I was looking for some info about this topic and I found this site http://www.acne.com Well, I actually found this link http://www.acne.com/prevention/shaving.php but I posted the site 'cause it might be of interest to some people (dermatologist, shaving newbies (like me) and the young ones who are susceptible to acne) I found the info very useful and I will copy and paste the info here in case you don't want to click the link. I know most of this info can be found elsewhere in this forums but if you're as lazy as I am then this is the thread you should read. The acne-like breakouts we know as "shaving bumps," or Pseudofolliculitis barbae, are the result of inflammation in the hair follicle brought on by shaving. As hairs begin to grow back after shaving, waxing or plucking, they get trapped inside the follicle, resulting in irritation and swelling. Anyone can get shaving bumps, but they're more common in people with curly hair. Fortunately, anyone can take steps to prevent them. By following a few simple steps, you can learn to "shave smart" for fewer breakouts. Warm it up. Before you begin shaving, prep the area with warm water. The hydration makes your skin more pliable; the heat will dilate your blood vessels, bringing blood flow to the area. Some people find that shaving in the shower brings better results. As everyone here will advise you, a good shave starts with a good preparation. Lather well. Pseudofolliculitis barbae can also be diminished by using the right shaving cream. Thinner, more filmy shaving creams help the razor glide over the skin, reducing irritation. [WoW Lingo]L2Lather IMO[/WoW Lingo] There is a video that has been posted more than once in the forums. Watch it one time, two times, and as many times you need to because is like "How to lather for dummies" Use the right razor. If you can, use an electric razor. The shave won't be as close, but you probably won't break out. If you prefer blade shaving, use a new single-blade razor each time you shave. Why single? Double-and triple-edged blades lift the hair out of the follicle for a shave that is actually below the epidermis. As part of the skin's natural healing process, the epidermis grows over the opening of the follicle. Then, as the hair grows back, it has to fight to get out of the closed follicle — causing an inflammatory response. Well... you're alerady using a straight or a DE so nuff said, Do not pay much attention to the electric razor part, you will find plenty of stories from the people here that have years of experience on the shaving field, telling you electric razors are not precisely a good idea. Go with the grain. The closer your shave, the more likely you are to get shaving bumps. So try to get into the habit of shaving with the grain — for both men and women, this usually means shaving down rather than up. This will cut down on irritation and may help with nicks and cuts, too. For starters, if you get too many bumps then try shaving more than once WTG, and XTG and do not shave ATG for a while. Tone up. When you're done, you may want to apply a mild alcohol-free toner (witch hazel is a gentle alternative) or antibacterial gel; this will kill bacteria before it gets into the open follicles — and help you stop Pseudofolliculitis barbae before it starts. Both benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are available in gel form as well. For most people, these simple practices go a long way toward the prevention of Pseudofolliculitis barbae. If your shaving bumps persist, consult your dermatologist; he or she may be able to prescribe a more aggressive topical acne treatment. Contributing Doctor Dr. Sherwin Parikh
Haha, yeah that's maybe not a good advise n_n I didn't removed that part to keep the original text as it was. But I edited the text to "remove it" hehe
Interesting..electric razors actually made my razor bumps worse. I guess that's why we readily say 'YMMV!' As everyone else pointed out, the rest of the article is good. Maybe someone should talk them into editing their article
The best for me to avoid an acne spot here and there is to use the alum block. With that, I hardly ever get a spot..
I just noticed this thread was about 5 years old when i replied.. The new link to the shaving guide is http://www.acne.com/how-to-prevent-acne/skin-info/shaving-guide/ Do you have naturally oily skin? If so, does the alum block help control that? I thought about picking one up the other day but was unsure about it's effectiveness.
I didn't notice anything.. haha. I just replied. But yes, I have oily skin. Mostly on my forehead. Actually the daily face wash accompanied with a cream helps retain it. If I wash and don't moisturize afterwards it gets more oily. I can't feel a difference regarding "oily-ness" if I use alum or not, but I tend to get a few breakouts here and there if I don't use it.
I'll have to give the alum block a try then. For the longest time I was convinced that moisturizing my face was not necessary since it was already oily. Obviously I have much to learn for properly taking care of my face!
Reason should be that when you wash your face, you dry it out a bit and then your skin compensates by being more oily. When you apply a cream your face does not compensate. Hence you keep it proper moist.
Makes perfect sense to me. Maybe they should teach kids these things in school to go along with the "it's time to start wearing deodorant" talk lol.
I've personally found that the act of shaving alone reduces acne. I don't know but it must be the blade scraping away dead skin and exfoliating that keeps my face cleaner.
