Are More Blades Better for Shaving?

More blades give a closer shave in one pass. Whether that's better depends on your skin. Here's what's actually going on under the cartridge.

By Pete Arnott Updated 9 November 2026 4 min read Owned by the team behind OneBlade. How we make money

The short answer

More blades give a closer shave in a single pass, because each blade cuts the hair a little lower than the last. That closeness is also the downside: hairs cut below the skin can grow back inward. If your skin is fine with a 5-blade razor, more blades are good. If you get razor bumps or ingrown hairs, dermatology groups often recommend a single blade.

Razor makers have been adding blades for more than 50 years: two, then three, then five, and now six on some subscription razors. Each new cartridge promises a closer, more comfortable shave. The first half of that promise is true. The second half depends on you.

How multi-blade razors work

Gillette explains the idea on its own website. When the first blade cuts a hair, it also pulls it slightly out of the skin. Before the hair has time to pull back, the next blade cuts it again, a little lower. Each blade repeats this. Gillette calls the effect "hysteresis" and says it was discovered in the late 1960s while developing its first multi-blade razor. (Gillette UK)

After the razor passes, the skin relaxes and the cut hair retracts below the surface. That's why a 5-blade shave feels so smooth.

Gillette also says more blades spread the pressure of your hand across more edges, which it says makes the shave more comfortable.

The case for more blades

Closer shave in one pass. Each blade takes the hair a little lower.
Forgiving. Cartridge heads pivot and hold a fixed angle, so there's no technique to learn.
Fast. One pass is often enough.

If your skin never complains, that's a good deal.

The case against

The same thing that makes a multi-blade shave so close can cause problems. A hair cut below the skin has to grow back out through the follicle. If it's coarse or curly, it may curl back and grow into the skin instead. That's an ingrown hair, and when lots of them happen on the beard area, it's called razor bumps (pseudofolliculitis barbae).

The Mayo Clinic notes that ingrown hairs are more likely if you shave very close to the skin, and most common in people with tightly curled hair. (Mayo Clinic) The NHS suggests leaving at least 1mm of stubble to reduce them. (NHS)

For people with shaving bumps, the British Association of Dermatologists recommends:

Shave in the direction of hair growth. Avoid stretching the skin tight. Use single blades.

And it says wet shavers "should avoid methods that give such a close shave that the hair retracts inside the follicle." (BAD)

The American Academy of Dermatology says a single-blade razor or an electric razor is often recommended for razor bumps. (AAD)

What the evidence doesn't say

To be straight with you: there isn't a large, independent trial proving single blades beat multi-blade razors for everyone. A 2025 review says multi-blade razors used with pre-shave hydration and moisturizer don't worsen razor bumps. (Federal Practitioner) Gillette's own SkinGuard razor, which uses two blades and a guard bar designed to cut hair at skin level, improved skin in men with razor bumps in a 12-week study, though that study didn't compare it with another razor. (PubMed)

Notice what even Gillette did for its sensitive-skin razor: fewer blades, and a design meant to stop cutting below the skin.

So, are more blades better?

If you...	More blades are...
Have no irritation after shaving	Fine. Use what shaves best for you.
Get razor burn (red, stinging rash)	Worth questioning. Each blade is another pass of steel over your skin.
Get razor bumps or ingrown hairs	Often the problem. Try fewer blades, ideally one.
Have coarse or curly beard hair	Riskier. Hair cut below the skin is more likely to grow back in.

If you want to try fewer blades

You don't have to go straight to a classic safety razor. Gillette's SkinGuard has two blades. A single-blade razor goes all the way to one. If you're worried about the learning curve, a single-blade razor with a pivoting head keeps the cartridge-style feel. That's what the OneBlade Element does.

The Shave Report is owned by the team behind OneBlade.

Compare more options in our guides to the best razors for sensitive skin and safety razor vs cartridge razor.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 5-blade razor better than a 3-blade?

A 5-blade razor will usually give a closer shave in one pass, and Gillette says extra blades spread pressure more evenly. If you're prone to ingrown hairs, though, a closer shave isn't always better.

Why do razors have so many blades?

Gillette says multi-blade razors work through 'hysteresis': the first blade lifts the hair slightly as it cuts, so the next blade can cut it again lower down before it retracts. More blades repeat the effect, cutting closer each time.

Do more blades cause ingrown hairs?

They can in people who are prone to them. Cutting hair below the skin surface makes it easier for it to grow back into the skin. The British Association of Dermatologists recommends single blades and avoiding very close shaves for people with shaving bumps. But one 2025 medical review says multi-blade razors used with good prep and moisturizer don't make razor bumps worse.

Is a single blade razor better for sensitive skin?

Often, yes. The American Academy of Dermatology says a single-blade or electric razor is often recommended for people with razor bumps. A sharp blade, light pressure and shaving with the grain matter just as much.

How many blades should a razor have?

There's no single right number. If you have no irritation, choose what shaves best for you. If you get razor burn, bumps or ingrown hairs, try fewer blades, ideally one.

Sources

Pete Arnott

Pete edits The Shave Report. He works with the team behind OneBlade, so he spends a lot of time around razors, lather and the customers who write in about what works. Our editorial standards.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. If a rash, bump or infection doesn't clear up, see a doctor or dermatologist. Prices were checked on 9 November 2026 and can change. The Shave Report is owned by the team behind OneBlade and earns money from OneBlade sales and some retailer links. How we make money.