
link between sensitive skin and the increased passage of potential irritants through the
stratum corneum.
While traditionally viewed as a female problem, it has recently become apparent that
the rates of occurrence of self-assessed sensitive skin in men are rapidly approaching
those in women.
Gillette® has prepared this white paper to provide healthcare professionals with
the latest information on the impact of shaving on sensitive facial skin, including
suggested product regimens. Three bodies of new research explore this topic offering
healthcare professionals not only dermatologist’s opinions and clinical research, but
also information directly from men themselves regarding their increased perception
of sensitive skin. This is especially important as these men are turning to the
dermatologist community for guidance to address this matter.
A recent global study by Gillette® found that two-thirds of men believed themselves
to have sensitive facial skin – with nearly half of men reporting that the problem
had become worse over the last five years – and that for more than half of men
with sensitive skin, shaving is a significant issue. The results of two recent studies by
Gillette® into the experience of dermatologists reflected those of the male public. The
great majority of dermatologists surveyed reported that they have seen an increase in
male sensitive skin, caused in part by an increased acceptance in society of the issue.
Nearly six in ten men actively seek out shave and skin care products designed for
sensitive skin, and more than 90 percent of dermatologists agree that a man’s choice
of shaving products matters.
The range of sensitive skin-specific shaving products developed by Gillette® is based
on decades of research and deep understanding of the specific needs of men and
their skin. This range includes both pre- and post-shave skincare products uniquely
designed to minimise skin irritation, maximise skin moisturization and reduce cutting
forces for lower drag and pull. When combined with Gillette’s ProGlide™ range of
razors – offering Gillette’s thinnest, finest blades which have been proven to be well
tolerated on sensitive skin – these products together offer a shaving solution that
dermatologists can be comfortable recommending to men with sensitive skin.
1
Male skin: an increasingly sensitive subjecT
Introduction
Sensitive skin can be a sensitive subject. For a long time it was thought to be
a primarily female condition, and the lack of objective symptoms or compelling
pathophysiology have contributed to questions over whether it was a genuine
dermatological condition. Lately, research has shown that the majority of the
population self-assess as having sensitive skin, with reported rates in men
increasingly catching up with those in women.
Although a definitive pathophysiological explanation for sensitive skin remains
to be verified, the use of increasingly sophisticated testing technologies has
clearly demonstrated the presence of sub-clinical markers for sensitive skin and
confirmed sensitive skin as a condition worthy of treatment.
In many cases, men with sensitive skin on the face and/or neck face a daily
challenge in managing their need or desire to remain clean-shaven with the
discomfort that can be caused by shaving. These men are increasingly turning
to the dermatology community for guidance on the correct shaving regimen,
so this white paper sets out to give a background to the latest understanding
of the causes and epidemiology of sensitive skin. It then goes on to discuss the
consensus view on optimal management, before outlining the advances made
by Gillette® in the development of a portfolio of products that harness this
understanding to offer men with sensitive skin suitable shaving solutions.
2
What is sensitive skin?
Sensitive skin is in many ways a challenge for the dermatology community, presenting
as a subjective hyper-reactivity to ‘normal’ stimuli, with few objective measures usually
available to allow for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Sensitive skin appears to present in most areas of the body, however it is most commonly
found on the facial skin, particularly around the nasolabial fold, cheeks, chin, forehead
and upper lip. Currently, diagnosis is dependent on self-reported symptoms of tightness,
itching, burning or stinging, becoming particularly noticeable on exposure of affected
skin to irritants (frequently soaps, cosmetics and sunscreens are cited as triggers).
Symptoms are often reported to worsen in relation to stress, excessively dry and
excessively cold or warm conditions. While some objective signs of irritation may be
present (erythema, dryness, rash), these are not common. The lack of objective signs
has led to some debate in the past around the existence of sensitive skin as a discrete
condition; however this has diminished as a clearer functional definition has appeared.
