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Constant ingrown hairs

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I had problems with ingrown hairs. Since I changed to using DE and SE razors, I think I've had three in the last four years, all from worn blades.

I am going to guess that you are suffering from hair breakage.

What I found was, as a blade wears it doesnt cut as well and starts to tug. That tugging pulls the hair from beneath the skin, partially cuts it and then it breaks leaving a jagged edge below skin level like below.

fkkn3.png

Where a fresh blade will cleanly cut.

roscioli6_r.gif


A worn blade or a weakly supported blade can compound that problem, it did for me. If a blade can flex as it cuts, it can also tug the hair and break it as its partially cut. Add a worn blade into the mix and the problem becomes worse quickly. Increasing blade rigidity, such as a design like Fatip, minimizes, if not totally removes, that blade flex.

An example of my experience with that is in the thread below.

Gillette NEW LC Not Cutting It - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/gillette-new-lc-not-cutting-it.520246/

I was using a Gillette New LC, which has middle of the road blade support. It would skip right over my trouble areas and if I was to push things even a little, it would have given me ingrown hairs. Increasing the rigidity with a shim helped about 50%. Changing to a more rigid design, a Gillette New SC, solved my issue completely. From that, I learned I needed a rigid design. I moved to a Fatip Grande and never looked back. It outperforms my R41, with the same blades, by a staggering amount.

Fast forward four years however and, if I was to use the same Gillette New LC with a fresh Feather blade, I'm quite sure I could minimize that issue almost completely only with my more evolved technique.

It takes time to develop an understanding of all aspects of 'this thing of ours' but, once you do, the best shaves of your life will become a reality. Take the time to learn and understand any shortcomings in each aspect. Prep, soap, razor, blade, angle, pressure and direction of shave regarding growth, all need to work together. When you identify one aspect that needs improving, work to fix it.

I can highly recommend a search of the word "Rigidity". There is much to read.
 
I had problems with ingrown hairs. Since I changed to using DE and SE razors, I think I've had three in the last four years, all from worn blades.



What I found was, as a blade wears it doesnt cut as well and starts to tug. That tugging pulls the hair from beneath the skin, partially cuts it and then it breaks leaving a jagged edge below skin level like below.

View attachment 1375660

Where a fresh blade will cleanly cut.

View attachment 1375661

A worn blade or a weakly supported blade can compound that problem, it did for me. If a blade can flex as it cuts, it can also tug the hair and break it as its partially cut. Add a worn blade into the mix and the problem becomes worse quickly. Increasing blade rigidity, such as a design like Fatip, minimizes, if not totally removes, that blade flex.

An example of my experience with that is in the thread below.

Gillette NEW LC Not Cutting It - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/gillette-new-lc-not-cutting-it.520246/

I was using a Gillette New LC, which has middle of the road blade support. It would skip right over my trouble areas and if I was to push things even a little, it would have given me ingrown hairs. Increasing the rigidity with a shim helped about 50%. Changing to a more rigid design, a Gillette New SC, solved my issue completely. From that, I learned I needed a rigid design. I moved to a Fatip Grande and never looked back. It outperforms my R41, with the same blades, by a staggering amount.

Fast forward four years however and, if I was to use the same Gillette New LC with a fresh Feather blade, I'm quite sure I could minimize that issue almost completely only with my more evolved technique.

It takes time to develop an understanding of all aspects of 'this thing of ours' but, once you do, the best shaves of your life will become a reality. Take the time to learn and understand any shortcomings in each aspect. Prep, soap, razor, blade, angle, pressure and direction of shave regarding growth, all need to work together. When you identify one aspect that needs improving, work to fix it.

I can highly recommend a search of the word "Rigidity". There is much to read.
Great stuff! this may just be the case for me. Those microscopic shots are incredible. Thanks for great tips. I will compare and test the heck out of my newly acquired R41 and Fatip picolo and look more into the stuff you just brought to attention.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Great stuff! this may just be the case for me. Those microscopic shots are incredible. Thanks for great tips. I will compare and test the heck out of my newly acquired R41 and Fatip picolo and look more into the stuff you just brought to attention.

Anytime!

