Shaving soap and acne / zits

[Whitmore]

Alright folks: I LOVE shaving soap. I just love it. My almond soap makes me happy in the morning, I enjoy the scent, the feeling of making lather, all that. You know the deal.

But.

Light acne is my problem. Has always been. Now shaving soap (Dr Harris almond at the moment) didn't make it worse, but I can't get rid of the zits despite trying. My dermatologist recommended leaving the soap behind. Moving on to (gasp) cream in a can, that whole Gillette stuff I can't stand or smell or even see anymore. And I just can't do that, sorry.

So my question - is there any shaving soap you pros know of that has a particularly good effect on light acne? Something like "Take XYZ soap with whatever essence, because basically it doesn't paste over the pores?" I'm not looking for another dermatologist's opinion, but rather for the word of someone who had a similar problem and got rid of it despite using shaving soap.

So - any advice? Thanks in advance, have a great week everybody!

 

[SRock]

Obstacles to this hobby can definitely be frustrating. I don't have the problem that you are describing, so I'll leave it for others who are better informed than I. What I will say, is hang in there. I know an answer is forthcoming. The crew here at B&B have been there, done that as the expression goes!

 

[endcycle]

Alright folks: I LOVE shaving soap. I just love it. My almond soap makes me happy in the morning, I enjoy the scent, the feeling of making lather, all that. You know the deal.

But.

Light acne is my problem. Has always been. Now shaving soap (Dr Harris almond at the moment) didn't make it worse, but I can't get rid of the zits despite trying. My dermatologist recommended leaving the soap behind. Moving on to (gasp) cream in a can, that whole Gillette stuff I can't stand or smell or even see anymore. And I just can't do that, sorry.

So my question - is there any shaving soap you pros know of that has a particularly good effect on light acne? Something like "Take XYZ soap with whatever essence, because basically it doesn't paste over the pores?" I'm not looking for another dermatologist's opinion, but rather for the word of someone who had a similar problem and got rid of it despite using shaving soap.

So - any advice? Thanks in advance, have a great week everybody!

First -I AM NOT A DOCTOR. DOCTORS ARE USUALLY RIGHT.
Next - give Speick a try. I would suggest the cream, personally. Something in it is really good for your skin.

Also, go to acne.org and snag their 2.5% BP cream - use it AFTER your aftershaves on your entire face. You should also get a good, gentle face wash... go to www.nancyboy.com and buy that (as well as just about anything else they have, honestly)... their face wash is INCREDIBLE. Use it in the evenings and mornings, sparingly (in the shower and before bed).

Make sure you're using the BP cream twice per day, generously.

My final suggestion - keep your hands off your face. Unless you're shaving or washing, hands off the face. Period.

 

[cvac]

I use the acne.org products. Been dealing with acne 15+ years and they are the only thing works for me. My suggestion would be to put your soap away for awhile and try a different one in conjunction with treating the acne and see how that goes. Be careful with your other shaving products too...it might not be the soap but might be your aftershave balm or something else. You want to look for high concentrations of comedogenic ingredients in shaving products and avoid them. Also, make sure you rinse your soap or cream off your face very thoroughly after shaving.

 

[MikeLip]

Ditto on Speick.

I am a transplant patient, and the drugs I take make me susceptible to acne. I had a real problem wiht it until I started using Speick. I know that anecdotal evidence is not good science. But I have a number of items that I use for shaving, but when the acne starts to flare, I go back to the Speick regimen of soap or cream and their aftershave splash. A few days of that and I go back to the rotation.

I think it's mostly the splash that does the trick, to be honest.

I thought it was just alcohol. But I also use other alcohol based splashes and they don't do what Speick does. Not even Trumpers Lime, which feels like I set my face on fire.

Try it. As an added benefit, Speick smells awesome.

 

[cstewart]

Try a cream with tea tree oil in it. Alternatively, get an unscented cream and add tea tree oil to it.

I've also read some good things about the properties of neem oil so maybe try out some Justneem products. Neem oil apparently smells like garlic and nuts though, so be aware of what you're in for.

 

[endcycle]

The herbs Speick uses are well known as being generally good for the skin, but I'm not sure how much non-anecdotal evidence there is. I'll say this though -as someone who deals with moderate adult acne, speick cream is completely harmless and may actually help matters. I use it when my face is raw from a too-close shave the previous day, or when I have a breakout, and it seems to help. If nothing else, it certainly seems harmless and does NOT compound the issue.

a couple of other good suggestions in this thread - tea tree oil is GREAT for the skin.

Do yourself a favor though and get the acne.org products. the BP and AHA are both great... though I am not a huge fan of the wash (as I said in the other post, I like the Nancy Boy wash, it's a LOT better).