Facial sensitive skin is a particular problem for many people as it impacts upon their
ability to maintain their appearance in the way they would wish, with many women
choosing to forego cosmetics or a skincare regime and many men finding it difficult
to maintain their preferred skincare and shaving schedule as a result of the discomfort
associated with prolonged irritation of sensitive areas. Perhaps as a result of the daily
discomfort experienced, there is also evidence that sensitive skin is linked to reduced
psychological quality of life (Misery 2007), with a direct relationship between
increased symptom severity and reduced quality of life.
Conditions such as Pseudofolliculitis barbae, atopic dermatitis and other dermatological
conditions with a distinct pathology are outside the scope of this paper. This discussion
concerns subjectively self-assessed sensitive skin in the general shaving population
without a medical diagnosis or objective clinical etiology.
3
Male skin: an increasingly sensitive subjecT
What makes skin sensitive?
While its pathophysiology is still not fully understood, it appears that sensitive skin is
distinct from a allergic or immune disorder (Misery 2007) and that a number of factors
may be involved in its occurrence.
One of the main contributory factors appears to be an alteration in the stratum
corneum. People with sensitive skin have been shown to have a thinner stratum
corneum with reduced corneocyte area (Berardesca 1991) along with an imbalance
in the intercellular lipids of the stratum corneum (Ohta 2000). Together, these findings
suggest a stratum corneum that is more susceptible to loss of water and penetration of
chemical irritants. Indeed, when compared with a non-sensitive population, sensitive skin
is drier, less flexible, more erythematous and more teleangiectatic (Seidenari 1998).
Another factor believed to play a role in sensitive skin is altered nerve function
(Berardesca 2012, Misery 2007, Misery 2002). While the stratum corneum itself
is not innervated, elevated levels of nerve growth factor and other neurotransmitters
have been found in the stratum corneum of sensitive skin (Misery 2007, Misery 2002).
The presence of these substances may be related to a ‘priming’ of the nerves of the
epidermis that leads to increased sensitivity and/or neurogenic inflammation. On a
molecular level, the activity of transient receptor potential (TRP) channel family members
such as TRPV1 (TRP vanilloid subfamily, member 1) is also being researched with
regard to their association with sensitive skin (Kueper 2010).
Interestingly, animal models have suggested a possible link between stress and skin
sensitivity. Stress has been shown to lead to the release of substance P from unmyelinated
nerve fibres (similar to those found in the epidermis) in animals, ultimately leading to
mast cell degranulation and histamine release (Kumagai 2011). Studies in sensitive
skin sufferers have demonstrated high densities of mast cells and increased size of
microvasculature, perhaps reflecting the existence of a similar mechanism in human
subjects (Berardesca 2012, Quaresooz 2009).
4
How common is sensitive skin?
Sensitive skin has traditionally been considered a predominantly female concern,
particularly given the theoretical relationship between skin thickness and symptoms;
however the number of men reporting sensitive skin is substantial and appears to be
growing (Berardesca 2012, Farage 2009).
Studies in Europe, the US and Japan have reported skin sensitivity rates of 50 – 61 percent
among women and 30 – 38 percent among male subjects (Berardesca 2012, Farage
2010, Willis 2001, Guinot 2006, Kligman 2006, Misery 2009, Misery 2011). If
‘slightly sensitive’ skin is considered, research has revealed reported sensitive skin
rates as high as 84 percent globally (Farage 2010). In a recent study from the US,
68.4 percent of respondents self-reported sensitive skin with 77.3 percent claiming
sensitive facial skin. Notably, there was no significant difference in results by gender
in overall reports of sensitivity; however reported severity was somewhat higher in
women (Farage 2009).
5
Male skin: an increasingly sensitive subjecT
New global data
In order to better understand the needs of the male sensitive skin population, Gillette®
recently conducted a survey of unprecedented scale amongst men, polling 3,326
men from the US, UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, Turkey, Russia, Japan, Korea
and Australia (Gillette® Consumer Survey). In this survey, 66 percent of men reported
having sensitive facial skin (Gillette® Consumer Survey). Of these, 75 percent reported
that their skin was ‘quite sensitive’ and 15 percent reported having ‘extremely sensitive’
skin (Gillette® Consumer Survey). Interestingly, nearly half of respondents (45 percent)
reported that their skin had become more sensitive over the last 5 years (Gillette®
Consumer Survey). This figure was substantially higher in Korea, Turkey and Poland,
where 57 percent of respondents reported a change during this period (Gillette®
Consumer Survey).