In my own experience, the differences between the R41 and Fatip are astonishing. I used my Grande for two years straight shaving directly ATG first pass at 48 hours growth while testing ~30 different blades to find my top blades for that kind of shave. Using my R41 ATG first pass is a no go for me and even after two passes, its still an extremely cautious and slow shave of around 20 minutes. Using my Grande, is around 3 minutes.
 
Anytime!

In my own experience, the differences between the R41 and Fatip are astonishing. I used my Grande for two years straight shaving directly ATG first pass at 48 hours growth while testing ~30 different blades to find my top blades for that kind of shave. Using my R41 ATG first pass is a no go for me and even after two passes, its still an extremely cautious and slow shave of around 20 minutes. Using my Grande, is around 3 minutes.
Well, I do hope that the R41 was a good investment for me, I would be upset if it didn't solve anything and I wouldn't be able to use it. I have been gifted the Piccolo from a very nice gentleman so I believe in it very much too, even more given your experience.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
Well, I do hope that the R41 was a good investment for me, I would be upset if it didn't solve anything and I wouldn't be able to use it. I have been gifted the Piccolo from a very nice gentleman so I believe in it very much too, even more given your experience.

The R41 is a very capable razor. It gives me the same shave as my Grande, a 12 hour BBS finish, it just takes longer to get to the same point. It doesnt suit me. My Grande does.
 
What I THINK is the case, is that a very close shave doesn't lead to any issues, if the beard hairs were to stay shaven like they are. But when the hair gets stuck under the skin from some reason and it starts to grow but it can't get out
That's exactly correct! Ingrown hair are result of cutting the hair under the skin which mostly cartridge do! Not DE SE razors.

You can try shaving just WTG and not going for BBS and see if you still get ingrown hairs.
 
That's exactly correct! Ingrown hair are result of cutting the hair under the skin which mostly cartridge do! Not DE SE razors.

You can try shaving just WTG and not going for BBS and see if you still get ingrown hairs.
I am trying exactly this. I have a mild razor and I only shave WTG one pass, I still get ingrowns.
 
24 hours after the first R41 shave
All is well, no bumps, no inflamation. I feel like I could go for another shave right now. Only some slight discoloration here and there, little pink spots. My most trouble area which was BBS (and every other BBS area) yesterday looks good, All the hair is growing out, nothing looks like it's trapped. Looks like a great success.

I did use Pinaud No Bumps Gel as a post shave. I would like to be independent of its use, since it's 14$ a bottle and it's not very comfortable or enjoyable to use - smells and stings.

I will let the hair grow out another 24 hours, keep it clean and hydrated just to see what will happen. I think OC and more aggresive razor + sharper, more rigid blade (in the R41) helped. And the fact that I was shaving on my toes watching Pressure and anglee.

Thank you everyone who posted here and honoured me with their attention, time and effort to give me such great help. I am certain that I am on the path to banish my shaving issues.
 
That R41 will peel the rest of that beard off no problem! :a30:

But seriously, don't make the mistake of using an electric first. People think a razor can't cut through a beard and it needs to be reduced first. Your skin will not be happy if you do use an electric trimmer then shave. One pass, shortened strokes. The Parker would be my choice, but you might have to use a steeper angle.
 
Your skin will not be happy if you do use an electric trimmer then shave.
Always thought that using an electric trimmer with guard is no concern for the skin... well, gona use it a day before the shave then because I'm not trusting my skills with the R41 just yet. Once I master it, then sure I will take down some serius beard with it just for fun! It's incredible how that razor goes through a fully grown out beard, even more so when you compare it with how a cartridge would struggle.

Aaaand before my first whole face shave I would like to ensure as little discoloration on my neck as possible.
 
Always thought that using an electric trimmer with guard is no concern for the skin... well, gona use it a day before the shave then because I'm not trusting my skills with the R41 just yet. Once I master it, then sure I will take down some serius beard with it just for fun! It's incredible how that razor goes through a fully grown out beard, even more so when you compare it with how a cartridge would struggle.

Aaaand before my first whole face shave I would like to ensure as little discoloration on my neck as possible.
Two things, real quick. One, electric mangles hair. You might be OK with the guard, but you MIGHT run into problems with hair tearing instead of severing when you use the razor. Two, you could start by doing different beard styles that maybe remove the side burns and cheeks to see how that goes. I would start at the top, that's why I used the word peel. It will look like it's being peeled off with the lather holding it together.
 
