Do experienced shavers continue to have trouble spots?

[mikelz777]

Posts often show up describing how people are getting the perfect, irritation-free, BBS shave. They happily apply alum or aftershave to their freshly shaved face, there are no stings whatsoever, the angels sing and rainbows emanate from their bathrooms. Ideally, this would be everybody's goal but it has never been my reality. I was wondering if people out there continue to have their trouble spots despite their experience and good technique?

My trouble spots seem to be a "V" shape emanating from my chin along the neck below each jaw line and the area where my jaw hinges. (The hair there grows in all directions.) The right side of my neck in particular is very tricky. The hair there seems impervious to any angle of attack leaving significant stubble for the ATG pass. When I apply the post-shave alum, those trouble areas are where I feel the sting. I've used 3 different razors with many different blade combinations and it's always the same areas that sting a bit when applying the alum. It's not a lingering irritation, it's pretty much taken care of by the witch hazel and/or the aftershave though sometimes I'll get a slight sting in those areas when applying lotion later in the day.

Is a truly irritation-free shave a possibility for absolutely everyone or are some of us always going to have some trouble spots with a slight irritation?

 

[The Shaver]

EVERY Shave is independent of others....

Also, I created a thread about a few days ago talking about the jawbone area. We all seem to have issues with those spots.

 

[BroJohn]

Do experienced shavers continue to have trouble spots?

The short answer is yes. I have a couple of spots that take some attention to get the micro-scruff. But I've learned how to do this and still retain a comfortable shave. It may take a while, but keep at it, you'll learn how to do this for your face.

-- John Gehman

 

[Niles]

I have found that as long as I pay attention to what I am doing, things go pretty well. But if I get careless or lose concentration, I can still make errors.

 

[redrako]

To err is human; to always get irritation free shaves is divine!

 

[smalltank]

I have "cactus" coarse whiskers..they ALL must be "mowed"down

 

[Gref]

I take irritation free over BBS every time I shave.

 

[mikelz777]

[Preface-> I like getting a BBS shave or something close to it.]

I guess what I'm getting at here is that as one gets more experienced, their shaves would (or should) tend to get better. What I was wondering was if, theoretically, there was a point where everyone could have a truly irritation-free shave if they have enough experience or are there going to be some of us who are likely to always have a bit of irritation due to trouble spots? For example, for me to clear the area where my jaw hinges of stubble, I have to shave it in 4-5 different directions so there's always a bit of alum sting there post-shave. Should I accept that this is the way it's always going to be as a trouble spot or is it likely I could have a truly irritation-free shave once I find a different approach which I have yet to discover? (I've tried mapping the area but it's pretty much pointless because the hair grows in all different directions.)

Maybe I should be asking if there were experienced shavers out there (1+ years DE shaving) who almost always get truly irritation-free shaves or are there a lot of experienced shavers out there who frequently get a little sting/burn when using alum or aftershave?

 

[NCJack]

Sure, it's not so much that you know just what to do, but that you realize you're going to have to do more. I have several areas around the chin that I know will require some patient and gentle micro-buffing. For some reason, if I use the Progress I sometimes need to finish with the Slant, and vice versa: weird!

 

[2fast]

How well, were you going in these areas before DE?

 

[Viseguy]

If you're getting irritation in the "trouble spots", you may be going over them too many times. There's a lot to be said for knowing when to stop -- even if the shave is less than perfect in a spot or two.

 

[Kentos]

I don't mind a little alum burn in the persuit of BBS. I never get razor burn or post shave irritation though...just the "Home Alone" face sometimes with the Veg.

 

[mikelz777]

How well, were you going in these areas before DE?

It's kinda hard to say. It wasn't until I started DE shaving that I began to use alum and/or aftershaves which bring about the sting revealing the irritated areas. It wasn't until I started DE shaving that I paid such close attention to and so closely scrutinized my shaves. As a disposable shaver, shaving was just an unpleasant chore I'd always just want to get over with so "good enough" was a standard I wouldn't settle for now. My DE shaves are of a much better quality than my disposable shaves were. Now that you have me thinking about it, I don't think I can really recall other than as a DE shaver, if I had the results I usually got with a disposable, I'd probably take another pass or do touch-ups with my DE razor.

 

[mikelz777]

I don't mind a little alum burn in the persuit of BBS. I never get razor burn or post shave irritation though...just the "Home Alone" face sometimes with the Veg.

This best describes my situation the majority of the time. I occasionally will get razor burn but it's usually from doing something I knew I probably shouldn't have done in the first place.

 

[mikelz777]

If you're getting irritation in the "trouble spots", you may be going over them too many times. There's a lot to be said for knowing when to stop -- even if the shave is less than perfect in a spot or two.

This is pretty good advice. I know that you can look like you have a good shave even though it might not feel like it when you rub your fingers over your face and neck.

 

[GarrettReid]

I have an area on my neck, about an inch to the right of my Adam's apple where no matter the razor, blade, multi-cart, cream, soap, disco playing in the background, boars hair or badger hair can I get a BBS shave on.

 

[LMAN007]

You say you have to shave in 4-5 different directions to get the trouble spots.I hope you are relathering the trouble spots after each pass, this will cut down on the irritation.

 

[rockviper]

Indeed! I don't even bother going for BBS as I have permanent 5 o'clock shadow and stubble by 1pm (yup, quick growth).

 

[puros_bran]

I have a spot on my chin, right of center, that requires 5-6 'passes' to get BBS regardless of razor used. It doesn't cause irritation, of the skin anyway. I am prone to just getting it acceptable looking and moving on. It's not that big a deal brother.

 

[dundak]

Yes they have trouble spots. Over the years, with experience, you just develop methods to deal with them that do not cause irritation.