ASA, senior care sites join Gillette’s pilot of ‘assisted shaving’ razor

The American Society on Aging (ASA) and several senior care organizations are partnering with Gillette to pilot the latest tool in caregiving: a razor specifically designed to shave someone else.

During the three-month pilot phase, select professional senior care homes and assisted living communities in the United States and United Kingdom will trial samples of the razor in professional and at-home settings. Gillette’s scientists and researchers plan to collect first-hand feedback to refine the product.

Gillette recently designed and engineered TREO—the world’s first ever assisted shaving razor—to offer a comfortable and dignified shaving experience for the millions of men and women of all ages who, for whatever reason, are unable to shave themselves.

“When researching the project, the first step was to visit a care facility to see how the assisted shaving experience is different when compared to how we shave ourselves,” says Matthew Hodgson, TREO’s lead designer at Gillette. “Very quickly, we noticed big differences and big difficulties. For example, we realized the ergonomics of the handle and direction of the blade completely change when turned to shave another person, and thus a complete redesign would need to be engineered.”

Personal care is an important part of maintaining normalcy, confidence, and dignity. However, as part of this, the shaving process can often be a daunting, messy and difficult task—especially if the shaving recipient has dementia or dislikes water.

Ultimately, it’s a problem that impacts a significant portion of the population in the U.S. According to research from ASA, over 8 million older adults in the United States receive assistance with activities of daily living from family or professional caregivers annually.

Based on U.S. patent filings, more than 4,000 razors have been designed for shaving yourself, but none have been engineered specifically for shaving another individual, Gillette discovered. The Gillette TREO is a dramatic departure from a standard razor, driven by the very different needs of two consumers: the caregiver and the individual getting the shave.

The team then designed a new solution with a range of features designed to address the biggest differences:

• The blade: Designed to make the shave safe and help prevent clogging.
• The handle: Unlike traditional razors, the TREO’s special handle operates like a paintbrush, with a unique divot for control and comfort for caregivers and those being cared for.
• The shave gel: The hydrating gel is built right into the handle and lubricates the skin for a comfortable, mess-free shave.

“When we spoke with our partners like ASA, we learned that the primary goal of family members and professional caregivers alike is to help maintain a sense of normalcy and to support lost functions—like the ability to shave oneself,” says Melissa Monich, Vice President of Research & Development, Global Grooming, at P&G, Gillette’s parent company. “We were struck by how important these day-to-day activities are in supporting the dignity, pride and morale of those who need assistance. This made us even more compelled to use our expertise to develop a more comfortable and safer experience.”

For a limited time, U.S. and UK consumers are invited to request a product sample to trial via a new website: www.gillettetreo.com.

Related story: Gillette develops razor for 'assisted shaving'

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.