Gillette Tech irritation and white head problem

[micmizer]

I just noticed something in your routine. You don't wash your face with good quality facial soap before shaving? Some of the things that cause folliculitis could be caused by shaving on dirty skin, no? I always clean my face before shaving. Have you tried this? Apologies if you mentioned this and I missed it, have a headache today and rereading the thread is tough on me.

You did not miss it, I do not was my face with a cleanser before shaving. Mostly ignorance. I tried using a exfoliating face scrub a couple times before shaving and it worked well until it did not. Maybe I ruled it out too soon. I have read through others' prep threads including Kyle's prep and I guess I latched onto the concept that this was washing away to much essential skin oil/whatever. Or that using Kyle's prep should be enough exfoliation. I have what I would call sensitive skin and is very dry. i.e. Using any alcohol based AS and my entire face immediately becomes, visually, very dry.

There was also a period where I thought this was just soap clogging my pores (or bad blade angle) and so I put extra emphasis on taking time to make sure my face was completely washed of any soap after shaving. I also changed to showering after shaving just to be sure.

My routine is going to have to change and I already have a variety of cleanser's and moisturizers. Mostly the cetaphil brand. What products do you use?

Right now I am planning to do something like:

1. Use a face cleanser
2. Kyle's prep with cold water
3. Shave 2 passes. 1 WTG, 1 XTG
4. Touch up if needed
5. Shower
6. Dry face and use a cold towel press
7. Apply mositurizer
8. Wash face with Benzoyl Peroxide cleanser before bed.

 

[ItsTaz]

You did not miss it, I do not was my face with a cleanser before shaving. Mostly ignorance. I tried using a exfoliating face scrub a couple times before shaving and it worked well until it did not. Maybe I ruled it out too soon. I have read through others' prep threads including Kyle's prep and I guess I latched onto the concept that this was washing away to much essential skin oil/whatever. Or that using Kyle's prep should be enough exfoliation. I have what I would call sensitive skin and is very dry. i.e. Using any alcohol based AS and my entire face immediately becomes, visually, very dry.

There was also a period where I thought this was just soap clogging my pores (or bad blade angle) and so I put extra emphasis on taking time to make sure my face was completely washed of any soap after shaving. I also changed to showering after shaving just to be sure.

My routine is going to have to change and I already have a variety of cleanser's and moisturizers. Mostly the cetaphil brand. What products do you use?

Right now I am planning to do something like:

1. Use a face cleanser
2. Kyle's prep with cold water
3. Shave 2 passes. 1 WTG, 1 XTG
4. Touch up if needed
5. Shower
6. Dry face and use a cold towel press
7. Apply mositurizer
8. Wash face with Benzoyl Peroxide cleanser before bed.

It's possible that washing strips away too much natural oils. So much of this stuff is YMMV. I keep it simple, just use this soap before shaving, Dial Glycerin Bar Soap, White Tea & Vitamin E, 4-Ounce Bars, 3 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008CQT1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nI0TzbYHN00Z9. Also, I wonder about facial scrubs and exfoliating. Do those scrubs, your scrub, have abrasives? Can't help but wonder if that might irritate one's skin. I guess the cleanser you plan to use might take the place of a glycerin soap.

I hope you're able to sort this out.

 

[Try em all]

Don't think many would agree with this, unless you meant it in a way other than it sounds. If the hair is completely removed, what are any more passes for? And if you're ending with a CCS shave, then the hair isn't completely removed.

I mean that almost each hair has been shaved and is shorter. There should be very little hair that has been missed / left untouched.
Unless I misunderstood him, I was under the impression that the OP had said in his original post that it took three WTG passes to get all the hair.

 

[Johnnynroy]

You did not miss it, I do not was my face with a cleanser before shaving. Mostly ignorance. I tried using a exfoliating face scrub a couple times before shaving and it worked well until it did not. Maybe I ruled it out too soon. I have read through others' prep threads including Kyle's prep and I guess I latched onto the concept that this was washing away to much essential skin oil/whatever. Or that using Kyle's prep should be enough exfoliation. I have what I would call sensitive skin and is very dry. i.e. Using any alcohol based AS and my entire face immediately becomes, visually, very dry.

