Newbie and loving it but need help

[mickman1234]

Hello All

I have recently gone down the road of DE shaving and am enjoying it so far but have much to learn. There is one thing that is really annoying me though and im looking for some help if possible

For years now i have had red bumps at the bottom of my check at both sides, one side worse than the other. Its just that area and shaving irritates it . Strangely enough my neck hair grain seems to go in the same direction except for this little pocket it seems to be the complete opposite so its possible that i have been shaving this incorrectly for years. I REALLY want to get rid of these marks if possible and here is my plan :

1. Exfoliate the problem area with salicylic acid soap every morning followed with a moisturizer
2. Shave every 3 days to give skin a chance to heal
3. Shave after hot shower and use new DE razor and lather etc
4. Shave only WTG until i can get rid of these bumps
5. Shave the very small problem area first WTG and then do the rest of neck / face as WTG seems to be a different direction for this area to rest of neck
6. After shaving use alum

Hopefully i will get lucky and the washing and exfoliation will get rid of these bumps on their own as i have never had a face wash routine before

Any hints or tips ? I have attached a picture of my redness (day after shaving ) and while its not a big area i really hate it and want to fix it

Thanks for any help or guidance you might give me

 

[Al Bundy]

I would mostly agree with your plan but for a few tweaks...

1. Don't over exfoliate. It was a mistake I made for years until a dermotologist informed me that usually once a week is sufficient. Definitely wash the area daily though.
2. There is a school of thought that says that shaving every day actually helps prevent red bumps because, you'll love this, it exfoliates the skin!

On the second point it may be another of those YMMV moments but I can say I shave every day and no longer get red areas as I used to. Bear in mind also that as your technique improves you'll probably also find some of these areas will "naturally" right themselves.

Ps some people have a reaction to alum that can cause redness and irritation. Try it and see if it works for you but also, and if not, think about witch hazel as an alternative

 

[mickman1234]

I would mostly agree with your plan but for a few tweaks...

1. Don't over exfoliate. It was a mistake I made for years until a dermotologist informed me that usually once a week is sufficient. Definitely wash the area daily though.
2. There is a school of thought that says that shaving every day actually helps prevent red bumps because, you'll love this, it exfoliates the skin!

On the second point it may be another of those YMMV moments but I can say I shave every day and no longer get red areas as I used to. Bear in mind also that as your technique improves you'll probably also find some of these areas will "naturally" right themselves.

Ps some people have a reaction to alum that can cause redness and irritation. Try it and see if it works for you but also, and if not, think about witch hazel as an alternative

Interesting, thanks . I never thought i could shave everyday due to soreness and redness but now that im learning how to shave actually properly maybe it will become something i can do

 

[Mark Brandon Read]

I had a similar problem around the crease on my neck a member here (can't remember who) gave me the solution. The hair in this area grows in the opposite direction so on the first wtg pass shave upwards for an inch or so in this area. It cured my problem. As we're all different mapping the way the hair grows is a good idea.

 

[mickman1234]

I had a similar problem around the crease on my neck a member here (can't remember who) gave me the solution. The hair in this area grows in the opposite direction so on the first wtg pass shave upwards for an inch or so in this area. It cured my problem. As we're all different mapping the way the hair grows is a good idea.

Thanks, this is exactly what i think i need to do, its only when i started looking at my grain map that i saw the hair in this particular pocket grows differently to the rest of my neck

 

[ackvil]

First, welcome to B&B.

Some good points were raised above. One of the main problems many new shavers face is that they are putting too much pressure on the razor. The result can be irritation, razor bumps, etc. Let the weight of the razor do the work for you. I find that using the correct grip can make a big difference. I use two fingers and my thumb to hold the razor with another finger resting on the tip of the handle. This results in holding the razor very lightly with no pressure on the razor. You want to hold the razor as lightly as you can so that it stays on your face and without it falling from your hand. The wiki deals with holding a razor and may help you.

As said above, I also found alum to be an irritant. I switched to WH which I found much smoother.

Tend Skin is another product that often is recommended for razor bumps.

 

[NickCutlip]

Welcome to the forum !!

 

[ajkel64]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for checking in with us.

 

[Invicta]

Welcome to B&B.

 

[Rustyshackelford]

Welcome.

Don’t change too much at once, but I would simply the routine for starters. You are likely correct in the assessment of the grain direction changing in you problem area. Mine is similar. I do first pass with any razor of my choosing on my face top to bottom, then neck from bottom to jaw line. If I stop here I get no irritation like you have pictured. If I want a closer shave, I have a vintage Gillette adjustable that I put a sharp smooth blade in and dial down to a 2. I then apply a good lather to my face and neck, this time doing my neck from my jaw line down. Avoid buffing, limit yourself to maybe just one follow up pass relying on residual slickness.

