A big part of any nurse or caregiver’s job is to make their patient(s) feel comfortable and as close to their normal self as possible. A crucial element in helping patients feel like themselves is self-care, like shaving. Shaving can be a frustrating task when doing it yourself, but it becomes increasingly more difficult when shaving someone else. It does not help that razors have always been designed for individual use. That is why Gillette has been working on the first assisted razor.
Gillette’s development team visited a local nursing home to learn more about the specific challenges that caregivers run into when shaving their patients. What they have developed over a number of months is the TREO: a razor designed specifically for those caregivers and their needs. Unlike a traditional razor, the TREO is meant to act more like a paintbrush. You can hold it as you would a pencil which allows for more control of the blade. They also redesigned the blade itself. The design is meant to prevent clogging while also being safer than a traditional razor. You can even do away with traditional shaving cream because built into the handle is a specially formulated shave gel. Not only is it conveniently integrated with the razor but it allows for a mess-free shave since any residual shave gel can be left on the skin as an aftershave.
The TREO is still in development; they have sent over 60,000 prototypes to caregiving facilities and individual throughout the U.S. and U.K. to get their opinions. Gillette recently opened a sample request form on their website and had to stop accepting requests shortly after because of overwhelming interest in the product.
Improvements and innovations to everyday items like these seem inconsequential to those of us who aren’t using them in unique ways. But for those caregivers shaving a patient with a razor intended for individual use these innovations make a huge difference to their overall performance.
