[BlindTlk] Managing a beard as a blind person

Thu Jun 18 17:02:35 UTC 2020

Jim,

	I have worn a beard for thirty-five years. It is so much a part of my recognizable features that when I shaved my head a couple years ago for a topical chemotherapy for skin cancer, one of the members of my spiritual community where I have been the music director for the past twelve years said, "Well, there's Marion's guide  dog but where is Marion?" I was standing next to my guide dog with my guitar around my neck and without hair or a beard, I was unrecognizable!

	As a totally blind guy, I have no problem shaving and trimming my beard. In fact, I don't let the barber trim my beard because I feel I do a better job. First of all, I shave what are known as "cuts" with a standard razor. My razor of choice is the disposable Barbasol razor. They are very sharp and last a long time. I also use Barbasol shaving cream. I cut a straight line down my cheek in line with my sideburns to a point just below the line of my mouth, turning the razor as I move down my cheek to form the rounded cut between the sideburns and, for lack of a better term, my goatie.

	When shaving my neck, I begin on the right side of the jaw line and cut a line following my mandible (jaw bone) to the left side. I then shave the rest of my neck. I feel it is important to follow the mandible, as allowing the beard to grow further down the neck gives an impression you have a hairy sling around your chin!

	Now to the part you really are wanting to know. As I said my barber does not usually trim my beard, even though he has never charged me for it when he has. . If he does, I always touch it up once I get home. I start with a fairly short comb on my Wahl electric trimmer. (
Wahl is the trimmer of choice for most barbers and stylists.) It comes with several combs that attach to the trimmer head and lubricating oil. Be sure to lubricate the trimmer frequently and blow into the cutting edge while using the trimmer to keep hair from building up in the comb. The size of the comb will determine how long the beard is; I use a #3 (3/8")This is a fairly short cut but not so much that you can see the skin beneath the beard. Because the comb is pushing the hairs of the beard apart, using a comb alone will not produce a smooth cut, as there will be very slightly longer hairs you will feel if you run your hand lightly across the beard. 

	Once I have trimmed my beard with the comb attached, I remove the comb and run the naked trimmer across the surface of the beard to knock down those hairs that give the beard a rough feel. This takes a steady hand and you may not get it right the first time! Eventually, though, you will begin to sense the distance from your face the trimmer needs to be and will have a neatly coiffed beard! As you run the trimmer across your beard, you will begin to feel just how long those stray longer hairs are and what sort of distance will give you that smooth feel to your beard.  I then use the combless trimmer to trim my mustache along the line of my upper lip and the corners of my mouth.

	A note about shaving cream: Shaving cream alters the ph of the beard hair making it thicker and, as the result, easier to cut, resulting in a smoother face. Electric razors, no matter how good, just cannot give as close a shave as a sharp steel razor blade. As I stated, I use Barbasol shaving cream and, at about $1.00/can, you cannot beat the price!

	If you have any questions, please feel free to write back!

Fraternally yours,
Marion the Bearded One

Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU)
National Federation of the Blind
(813) 626-2789
President at NAGDU.ORG
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The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise expectations because low expectations create barriers between blind  people and our dreams. You can live the life you want! Blindness is not what holds you back.

-----Original Message-----
From: BlindTlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jim Portillo via BlindTlk
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2020 7:38 PM
To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Jim Portillo
Subject: [BlindTlk] Managing a beard as a blind person

Good afternoon everyone,
I hope I can find some good answers to this question which might sound awkward.
I’ve had a beard for a few years, but it’s generally been pretty short and well trimmed because I get it done when I get my hair cut.  Now that the pandemic hit, things are changing for a while in how hair cutting places around here do business.  No beards or facial hair for a while.
So, I’m wondering if I can successfully trim and manage a beard as a totally blind guy.  I have an electric shaver, and I also kept things up with a regular one, but now it’s grown out and is beyond just a regular shave.  From what I’ve been told, it looks good and definitely full, but it could use some touching up.
What are some good techniques you use, and what equipment do you get?  I was thinking of getting one of those trimmers with the various length spacers and whatever else is included with the kit.
I’d appreciate any help or ideas, because I don’t want to have to wait until a barber can do it. Who knows when that will happen around here?
Jim

Sent from my iPhone XR!
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