My neck was always a problem area before I started DE shaving, and while the switch from electric to wet shaving made a huge difference, I never seemed to be able to shift the last few ingrown hairs. They would often disappear for a day or two, but always came back, and they were always in the same area, along the lines where the skin on my neck naturally creases when I turn my head.
After reading and reading and reading threads here, I decided to try a few things.
1. Stop the XTG and ATG passes on my neck.
This actually worked very well - I was hesitant about the quality of shave without an ATG pass but surprisingly, a second WTG pass works very well, and while it's obviously not as close as before, it's more than presentable and more importantly, more comfortable.
2. Use witch hazel.
I'd honestly never considered this before, for no reason other than plain ignorance. I opted for Thayers' alcohol-free, and I've made it a religious part of my routine - not just after shaving but every time when washing my face. It's quick, easy, and leaves no scent or residue.
3. Stop using ASBs.
I've used an ASB since I started shaving because I didn't like the sting of an AS when I was a teenager, and I liked the thought that it was moisturising. However, a comment I read mentioned that ASBs may clog pores, especially when combined with sweat. This made a lot of sense, as one of the worst breakouts I'd had occurred on a hot day when I'd been working in the garden all morning. For the last week or so I've only been using the ASB on my face and that seems to have helped a lot, too.
4. Stop touching!
I never realised until recently, just how much I was subconsciously touching my neck. I don't know whether it stemmed from a bit of faceturbation after a good shave, or checking for spots, or something else, but the quantity of dirt and grime I must have been passing from my fingers to the open pores on my neck must have been making any progress near impossible.
And, I'm very happy to say, that after only a week, every last ingrown hair and bump has gone
I have a few small red blemishes which are where the ingrowns used to be, but they're fading each day. I think that within another few days my neck will be, for the first time in nearly 20 years, completely clear. To say I am pleased is an understatement!
After reading and reading and reading threads here, I decided to try a few things.
1. Stop the XTG and ATG passes on my neck.
This actually worked very well - I was hesitant about the quality of shave without an ATG pass but surprisingly, a second WTG pass works very well, and while it's obviously not as close as before, it's more than presentable and more importantly, more comfortable.
2. Use witch hazel.
I'd honestly never considered this before, for no reason other than plain ignorance. I opted for Thayers' alcohol-free, and I've made it a religious part of my routine - not just after shaving but every time when washing my face. It's quick, easy, and leaves no scent or residue.
3. Stop using ASBs.
I've used an ASB since I started shaving because I didn't like the sting of an AS when I was a teenager, and I liked the thought that it was moisturising. However, a comment I read mentioned that ASBs may clog pores, especially when combined with sweat. This made a lot of sense, as one of the worst breakouts I'd had occurred on a hot day when I'd been working in the garden all morning. For the last week or so I've only been using the ASB on my face and that seems to have helped a lot, too.
4. Stop touching!
I never realised until recently, just how much I was subconsciously touching my neck. I don't know whether it stemmed from a bit of faceturbation after a good shave, or checking for spots, or something else, but the quantity of dirt and grime I must have been passing from my fingers to the open pores on my neck must have been making any progress near impossible.
And, I'm very happy to say, that after only a week, every last ingrown hair and bump has gone
I have a few small red blemishes which are where the ingrowns used to be, but they're fading each day. I think that within another few days my neck will be, for the first time in nearly 20 years, completely clear. To say I am pleased is an understatement!
