Rachel Hunter shaves face for 'smooth skin' on show

The shave was a treatment filmed for Hunter's show. Photo / Instagram / rachelhunterx

In pursuit of a glowing complexion, women resort to fancy scrubs, expensive brushes - or simply a brisk rub with a rough cloth.

But one technique they may not have tried is borrowing their husband's razor.

Closely shaving the entire face is said to exfoliate the skin and reduce wrinkles, according to former model Rachel Hunter, who highlights the technique in her TV beauty programme.

On the show, the 46-year-old visits a beauty clinic in Japan - where the treatment is hugely popular - and has all the fine hair removed from her face and ears with a cut-throat razor.

Her eyes widen with alarm as the blade passes over her skin. However the fear doesn't last long, as she is later seen beaming during the episode of Rachel Hunter's Tour Of Beauty, from Ovation TV.

Its fans in Japan claim the method, known as Kao Sori, helps boost collagen production and open the pores, making it easier for the skin to absorb moisturiser.

Women also say they prefer the smoother, shinier appearance it gives them.
However experts have questioned the supposed benefits of shaving.

Dr Richard Barlow, a dermatologist at The Lister Hospital in London, said: "Shaving is like exfoliation but you can do that with sticky tape - you're just removing some dead cells."

He added that while it may brighten the skin temporarily, shaving is unlikely to have any long-term anti-ageing effects.

"Unless you go deeper you don't change how the skin ages. You need to go one layer down in the dermis to create collagen - you can't do this unless you use a chemical peel or by lasering."

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Having a shave 😳 No I didn't grow any stubble . But I have to say my skin felt amazing. This was the Japan Episode✨ Just some of the amazing experiences I had from superfoods to ancient remedies, on wellness , longevity on @rachelstourofbeauty #beauty #beautycare

A post shared by Rachel Hunter (@rachelhunterx) on Aug 2, 2016 at 4:00pm PDT

It can also be time-consuming, as the results of Kao Sori last only three weeks. Miss Hunter - whose marriage to Rod Stewart ended in 2006 - was told by her beautician that she must repeat the treatment to avoid developing a fine stubble.

However Dr Barlow added that women should not worry that shaving will make the hair grow back thicker. He said that men's beards are bushy because of testosterone, not because they shave.

"There's this notion that by shaving you make the hair grow stronger or faster which is illogical," he said. "That thinking comes about because when you shave off a hair it doesn't taper [at the end]... so feels hard and bristly. But it's not thicker or growing faster."

Screen sirens Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe were both said to be fans of shaving, and Miss Hunter's beautician said she sees up to 200 women a month.

Earlier this week Dempsey And Makepeace actress Glynis Barber, 60, revealed that she uses a treatment called micro-needling to maintain a youthful appearance. The process is said to boost collagen by pricking the face with clusters of tiny needles, reducing fine wrinkles and making pigmentation less noticeable.