 

[ambrose]

Nancy boys mild face wash is the only thing that keeps me clear of acne.

Ive used them all and spent hundreds on dermatologists.

If you haven't tried it I suggest you do, and wash with it at least 2 times a day.



http://www.nancyboy.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_20&products_id=28

 

[cvac]

One thing that may be causing your acne that is indirectly related to the soap is irritation. Generally, shaving with soaps means you're cutting a bit closer than with a cream b/c soaps lack the cushion creams have, even if you are a pro at whipping up lather. And cutting closer is probably not what you want to do if your skin is acne prone because doing that is going to make you susceptible to irritation and more acne. This is especially true if you started wetshaving recently and still working on your technique.

One cream I would recommend above all others is Gentleman's Refinery Unscented. It's the most gentle cream I've tried. You can get a free sample if you contact GR directly.

Taylor of Old Bond St. also make a special "sensitive skin" unscented cream. They are the only UK company that makes a truly unscented cream (T&H doesn't count as Ult. Comfort contains lavender). I have two samples but haven't tried it yet. You may want to contact them directly and see if they will send you samples.

 

[AverageJoe]

Try Neutrogena "Skin Clearing Shave". It comes in a tube, doesn't foam at all, really, and has sort of a different, but not bad smell, and it seems to be helping me! You can go to their web site to get the details.

If, like me, you really want the whole "lathering with a brush" experience, do the first pass with your normal "nice" shave cream/soap and brush, and the second pass with the Neutrogena to get the positive effects it has and still have one "enjoyment pass". I was at the point where I was willing to live with a non-lathering cream for a while if it would clear up my skin and so this is my routine currently.

Also, as one who has been through a fair share of skin problems, don't discount people's advice before trying it, especially your doctors. If I could solve my skin problems by simply switching to "goo in a can" or an electric razor, I'd do it in a heartbeat! You may get to that point yourself sometime. The bottom line is having clear, irritation-free, bump-free, smooth skin. If you or I have to go back to an electric to get there or use a non-lathering cream, so be it-----it's better than telling yourself "well, my face is a mess, but least I'm using a DE/straight"!

 

[Bobtrumpet]

Some people have problems with shaving soaps being more drying that creams.

The drier skin may exacerbate the acne.

You might try the benzoyl peroxide and (especially) moisturizer regimen at acne.org.

 

[nav]

Some people have problems with shaving soaps being more drying that creams.

The drier skin may exacerbate the acne.

You might try the benzoyl peroxide and (especially) moisturizer regimen at acne.org.

Those 2 words make me quiver. I tried 2 lotions with BP (not face acne, I had some on the back of my neck, which is strange as I have never suffered from acne) and boy was it horrible, made the itching just horrible and non-stop.

 

[cvac]

Some people are allergic to BP. Rare, but it happens. Also depends on the strength of the BP concentration and other ingredients. Anything more than 2.5% is probably overkill.

Some people allergic to BP have found success with salicylic acid products. For me, salicylic acid doesn't do much besides dry my skin out, so I stick with BP.

As with all things, YMMV.

 

[nav]

Some people are allergic to BP. Rare, but it happens. Also depends on the strength of the BP concentration and other ingredients. Anything more than 2.5% is probably overkill.

Some people allergic to BP have found success with salicylic acid products. For me, salicylic acid doesn't do much besides dry my skin out, so I stick with BP.

As with all things, YMMV.

cool!! thanks for the tip...ill check it out.

 

[Whitmore]

Thanks folks, I appreciate your help. I'll have a look around the suggested products and tell you what happened!

 

[Boyextraordinare]

I had a few spots here and there when I was using the so-called dermatologist-recommended facial cleansers - Cetaphil et al - and I have to say the best thing I've learned from these shave forums is the following.

Use bar soap. Liquid cleansers don't clean adequately and consequently keep your ailments afloat.

Bar soap cleans, and cleans thoroughly - it clears acne.

You don't need fancy chemicals. Get a soap that cleans without overstripping - Claus Porto, US Yardley's - and manually exfoliate all over once or twice a week, moisturizing first thing after each shower and shave.

I don't feel this is a case of YMMV - but an unequivocal fact.

Try it out.

Kaveh

 

[goose]

Whitmore,

What post shave products are you currently using? My face tends to break use whenever I use aftershave balms, but I have had good success when using a mild aftershave splash like Thayer's Witch Hazel or DR Harris Pink.

Clint

 

[drandall]

as someone who has fought and generally lost this battle my whole life, i have a few ideas....