There was also a period where I thought this was just soap clogging my pores (or bad blade angle) and so I put extra emphasis on taking time to make sure my face was completely washed of any soap after shaving. I also changed to showering after shaving just to be sure.

My routine is going to have to change and I already have a variety of cleanser's and moisturizers. Mostly the cetaphil brand. What products do you use?

Right now I am planning to do something like:

1. Use a face cleanser
2. Kyle's prep with cold water
3. Shave 2 passes. 1 WTG, 1 XTG
4. Touch up if needed
5. Shower
6. Dry face and use a cold towel press
7. Apply mositurizer
8. Wash face with Benzoyl Peroxide cleanser before bed.

I am currently still working through Leisureguy's book, and he happened to mention a few things in there that I had never heard before. I mention all of this because I too often get little whiteheads after shaving, although mine are usually 24 hours after and I just shave them off every day... Summary of some of my takeaways below, with a few of my own thoughts thrown in as well.

1. Use a good quality soap on your beard before you shave. DO NOT USE AN EXFOLIATING WASH (my emphasis). You will be exfoliating your skin with a blade anyway, no need to strip it down and irritate it before you even start. Leisureguy recommended something like a Castille soap. I personally use a tee tree oil based soap. You don't necessarily want to wash this soap totally off your face as it is kind of like a pre-shave. I personally rub more water on then put Proraso pre-shave cream over top but I'm fairly certain this would be overkill for most people.

2. Hard water is probably the root of all your problems (unless you have a water softener in your home, then it can't be your problem). Not in his book but a post on the wicked edge reddit, Leisureguy noted that a frequent cause for some men getting whiteheads is soap scum. Soap scum is caused by the soap not being completely washed away, almost all of the time due to a reaction with the extra minerals in hard water. If your razors get a white film on them, you have hard water. You can fix the water issue by using distilled water for everything shaving related, including your face wash (probably unnecessary for your towel soak if using Kyle's prep though). Alternatively, you supposedly can use citric acid added to a basin of your home tap water to soften it. Oh and your lathers will be significantly better with softer water which is just an added bonus.

So what have these changes done for me? No whiteheads in my beard area. 0. I'm only two shaves in so far with distilled water, but I get the whiteheads almost daily and haven't seen a single one over the past 48 hours. I'll repost if that changes. I also get irritation along my adam's apple which has improved since I started washing my beard before I shave. I don't think my prep was sufficient, leading to a bad shave. My lathers have also been phenomenal. Definitely one of my best shaves ever. Hope this helps some. And PM me if you want more info on that book, trying not to violate any term's of use.

 

[micmizer]

I am currently still working through Leisureguy's book, and he happened to mention a few things in there that I had never heard before. I mention all of this because I too often get little whiteheads after shaving, although mine are usually 24 hours after and I just shave them off every day... Summary of some of my takeaways below, with a few of my own thoughts thrown in as well.

Thanks Johnnynroy for the tips. Maybe I need to pick up that book. I have seen it referenced other places as well. I tried distilled water a couple times and did not notice any improvements. Early on I tried it cause my lather sucked and I wanted to blame the water. It was me. Recently I tried it again because my lather seems to be drying out much more frequently on my face and neck. That did not seem to help but I suspect my old brush just is not great for face lathering. Got a Simpson duke 2 in best today and the shave I just finished was amazing. The lather did not dry out and was flying every where!

I appear to be improving very slowly with the regiment the dermatologist has me on. Today was the 5th shave with no white heads (so far) since starting her regiment. I am not exactly shouting success just yet. I really want to see 14 shaves or close to it with no white heads. I do not have any new red blemish spots in the last 2 weeks and the ones I have are slowly fading. Thats really my goal at this point. For all the red blemishes to clear up and disappear. Like you I was just shaving the white heads off. Unfortunately for me the red blemishes stick around for weeks to a month. The dermatologist says this is because of my folliculitis.

I have tweaked my routine quite a bit for 2 reasons. Washing my face with a Benzoyl Peroxide cleanser is much easier in the shower and I really miss the after shave smell. Plus a hot shower should be close enough to a hot towel prep if my problem is really just folliculitis. I may re-incorporate this later along with trying distilled water again.

