Shaving

kk69Z

For you ladies who had a lumpectomy and only some sentinal nodes removed, do you shave under your arm with a razor or electric razor? My radiologist, BS and Oncol. said that we aren't as prone to lymphoma as someone who had auxillary nodes out. Just curious.

idaho

Radiation took care of that problem... the hair doesn't grow under my arm on that side!   Tami

ajlive

Same here.  Rad Onc said may not come back.

Jorf

I've got this depression in my axilla that I just can't get to with a razor! Never thought about electric. I think about asking my DH to do it but then I watch him shave and think, Oh no! (The old hippie!) Guess I do the old hippie and keep the tuft of hair that grows there!

Bermuda77

I had a double mastectomy and the sentinel node removed on the right side two weeks ago and today I tried shaving with a razor.  It was a little uncomfortable but had some success.  From what I've read using electric is better maybe to avoid cuts.  The razor I used is not very sharp for the same reason.

Leah_S

From what I understand, the risk of LE is less if you have only sentinel nodes removed than if you have full axillary node dissection. However, the risk is there so shaving with an electric shaver might be a good idea anyway. It's not like you're choosing between no shaving and shaving.

Leah

GramE

lumpectomy and SNB - very little hair grows on that side.   Electric razor is what I use - when/IF I shave...

Binney4

Hi, all,

Some of us have found even electric shavers can cause nicks and scrapes -- not good, since all of us who have been treated for breast cancer do have some risk for lymphedema. Here's a page with some of the better products for shaving by some of the women who post here at bc.org regularly:

http://www.stepup-speakout.org/How_You_Can_Cope_with_Lymphedema.htm#Shaving_under_our_arms

Whatever you do to shave, if you nick, skin or scrape your skin raw, do be especially careful of infection. Wash carefully and apply a antibiotic ointment, and keep an eye on it for redness, swelling, pain, or warmth to the touch, which could indicate infection. Get medical help PROMPTLY if you suspect a problem.

Who knew shaving would ever become an issue?!
Binney

Anonymous

I have a depression too and it's really tough to get the razor in there right!  I still use it as much as I can, but then I "weed out the riff raff" so to speak with one of those really small personal shavers.  It actually works really REALLY well and I've never cut myself.

I have actually nicked myself using a full sized electric razor.

abbadoodles

I had an AND 1992 and have that hollow under my rt.  arm.  I read at the time to use an electric razor but I bought one and it didn't get in there and actually pinched my armpit. 

Finally, I decided to just shave with a razor.  What I do to get at the area is to raise my arm up a wall so the hollow is as shallow as possible, then I put the razor to it.  Probably you would be successful with an electric that way, too.

Since I had radiation that overlapped that area a bit, I get hair growth only in a portion of the pit.    Hippieville?  More like old goat.

otter

I didn't have a lumpectomy -- I had a mast; but I did have "just" an SNB with 3 nodes removed.  I also was dx'd with subclinical ("Stage 0") LE in my hand and forearm on that side.

Sooooo.... I guess I am supposed to be using an electric razor.  But, I just can't do it.  I never have found one that doesn't pinch and pull.  I use a single-blade, injector razor (hard to find single injector blade refills these days).  I do hold my arm just right, so the armpit is as smooth as possible.  (My armpit isn't indented, unfortunately -- it's puffy and full.)  I look directly at the skin (being badly nearsighted, I have to take my glasses off to do that); and I handle that razor very, very carefully.

I feel okay about all that.  Sometimes there are a few hairs left, but unless it's summer and I'm wearing a sleeveless top, nobody notices.

otter