Percentage of men have sensitive skin
Australia
Japan
Korea
Turkey
Russia
Poland
Italy
US
UK
Germany
Spain
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Figure 1: Percentage of men self-reporting
sensitive skin (Gillette® Consumer Survey)
When asking men in this survey what made them think they had sensitive skin, the
main reported indicators were dryness (50 percent), redness (42 percent) and itchiness
(32 percent) (Gillette® Consumer Survey). The indicators of sensitivity differ somewhat
with geography, with Korean and German men most frequently noting dryness as a
key indicator (62 percent and 63 percent) while 56 percent of Italian and Polish men
report redness as a key indicator (Gillette® Consumer Survey). Burning and stinging
were cited by only 22 percent of men globally, however in Turkey this figure increased
to 36 percent (Gillette® Consumer Survey).
6
The dermatologist’s perspective
As well as investigating consumer experiences of sensitive skin, Gillette® also investigated
dermatologists’ experience of sensitive skin in a recent survey of 1,531 subjects conducted
in Europe‡ and 300 subjects in a US internet survey (Gillette® Dermatologist Survey).
When asked if they have seen an increase in cases of male sensitive skin over the last
5 years, 82 percent of respondents in the European study and 58.3 percent of the
US study respondents agreed or strongly agreed.
Percent responding for each level of agreement
When asked to identify possible causes for this increase, the three most commonly
cited reasons in the European study were environmental factors (53 percent),
particularly exposure to UV light and extremes of temperature and humidity; increased
acceptance in society (52 percent); and stress (52 percent) (Gillette® Dermatologist
Survey). Of the reasons cited by US respondents, the most common were increased
use of cosmetic products and procedures by men (66 percent), increased discussion
of skin problems with physicians (64.7 percent) and increased acceptance in society
(63.3 percent) (Gillette® Dermatologist Survey). In contrast to the European findings,
response to stress was the least commonly cited reason in the US survey (36.3 percent)
(Gillette® Dermatologist Survey).
82.0
58.3
57.5
47.0
29.3
24.4
12.1
11.3
12.0
3.1
Strongly Agree/
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neither Agree
nor Disagree
European Survey (N=1531)
0.9
0.3
Disagree Strongly Disagree
US Internet Survey (N=300)
Figure 2: Increase in male patients reporting sensitive skin
‡
Survey conducted at 2012 meeting of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, Prague, Czech Republic. Not all respondents
were EU-based.
7
Male skin: an increasingly sensitive subjecT
Figure 3: Illustration of the
shaving challenge - stiff
beard hairs held within
soft, undulating skin
The shaving challenge
The process of shaving represents a complex compromise, balancing robust removal
of hair against minimized impact to the sensitive skin substrate (Cowley 2012). Close
examination of the physiology of the male beard reveals that it can be compared to
tough fibers embedded in a soft jelly-like matrix (Figure 3).
This discrepancy in the relative properties of skin and hair results in a significant
challenge when attempting to manipulate hairs for optimal, safe removal during
shaving.
The elastic modulus of dry beard hair has been measured to be around 3-4GPa, which
decreases to around 1-2GPa when the hair is fully hydrated. The deformation of skin,
in comparison, is highly non-linear and viscoelastic, with skin approximated to have an
initial modulus of the order of 1MPa. This results in a relative ratio of around 1000 for
the stiffness of hair/skin, resulting in tough hairs being relatively loosely supported in
facial tissue (Cowley 2012).
The cross-sectional size and profile of each individual hair is known to vary between
individuals and across the facial sites of a single individual (Ertel 2010).
The human hair follicle and the surrounding skin are richly innervated. Moreover, the
topography of the skin is highly variable and combined with the presence of hairs,
results in a very irregular terrain over which an incredibly sharp blade must safely
traverse (Figure 4) (Ertel 2010).