A few things I have been doing to end my shaves that I find have been helpful. I wipe all remaining lather from my face with a like warm washcloth, then rinse it off thoroughly in cold tap water. Once rinsed, I apply the cold cloth to my face at least twice and let it set for 10 to 20 seconds at a time, longer in the problem areas. This helps to sooth, and close up pores, and I think helps to prevent irritation and ingrowns.

I follow up with any variety of aftershave products from alum, to aftershave splashes, witch hazel, and balms. I am trying a few aftershave products and paying special attention to the benefits of each, of there are any.

Also, another thing to consider is that you may have to accept what your skin is tolerant of when it comes to shaving. I can’t shave more than 3 to 4 days consecutively without causing irritation, and if one of these shaves includes a ATG passes on my face, I’m committed to ingrowns. I have accepted that a 2 pass shave 3 days in a row is my limit.

In my experience, the only exception would be a strict one pass shave with a Muhle R41 on a daily basis. It’s a super close and comfortable shave. I can do this consecutively without end, as the reduction in passes ultimately means less irritation resulting in happy skin.

 

[BigJ]

Welcome aboard!

You have some great advice in this thread!

I would emphasize a few points:
1. Change only one thing at a time.
2. Map your beard to understand with special attention to the problem area.
3. Focus on NO pressure!

Stick with this and your shaves will continue to improve!!

 

[mumB_L_E]

I have similar growth patterns on my neck. Mapping the grain is your foremost solution. As my technique improved and my face needed less time to heal between shaves, I found shorter stubble to be more forgiving to inadvertent xtg/atg first pass strokes. In my experience, 24-36 hours between shaves is the sweet spot.

 

[mickman1234]

thanks all. have had 2 really good shaves since and redness is much reduced so im very happy with that. I am doing two WTG passes with a touch up and that works for me . Two other questions though :

1. I have a Mercur 34C with the short handle and i find it annoying because the handle is so short. Is it supposed to be this short ? Would a longer one not be better ?

2. After shaving i have tightness around the mouth area, its not agony but very uncomfortable and can last for a while . Presume this is just too much pressure ?

Thansk again

 

[Al Bundy]

1. I don't own a Merkur so couldn't really comment other than to ask how you're holding it? There are variations but many people tend to hold between finger and thumb at balance point of razor with maybe one other finger to support. This way will help avoid inadvertently applying pressure to the razor, something which might help with point 2. I use a Fatip Piccolo most days and the handle on that is pretty small.

2. The area just beyond the corners of the mouth does seem prone to damage easily, I presume due to the thinness of the skin in that area. Keep practicing technique, and maybe look at grip if necessary, and it will likely improve.

 

[Froloff]

1. I have a Mercur 34C with the short handle and i find it annoying because the handle is so short. Is it supposed to be this short ? Would a longer one not be better ?


Thansk again

I have Merkur Progress long handle. For me it is more convenient that short handle.

 

[Roedeer]

The area just beyond the corners of the mouth does seem prone to damage easily, I presume due to the thinness of the skin in that area

This area is not easy. I find that WTG followed by a careful XTG is the best I can do here. Making the skin area convex, by pushing your tongue into the corner of your mouth, or puffing up your cheeks, helps.

Attempting an aggressive against-the grain (S-N) here is a sure-fire way of getting nicked, at least for me.

 

[mickman1234]

thanks all

so another good shave today, no cuts again but still very tight above the mouth. So much so that i dont want to smile

My post shave routine is wash off later , pat dry and use a moisturizer (one i have always used) so i presume im still using incorrect pressure

During todays shave i made a note to just go very easy above the mouth but still i have this tightness

I am only doing 2 x WTG passes all over my face until i get this bit sorted

Any further help ? I have read other threads where people say it takes a while for the skin to get used to DE shaving, could this be the issue ? I am only on my 4th shave. I could always do above the mouth with a cartridge i suppose

 

[Al Bundy]

It does sound like maybe a little too much pressure still. In time you'll come to be amazed just how much pressure you were putting on when you didn't think you were!

Also pay close attention to blade angle, which changes with the contours of your face. Too steep and you risk scrapping rather than slicing the hair which might also cause the effect you mention.

 

[mickman1234]

Thanks so what’s the best angle for above the lip ?

 

[Al Bundy]

There's a brilliant visual guide to blade angle in the shave wiki but unfortunately it appears to be unavailable right now. Typical huh?

Basically, you have 3 possibilities:

1. Riding the cap, resulting in a shallow blade angle,
2. Riding the guard, resulting in a steep blade angle, and
3. Neutral mid way between the two extremes.

A more shallow angle reduces the risk of burn caused by the blade scrapping the skin.