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Shave chit affecting flight status?

Dontcallmegump

Well-Known Member
pilot
What, if any, problems can arise from going to medical and beginning the process to get a shave chit while in flight training?

My neck has never taken well to shaving, either by razor or electric shavers, as the issue is taking the hair down to skin level. Skipping all the nasty details, I don't want to continue with the discomfort and unsightly irritation.

I had a shave chit during most of OCS but haven't sought any treatment since leaving as the OHARP/pool life doesn't require daily shaving and that helps alleviate the symptoms. It isn't so bad that its impossible to live with but going forward it would be highly unpleasant for years on end.

Would going to medical and beginning the process have any effect on my up chit or prospects in military aviation?
 

Swanee

Cereal Killer
pilot
None
Contributor
Pretty sure that you have to shave to get an oxygen mask to seal to your face...
 

Dontcallmegump

Well-Known Member
pilot
Pretty sure that you have to shave to get an oxygen mask to seal to your face...

I've heard that before, but never from a doc. Then other day I saw a VT-3 IP who had a full on beard and wondered if that was just bad gouge.

I'm not looking to grow it out, just leaving the stubble above a shave is enough to clear up the issues.
 

azguy

Well-Known Member
None
This comes up on the ship a lot in terms of the SCBA (firefighter's oxygen bottle). With a positive flow O2 system, you can still easily breathe if you have a beard and tighten the mask down enough; only risk is that O2 will escape in spots where you don't get a flush seal so it will exhaust your supply of O2 faster.

No idea how closely this relates to a mask in a jet but it's food for thought. The only reason I'm posting in this thread is to let you know that a medical no-shave chit = dirt bag, for an officer. I've known many officers with rashes on their face/neck, don't think I've ever met one with a no-shave chit.
 

BigRed389

Registered User
None
This comes up on the ship a lot in terms of the SCBA (firefighter's oxygen bottle). With a positive flow O2 system, you can still easily breathe if you have a beard and tighten the mask down enough; only risk is that O2 will escape in spots where you don't get a flush seal so it will exhaust your supply of O2 faster.

No idea how closely this relates to a mask in a jet but it's food for thought. The only reason I'm posting in this thread is to let you know that a medical no-shave chit = dirt bag, for an officer. I've known many officers with rashes on their face/neck, don't think I've ever met one with a no-shave chit.

Dude...people shouldn't have to put up with rashes just because.

The Commonwealth Navy guys do just fine with beards, they even have beard standards to ensure they're kept respectable.
And I say that as someone who couldn't grow a beard if I wanted to.
 

azguy

Well-Known Member
None
Dude...people shouldn't have to put up with rashes just because.

The Commonwealth Navy guys do just fine with beards, they even have beard standards to ensure they're kept respectable.
And I say that as someone who couldn't grow a beard if I wanted to.

How many O's have you met in the course of your (8-10 year) career with standing no-shave chits?
 

BigRed389

Registered User
None
How many O's have you met in the course of your (8-10 year) career with standing no-shave chits?

Also zero.

Doesn't mean upon meeting one I would automatically assume them to be a dirtbag.
I put it up there with having visible tattoos. Not "ideal" but it shouldn't be a reason to keep good people out unless we are turning away rockstars. I'd argue we're nowhere near that point yet.
 

SteveHolt!!!

Well-Known Member
pilot
The only reason I'm posting in this thread is to let you know that a medical no-shave chit = dirt bag, for an officer. I've known many officers with rashes on their face/neck, don't think I've ever met one with a no-shave chit.

Maybe next time you see a fellow officer with a painful rash, tell them to go to the doctor and address it rather than applauding that stupidity? Baby steps towards making us less stupid. Part of the solution and whatnot.
 

SynixMan

HKG Based Artificial Excrement Pilot
pilot
Contributor
I’ve seen a Navy LT with one in VTs. No idea how high it had to go to get approved. Honestly I’m surprised more people don’t have one. The mask seal stuff is hearsay. Our Navy is just prudish.
 

Pags

N/A
pilot
Have you addressed how you shave? How often do you swap out blades? Do you use a product to stop bumps? Consider looking in to a safety razor (I like a merkur heavy with feather blades) and a badger shave brush as well as some nicer shave cream. Also check this out for some tips:

If you're doing all of this and it's not helping then get a chit.
 

Dontcallmegump

Well-Known Member
pilot
Have you addressed how you shave? How often do you swap out blades? Do you use a product to stop bumps? Consider looking in to a safety razor (I like a merkur heavy with feather blades) and a badger shave brush as well as some nicer shave cream. Also check this out for some tips:

If you're doing all of this and it's not helping then get a chit.

I've tried some bump stop products and I'm meticulous about making sure my face is clean before shaving. I've tried many disposable razors and found a type that seems to be a little less irritating and I swap them out about once a week to keep them sharp. Sensitive shave cream too.

I'll look at the link you provided to see if I can take care of this on my own. Thanks!

As for the dirtbag assumptions. I'm not looking to get out of anything, I just want to stop needing to pull infected, scabby ingrown hairs out of my neck with tweezers on the daily.
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
Raul Hernandez agrees



Couple serious thoughts:

OP, have you tried shaving in the shower? I mean a few different ways to see if any of them work better (high end safety razor with shaving gel, waterproof electric razor). I'm thinking you've already tried everything but I figure I'd ask anyway.

The beard and mask seal thing is an anachronism and it's somewhere between dubious and, ahem, ridiculous (that's the family-friendly word for it). Just google Sharkey Ward, one picture will tell you all you need to know about a nearly kept beard, a mask seal, and combat effectiveness. But until our rules get changed then them's the rules...
 
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