Figure 4: Electron
micrograph of male
facial skin
8
Shaving discomfort has been found to be proportional to the hair cutting force. It
is hypothesized that discomfort associated with shaving is linked to localized skin
displacement and/or the rotation and extension of the beard fiber in its follicle (Figure 5).
Shaving can also cause irritation by the removal of irregular elevations of the skin by
the razor blade, particularly around the follicular openings (Ertel 2010).
Figure 5: Cutting forces
impact shaving comfort
The Neck as a Specific Problem Area
The physiology of the face varies significantly between adjacent areas, even within
an individual. Comparison of the properties of cheek and neck, for example, shows
large differences in many of the key variables that will impact the quality of the shave.
Hair elevation angles have been shown to be significantly lower on the neck than on
the cheek; a factor which can make it more difficult for the blade to engage into the
hairs when stroking with the hair growth direction. Skin properties also exacerbate the
problem with, for example, greater skin roughness on the neck than on the cheek, as
shown in Figure 6 (Cowley 2012).
CHEEK
NECK
Figure 6: The difference in
skin roughness observed
for cheek and neck regions
on a single individual
In some cases, localized mounding of the skin on the neck can impede the beard hair
from protruding freely from the follicular opening (Figure 7), described as a ‘trapped
hair’.
The majority of men report the neck as the area where they are most likely to experience
soreness and irritation (Cowley 2012).
9
Male skin: an increasingly sensitive subjecT
Figure 7: A trapped hair,
characterised by localized
mounding of the skin on
the neck
Shaving with sensitive skin
As an incompletely understood condition, the care and management of sensitive skin
can be challenging for sufferers. This challenge is particularly troublesome for men who
need and desire to shave on a regular basis.
Alongside the physical discomfort reported by those men with sensitive skin, in the
survey from Gillette® (Gillette® Consumer Survey), more than half (52 percent) of men
reported that they shave less often than they would want to because of their sensitive
skin, with a particular issue being seen in Italy where two-thirds (66 percent) found they
adjust their shaving schedule as a result of skin sensitivity.
When asked whether they seek out products specifically designed for sensitive skin,
nearly 6-in-10 (59 percent) men worldwide confirmed that they sought specialized
skincare and shaving products in order to help manage their skin sensitivity (Gillette®
Consumer Survey).
Are these men taking the right approach? Dermatologists appear to think so. When
asked about the role of shaving products in the management of sensitive skin, 92 percent
of dermatologists responding to the European study and more than 95 percent of US
dermatologists agreed that the selection of shaving products can play an important role
for men with sensitive facial skin (Gillette® Dermatologist Survey).
10
The Gillette® sensitive skin range
We know that roughly 1.3 billion men around the world shave with blades and
razors—shaving is at the core of male grooming and Gillette® has developed a deep
understanding of men’s skin and the grooming process over many years of research
and product development.
Gillette® understands that the ideal product range for sensitive skin is gentle on the skin,
contains minimal potential irritants, lubricates the skin surface to minimize abrasion
and friction, and minimizes cutting forces to reduce ‘tug and pull’. By developing a
portfolio of products designed specifically to tackle sensitive skin issues, Gillette® has
been able to produce a range of products that meet all the requirements identified by
both consumers and dermatologists and offer full integration and synergies between
elements in order to give optimal shaving results while protecting skin from irritation.
Before shaving
A successful shaving program for men with sensitive skin should begin with good
preparation. Effective preparation with a face wash or scrub can help to reduce skin
sensitivity by softening the beard hair, significantly reducing cutting forces, clearing
the skin and hair of oil and debris and releasing trapped hairs.
12
Cutting Force (g)
11
10
9
Dry Hair
Significant reduction in cutting
force after 2 min hydration
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
Figure 8: Hydrated hair
requires a lower cutting
force than dry hair
1
0
01234510
HYDRATION TIME (min)
11 Male skin: an increasingly sensitive subjecT
Figure 9: Scanning electron
micrographs showing hair
and skin before (left) and
after (right) washing with
a mild facial scrub
Gillette’s range of pre-shave washes and scrubs include options for men with sensitive
skin. These have been formulated to be mild, non-drying and soap-free and have been
dermatologically tested and shown in clinical studies to be well-tolerated by men with
self-assessed sensitive skin.