1) very few things are as pure and mild as an unscented, uncolored glycerin shave soap. it's about as basic as it gets and can give a wonderful shave. em's place has pure glycerin soap rounds that you might want to try

2) avoid any shaving products with lanolin like musgo real or MWF. they're fantastic products, but lanolin is a well-known inflamer of acne.

3) avoid over-drying the skin with too much cleansing, exfoliating, scrubbing, extra-strength acne medications or even alcohol from after shaves. over-drying encourages the skin to produce more oil to protect itself, which in turn clogs in pores and becomes the next wave of acne. it's counter intuitive, but if your skin feels consistently dry, a mild facial moisturizer can actually help prevent breakouts.

4) anything you can do to cut down on bacteria is a good thing. one thing that helped me get my acne under control was to put some 70% isopropyl alcohol ($1 from walgreens) in a plastic travel-sized spray bottle. after shaving, i spritz the exposed razor blade and guard to kill bacteria before the next shave. oftentimes, what looks and feels like acne is actually folliculitis, an infection of the hair follicle. most often this is caused by staph bacteria from hands, ears, nose and razor getting into small nicks in the skin causing infection.

5) obviously, anything that can avoid razor burn or skin irritation is a good thing. use a hot towel to soften the beard, a pre-shave if you find it helpful and avoid going against the grain when possible. also, a non-alcohol based AS balm will help sooth skin. while the alcohol in after shave can help disinfect nicks and cuts, it also dries skin and can irritate inflamed areas. overall, i've found a soothing balm to be much easier to handle. once your acne is under control, you can add an AS back in...cause it does feel great.

the best advice i ever received from a dermatologist was this...by the time you have acne, it's already too late....which is why spot-treatments don't really work. you have to get the medicine to the skin before it breaks out, preventing the problem in the first place. the best products i've tried are from acne.org. their regimen of cleanse, medicate and moisturize has made a world of difference for me and their products are terrific. much better than the drug store stuff and far cheaper than proactiv and the other mail-order systems

it's tough to find the right balance of products and routine for your type of skin. hang in there and don't get discouraged.

 

[DecaplegicSquid]

Have you tried tub creams? I've been using Taylor of Old Bond Street (rose) for a while now, and it gives me some nice moisturizing.

For my face/neck/upper back, I've had some acne problems for years. Like cvac, I visit acne.org, but I tend to stick to the forums. I had tried the acne.org "Regimen," but it severely dried out my skin, producing a lot of irritation. I also started noticing bleaching around the collars of my shirts. Since I picked up DE shaving, with the tub shaving cream, my face has been much more moisturized and I've noticed a lot of acne reduction, at least on my face.

My basic routine:
1) NutriBiotic soap (top recommended soap by reviewers on acne.org. It's a very gentle soap and it smells a little like peppermint, so it's very pleasant to use.
2) Shave with Taylor of Old Bond Street, Rose Scent (any scent would probably work exactly the same, it's just what I happened to try first) and my Merkur HD.
3) Alcohol splash, if I feel the need (witch hazel would probably be preferable). This, of course, disinfects the skin and any cuts that you may have sustained from shaving.
4) Maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of Nivea After Shave Balm for Sensitive Skin (This should be enough for the whole face, including the forehead. You should have enough for your neck and the area that meets your back). This step is crucial! This replenishes the oils you lost with the alcohol splash, and helps to sooth the skin, keeping irritation low.

On days I don't shave, I skip 2 and (usually) 3, but I continue to use the Nivea for moisture. I've found that a lot of my acne was due to dry skin that would get irritated, which I would then further irritate by scratching, and it would lead to giant messes.

In the end, the decision is all yours, but I've found these products work great for me. My strategy is mainly focused on fighting irritation since it's a primary cause of acne. It's nice to have a place to start, but remember nobody has the exact same skin chemistry, so you may have to work with this as a base and come up with a variant.

Products (in order of appearance!)
http://www.amazon.com/Nutribiotic-Skin-Cleanser-Original-liquid/dp/B00012NJKU
http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Old-Bond-Street-Shaving/dp/B0007MW2ZC/ref=pd_sim_hpc_5
(insert preferred razor here)
(insert preferred aftershave splash here)
http://www.amazon.com/Nivea-Sensitive-After-Soothing-Ounces/dp/B00005AXHQ

Note: You could pick up the Nivea from any drug store, and the NutriBiotic is available at The Vitamin Shoppe. Picking them up in-store will save you on shipping, but I wanted to get you familiar with the products' appearances.

PS. - NutriBiotic just changed the bottle. It's all white now (through me off pretty badly!), but it's the same product.
Also, feel free to PM me if you have any questions!

'Hope this helps!

-Brett, an experienced acne sufferer/chronic amateur researcher of skin products

 

[SilkySmooth]

I bet your dermatologist uses a Mach3 too!