Here is the routine I am using with the acne regiment:

1.) Soak brush in hot water and prep shaving gear on counter.
2.) Hot/warm Shower. At the end I wash my face with a BP cleanser (10% BP). Leave it on for 20-30 seconds and then wash it off.
3.) After shower. Rub my face with Poraso pre shave cream. ohh the tingle is so great.
4.) Wash the cream off.
5.) Fill the sink with fresh hot water and precede to face lather. Emphasis on hot water. I am back to it for now.
6.) 1 WTG pass and 1 XTG pass.
7.) 1 - spot touch up if/where needed.
8.) Thoroughly wash face with cold water.
9.) Cold water towel press for 30-45 seconds
10.) Pat face and neck dry
11.) Immediately apply Cetaphil Daily moisturizer. No balms for now.
12.) 30-60 minutes later I apply the Clindamycin topical. *I was told earlier this week I have to use this topical twice a day for at least 3 more months =/

Note: I vetted the above with my Dermatologist and she thought it was exactly how i need to incorporate the acne treatment along with shaving.

I have really noticed lately before applying the moisturizer my skin feels noticeably soft, slick, and hydrated. I dont know how to explain it other then that but if feels great immediately after the shave.

I am using my Mach lll for now. Rules out any technique issues. Only until my face is clear. I hate it but its working.

 

[Try em all]

Thanks Johnnynroy for the tips. Maybe I need to pick up that book. I have seen it referenced other places as well. I tried distilled water a couple times and did not notice any improvements. Early on I tried it cause my lather sucked and I wanted to blame the water. It was me. Recently I tried it again because my lather seems to be drying out much more frequently on my face and neck. That did not seem to help but I suspect my old brush just is not great for face lathering. Got a Simpson duke 2 in best today and the shave I just finished was amazing. The lather did not dry out and was flying every where!

I appear to be improving very slowly with the regiment the dermatologist has me on. Today was the 5th shave with no white heads (so far) since starting her regiment. I am not exactly shouting success just yet. I really want to see 14 shaves or close to it with no white heads. I do not have any new red blemish spots in the last 2 weeks and the ones I have are slowly fading. Thats really my goal at this point. For all the red blemishes to clear up and disappear. Like you I was just shaving the white heads off. Unfortunately for me the red blemishes stick around for weeks to a month. The dermatologist says this is because of my folliculitis.

I have tweaked my routine quite a bit for 2 reasons. Washing my face with a Benzoyl Peroxide cleanser is much easier in the shower and I really miss the after shave smell. Plus a hot shower should be close enough to a hot towel prep if my problem is really just folliculitis. I may re-incorporate this later along with trying distilled water again.

Here is the routine I am using with the acne regiment:

1.) Soak brush in hot water and prep shaving gear on counter.
2.) Hot/warm Shower. At the end I wash my face with a BP cleanser (10% BP). Leave it on for 20-30 seconds and then wash it off.
3.) After shower. Rub my face with Poraso pre shave cream. ohh the tingle is so great.
4.) Wash the cream off.
5.) Fill the sink with fresh hot water and precede to face lather. Emphasis on hot water. I am back to it for now.
6.) 1 WTG pass and 1 XTG pass.
7.) 1 - spot touch up if/where needed.
8.) Thoroughly wash face with cold water.
9.) Cold water towel press for 30-45 seconds
10.) Pat face and neck dry
11.) Immediately apply Cetaphil Daily moisturizer. No balms for now.
12.) 30-60 minutes later I apply the Clindamycin topical. *I was told earlier this week I have to use this topical twice a day for at least 3 more months =/

Note: I vetted the above with my Dermatologist and she thought it was exactly how i need to incorporate the acne treatment along with shaving.

I have really noticed lately before applying the moisturizer my skin feels noticeably soft, slick, and hydrated. I dont know how to explain it other then that but if feels great immediately after the shave.

I am using my Mach lll for now. Rules out any technique issues. Only until my face is clear. I hate it but its working.

Sounds good.

 

[Dansco]

Theres loads of great info and tips above so I can't add much but,
1. Don't push for BBS. Settle for a clean, comfortable shave. If people would have to get closer than a couple of feet to notice then it may get you through.
2. Definitely don't touch up with an electric razor if you miss bits. All my electric ever did was give me spots!!