During shaving
Gillette’s range of shave gels includes items specifically formulated for use on sensitive skin.
These gels have been developed with reduced levels of perfumes. They also combine a rich
lather to hydrate beard hair and maintain hair softness throughout the shave with advanced
lubricants (including highly hydrophilic linear polymers such as PEG-90M, PEG-23M ) to
provide enhanced razor glide over a protective anti-friction layer.
12
The razor
explained:
Fusion®
ProGlide™
Modern razors comprise multiple highly-advanced
technological features that manage the skin and
hair during the shaving process. These ensure
that optimal closeness and comfort is attained by
presenting the hairs in the most favorable manner
for removal, whilst controlling and supporting the
surrounding skin.
Fusion® ProGlide™ razors use an array of Gillette’s
most advanced technologies to offer a great
shaving solution for all men, even on sensitive skin.
1
Blade technology
The process of the blade cutting through the
hair can lead to the sensation of tug and
pull experienced by consumers (Figure 5).
By employing a finer cutting edge, lower
forces are required to progress the blade
through the hair leading to an improvement
in shaving comfort.
One of ProGlide’s key innovations is
the use of Gillette’s thinnest, finest
blades*. They are treated with a low
resistance coating to glide effortlessly over
skin and through hair with lower cutting
force and less tug and pull **- making the
ProGlide™ range of razors great for men with
sensitive skin.
Figure 10
*First four blades
**Versus Gillette® Fusion®
13
2
Blade spacing:
the role of the
blade stabilizer
Figure 11: Multiple blade
razors and skin management.
Spacing 5 blades closer
together (right) creates a
shaving surface that helps
spread shaving force for a
more comfortable shave
MACH3® Turbo
3 blades
Fusion®
5 blades
Figure 12: Five-blade razors
with lower inter-blade distance
reduce the height of the skin
bulge (bottom) compared to
three-bladed razors (top)
Blade Stabilizer
Fusion®
Figure 13: The Blade Stabilizer
on Fusion® ProGlide™ (right)
Fusion® ProGlide™
The idea of utilizing multiple blades within
a cartridge has existed for many years, with
the first patent for a five-bladed razor granted
in 1929 (US1920711). Historically, razors
with many blades have been characterized
by very high skin drag and hence have
offered minimal consumer benefits (Cowley
2012). The key to comfortable
multiple blade technology is not just
the number of blades, but also the
distance between the blades (blade
span or blade spacing). The pressure
exerted on the skin by the blades causes the
skin to bulge between the blades (Figure 11).
By spacing the blades closer together,
the skin bulge is reduced and a more
uniform stress is placed on the skin,
resulting in a more comfortable shave
(Figure 12) (Ertel 2010, Cowley 2012).
When Gillette® developed Fusion®, five
blades were introduced which were spaced
closer together than the 3-bladed MACH3®:
the blade span was reduced from 1.5mm in
MACH3® to 1.05mm in Fusion®).
In the development of Fusion® ProGlide™,
Gillette® scientists have learnt that
the irregularities of a man’s face can
uncontrollably change that optimal blade
distance during the shave.
Fusion® ProGlide™ provides a Blade
Stabilizer (Figure 13) which supports
each of the 5 blades at the centre
of the razor cartridge and helps to
maintain an optimal blade span.
14
3
Mach3®
The comfort
guard
From the invention of the safety razor in the
late 18th century, razors have included a
guard element at the front of the cartridge to
protect the skin from the blades. In recent
years, the guard has incorporated
soft, flexible microfins (Figure 14).
These aim to stretch the skin ahead of the first
blade, thus presenting a smoother surface
to be shaved for improved skin comfort and
helping to present the hairs in a position to
be cut more efficiently (Cowley 2012).
Figure 15 shows scanning electron
microscopy images of skin replica
positives taken with and without
stretch from a microfin guard,
to illustrate the change in local
topography achieved.