SECOND SHAVE WITH R41 - BIG TROUBLE
Drunk with recent success, I did a second WTG pass - which was just a mere few strokes here and there. I got serious razor burn.

Shower, proraso white pre shave for prep.
I changed things up a bit, thinking it would not matter. I used Muhle sandalwood cream which performed beautifly and Nivea sensitive cooling lotion - which really knocked down the irritation, redness and burning.
First pass went OK but left a lot of stubble - so I went for a touch up. Big mistake. The alum block stung like hell.

I learned that on the second pass, the razor glided on a whole different level, I didn't even feel it. In comparison the lather during first pass felt dry, with no slickness. I felt the blade a LOT more during the first pass than during the second. Next time I will try adding a lot more water before and during lathering.

I had to apply proraso white balm after a few minutes to hydrate and cool down a little more but it it's still extremely uncomfortable. I didn't use Clubman No Bump gel to see if that has any effect on razor bumps.

My angle and preassure seemed spot on during the shave. It wasn't until using the alum block that I learned just how bad the shave was.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
SECOND SHAVE WITH R41 - BIG TROUBLE
Drunk with recent success, I did a second WTG pass - which was just a mere few strokes here and there. I got serious razor burn.

Shower, proraso white pre shave for prep.
I changed things up a bit, thinking it would not matter. I used Muhle sandalwood cream which performed beautifly and Nivea sensitive cooling lotion - which really knocked down the irritation, redness and burning.
First pass went OK but left a lot of stubble - so I went for a touch up. Big mistake. The alum block stung like hell.

I learned that on the second pass, the razor glided on a whole different level, I didn't even feel it. In comparison the lather during first pass felt dry, with no slickness. I felt the blade a LOT more during the first pass than during the second. Next time I will try adding a lot more water before and during lathering.

I had to apply proraso white balm after a few minutes to hydrate and cool down a little more but it it's still extremely uncomfortable. I didn't use Clubman No Bump gel to see if that has any effect on razor bumps.

My angle and preassure seemed spot on during the shave. It wasn't until using the alum block that I learned just how bad the shave was.
I would use witch hazel with 14 % alcohol instead of the Alum block because it more gentler on the skin IMO. I have used Alum and there are different grades of it because some seem harsher. Witch hazel will do almost the same thing as Alum but is not as harsh, Alum is a Potassium salt and it should be rinsed off after 30-60 seconds after applying.
 
I would use witch hazel with 14 % alcohol instead of the Alum block because it more gentler on the skin IMO. I have used Alum and there are different grades of it because some seem harsher. Witch hazel will do almost the same thing as Alum but is not as harsh, Alum is a Potassium salt and it should be rinsed off after 30-60 seconds after applying.
I always rinse the alum after a minute. For reference, I use the OSMA block. I cannot get Thayer's with hazel, only import it from the USA - and that's just too expensive with the shipping, VAT and customs.

I have seen only a witch hazel (hamamelis virginia) hydrolate available in one online store located in my country. In the ingredients list, it only says "Hamamelis virginiana Leaf Water". It's 5 bucks for 3,3 oz. Do you think I should try it?
 
SECOND SHAVE WITH R41 - BIG TROUBLE
Drunk with recent success, I did a second WTG pass - which was just a mere few strokes here and there. I got serious razor burn.

Shower, proraso white pre shave for prep.
I changed things up a bit, thinking it would not matter. I used Muhle sandalwood cream which performed beautifly and Nivea sensitive cooling lotion - which really knocked down the irritation, redness and burning.
First pass went OK but left a lot of stubble - so I went for a touch up. Big mistake. The alum block stung like hell.

I learned that on the second pass, the razor glided on a whole different level, I didn't even feel it. In comparison the lather during first pass felt dry, with no slickness. I felt the blade a LOT more during the first pass than during the second. Next time I will try adding a lot more water before and during lathering.

I had to apply proraso white balm after a few minutes to hydrate and cool down a little more but it it's still extremely uncomfortable. I didn't use Clubman No Bump gel to see if that has any effect on razor bumps.

My angle and preassure seemed spot on during the shave. It wasn't until using the alum block that I learned just how bad the shave was.
Change as little as possible.
I suggest you fall back to the succesfull shave and change absolutely nothing for four weeks.
 
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