Fusion® ProGlide™ has a re-engineered
streamlined ‘Snowplow’ comfort guard,
comprised of flexible microfins and
‘Snowplow ports’ at the front of the guard
(Figure 16). These ports channel away excess
shave prep to the back of the cartridge. This
helps to prevent so-called “aquaplaning”
(when the guard loses grip with the skin due
to excess shave prep) and helps maintaining
optimal skin contact.
Fusion®
Fusion®
ProGlide™
Figure 14: The comfort guard
on modern razors consists of
soft, flexible microfins
Skin
Skin before
before the
the guard
guard
Skin
Skin stretched
stretched by
by the
the guard
guard
Figure 15: Scanning electron micrographs of skin, showing
the impact of the guard in applying localised stretch to the
skin surface. Static silicone dental rubber replicas were
made of untreated skin and the skin immediately behind the
guard of modified Gillette® Fusion® cartridges. Images were
obtained using epoxy resin positives taken from the silicone
replicas (Cowley 2012)
Figure 16: The redesigned guard
of Fusion® ProGlide™ with ‘Snowplow
ports’ to channel away excess
shave prep
15
4
Enhanced
Lubrastrip
feature
Improved
Lubricating Strip
Figure 17: A larger and
improved lubricating strip on
Fusion® ProGlide™ (vs Fusion®)
The lubrastrip is a matrix of water-soluble
lubricant at the back of the cartridge which
is distributed during the shave. Lubricating
strips are typically composed of polymers,
compounds with a high molecular weight.
They are designed to dissolve out in a
controlled manner when wet. The material
is carefully engineered to deliver lubrication
and glide with each razor stroke taken over
the course of many shaves. This improves
razor glide and comfort, helps to protect the
skin during shaving and improves post-shave
skin feel.
Fusion® ProGlide™ provides an improved
lubricating strip, which is now significantly
larger compared to Fusion®. The lubricating
polymers are complemented with mineral oil
for great glide over the skin.
5
Oscillating razor
systems (Power
razors)
M3Power® was Gillette’s first wet shaving
system using battery powered technology.
The razor’s gentle pulsations decrease
the resistance to movement, resulting in
significantly less drag. This has been
confirmed in technical studies in which the
amount of drag in each stroke is measured
using miniature sensors and electronics.
Reduced drag (resistance to movement)
in turn can lead to better shaving comfort.
16
6
The microcomb
(only on Fusion®
ProGlide™ Power
cartridges)
The microcomb’s unique design
helps guide hairs to the blade.
Figure 18: The Fusion® ProGlide™ Power
cartridge features a unique microcomb
17
Fusion®
Solid Guard Bar
Beard Hair
Rotation of the hair in the follicle
caused by the guard bar can
cause discomfort (against the
grain stroke)
Guard Bar
ProGlide™ Power
Microcomb designed
to allow the hair to
pass through
Figure 19: Benefits of the microcomb
on ProGlide™ Power
As mentioned previously, it is
hypothesized that a key component
of shaving discomfort arises
from rotational movements of the
beard fiber in its follicle, which
can generate localised stresses in
the surrounding skin (Figure 5).
The microcomb on the ProGlide™
Power cartridge is designed to
help guide the hairs to the blades.
The slots in the Guard Bar
(Figure 19 bottom) provide
less interaction with the beard
hairs compared to the solid
guard bar found in traditional
cartridges (Figure 19 top)
and lead to less rotation of
the hairs in the follicle. They
allow the hairs to remain more
upright at the point when the blade
engages with the hair. Where the
hairs pass through the slots, they
are more optimally presented to the
blades for cutting with low cutting
force and hence improved comfort.
This is particularly valuable for
shaving against the grain (with hairs
undergoing more rotations before
they are cut than when they are
shaved with the grain) and for those
areas where the direction of the hair
growth is often quite varied, such as
the neck.
18
Razor technology validation
The ultimate arbiter of any technology development in shaving is the consumer.
Technologies are required to perform successfully across a huge range of physiologies
and behaviors, hence the importance of large-scale consumer validation (Cowley
2012). New razor developments typically involve testing on more than 10,000 men,
often consisting of panels of several hundreds of newly-recruited men, shaving for
several weeks. Performance is evaluated through in-depth questionnaires, designed to
explore the many different attributes of shaving comfort, irritation and closeness. The
intention for technology development is always to significantly out-perform previous
systems across a range of key shaving attributes (Cowley 2012).
Testing on sensitive skin
ProGlide™ and ProGlide™ Power were found to perform to a high standard on
consumers with self-assessed sensitive skin (Data on File, 2011, Procter & Gamble).
Both ProGlide™ and ProGlide™ Power have been evaluated by a dermatologist over
a 28 day trial involving 52 men between the ages of 18 and 65 with self-assessed
sensitive skin. The 52 men were randomized to receive one of the razors on a 1:1
basis and requested to shave daily*. The facial and neck skin of the panellists were
examined by a dermatologist on day 1 (before the first shave) and day 28 (after
the last shave) and graded on a 4 point scale (0–3, where 0 = none, 1=slight,
2=moderate and 3=severe) for visual signs of redness and dryness. The panellists
graded their subjective symptoms of burning, stinging, itching and soreness on a
similar scale and at the same time points.
3
ProGlide™
2.5
AFTER 28 DAYS
OF DAILY SHAVING
Visible dryness rated
0 for all panelists
2
1.5
slight
1
.5
0
Redness
Dryness
Stinging
Burning
Itching
Soreness
Average Score
Average Score
The dermatologist concluded that both razors were well tolerated and safe to use for
men with sensitive skin, even when used to remove facial hair on a daily* basis.
There were no adverse events reported. None of the symptoms increased during the
28 day trial period and several attributes showed improvements during the course of
the study. There were no signs of visible dryness in either group at day 28 (Graded 0
for all panellists). The subjects using ProGlide™ Power also experienced no symptoms
of stinging, burning or itching at day 28 (graded 0 for all panellists). The average
score across all indicators of sensitive skin remained below 0.5 in both groups, over
the 28 day test period (Figure 20).
3
ProGlide™ Power
2.5
AFTER 28 DAYS
OF DAILY SHAVING
Visible dryness and
sensation of stinging,
burning and itching rated
0 for all panelists
2
1.5
slight
1
.5
0
Redness
Dryness
Stinging
Burning
Itching
Soreness
Figure 20: Results of dermatological testing after 28 days of use
*Daily shave : ≥ 5 days per week and no more than once per day) over a 28 day period with replacement blades
supplied every 7 days.
19 Male skin: an increasingly sensitive subjecT
Post-shaving
Gillette® also offers specialized sensitive skin post-shave skincare technologies. The
combination of emollients and humectants in these products helps the skin to hydrate
and retain moisture, reducing the impact of shaving on sensitive skin. Gillette® has
also developed a specific moisturizer containing factor 15 UVA and UVB protection
for daily protection. As with the other members of the Gillette® range of sensitive skin
products, these products have also been extensively dermatologically tested to ensure
they are well tolerated by men with sensitive skin.
20
Conclusions
Sensitive skin is a significant problem for many men, impacting on their daily routines
and impacting on quality of life. Based on both self-reported accounts and the experience
of dermatologists, the problem is being reported with increasing frequency by men,
and is quickly approaching the same levels reported in women.
Shaving represents a particular problem for men with sensitive skin, with more than
half of men finding shaving with sensitive skin to be a significant issue. Both men
with sensitive skin and dermatologists agree that the selection of appropriate shaving
products is a key element of managing sensitive skin.
The range of sensitive skin-specific shaving products developed by Gillette® includes
both pre- and post-shave skincare products and the ProGlide™ range of razors that
utilise the latest in shaving technology to offer an unparalleled shaving package
supported by dermatological trials.
When discussing sensitive skin management with your male patients, you can be
comfortable recommending the complete range of Gillette® range of products, safe in
the knowledge that they combine proven excellence in shaving, even on sensitive skin.
21 Male skin: an increasingly sensitive subjecT
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