Hey everyone. I'm new to the forum and have a couple questions for those who have dealt with similar shaving issues. I'm 23 and have always had sensitive skin that gets irritated by numerous activities (shaving, working out/sweating, etc.). I'm currently in a masters program and will be interviewing for jobs soon and then starting at a position sometime next year. In school I'd always wait about a week between shaves so my skin wouldn't be crazy irritated the next time I shaved, but now that I'm heading into the professional world I'd like to start shaving more often. If I do this though then my skin always seems to have the irritated skin bumps at the bottom of my neck line. This gets even worse when I'm wearing some kind of collared shirt (and then worse than that if I have to button the top button & wear a tie). Does anyone have any recommendations for things (or different shaving products/methods) to allow someone to wear a collared shirt within a day after shaving and not have any major skin irritation? Right now if I were to do that, and then my skin were to get irritated, then I'd likely have to wait a week before shaving again.
First off...welcome! You are in the right forum and this group is amazing. I have a sensitive neck as well, so I understand what you are going through. When I first started shaving, I used the three, four, and five blade monstrosities that are on the market and it would kill my neck. I switch to a Braun 7 series electric and it was great but never felt like a good, close shave. Then, about a month ago, I started with the de safety razor. Let me tell you, it is the only way to go. Find what works for you and enjoy. There are many good products out there for post shaving, but I sincerely enjoy the alum block as an astringent. It will also provide feedback as to how you are shaving (i.e. it will sting a little if you are getting too close) but I also find it minimizes the bumps on my neck. Heck, maybe it is just the shave itself but I like the alum. I also use Razorock aftershave wax; it's a nice product that doesn't leave my skin greasy and doesn't clog my pores. I have heard the Razorock "problem solver" is incredible and you may want to go right to that product: http://www.italianbarber.com/razorock-problem-solver-lime-aftershave-splash I hope I have helped! Again, welcome and enjoy! Derhey
It's probably going to be trial and error, but here's what seems to work for me: DE Safety razor No ATG (although I can do that occasionally without issue now due to #1) I use a glycerine-based soap to wash prior to my shave. I wash after work with a Benzoyl Peroxide wash I use a Salicylic Acid (Oxy or Clearasil) wipe before bed. My problem was folliculitis, not ingrowns. So the key was eliminating bacteria. I have oily skin, so for me that meant no pore-clogging soaps or lotions and the benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.
Welcome...DE razors and alum blocks are probably the answer, they have greatly helped me. These forums are a wealth of insight.
Welcome. Talc may be able to help. There are even some shave soaps that contain talc such as Provence Sante. I personally use single edge (SE) razors such as GEM, Ever Ready, as well as the Schick Injectors (extremely easy for a newbie to learn).
Welcome ! Your problems will be solved soon I'm sure .... Think about how much less irritation with a double edge (DE) which uses one blade ... Or of course you could man up and go straight razor ... Kidding of course about the man up part but it really does do a fine job ...
Welcome to the Den! I would echo much of the above: 1) No starch on your collars 2) DE shaving 3) Cold Water Shaving 4) Avoid ATG 5) Alum 6) RR problem solver is a nice product
to TSD "wroncsu" All of the above is good, correct info and will be helpful in relieving your neck irritation. A good preshave routine and a single bladed razor are certainly key. Having said that an inexpensive locally available way to achieve a single bladed cart shave is the "Bump Fighter" razor. It's specially made to use a single blade cart to fight irritation/bumps on the skin. While a good preshave routine and a true DE, SE, Injector etc. may ultimately be the best answer. The "Bump Fighter" with a good preshave may give you some immediate relief and it's certainly easy to get now(locally and widely available) and cheap. Also check out the "mantic 59" shaving video's..
Since you are interested in Traditional Shaving, here is the advice I received when I started with a DE and so I freely give it to new users. The most important things in shaving are, your skin and technique. All other things fall in line behind those two things and to support them. Since the skin is a given fixed item, the next major item is technique. It is called THE 30 DAY RULE. THE 30 DAY RULE is as follows: Find a razor, then a blade that will not cause issues with your skin (that may take a few different blades in a sampler pack to find a suitable choice or it maybe the first out of the gate) and select a soap or cream that is easy to generate good lather. Once you find those, and it may take a couple of weeks to find this combination, order a quantity of that blade enough for 30 days, and then spend 30 days using nothing else until you build up your technique. (Note that only one brand blade is used for 30 days after each blade in the sampler pack is tested to make the decision on the blade brand to use for 30 days.) The 30 day clock starts when you have the right blade for you. After 30 days, change one and only one variable and work for another week then change another after another week. At that point you should be able to make better decisions because your technique is now in place. This will help you to avoid buying too much gear and stuff too soon without having the technique down to enjoy it all. This really does work. Oh and one more thing ... Welcome to the Den. We know you'll fit right in. So grab yourself a comfy chair, and give our threads a spin! Burma Shave
Be sure to do plenty of prep especially on your neck and I would only go WTG . Get a hot shower,then wash your face with some noxzema,let it set for a minute or so. Then a good lather with a good soap I prefer Cella, then a splash of witch hazel. You should look and feel like a million bucks . Good luck!
Good advice here. It would help us if you tell us what kind of razor & what prep routine & products you are currently using.
First, Welcome wroncsu!! I too suffer from the dreaded super sensitive neck, and I've found the following to be most helpful. Always wash your face before shaving. Face soap or moisturizing soap is best. Hand soaps and some bath soaps can cause irritation. I try to discourage the use of prepared face "scrubs". Many times, they are harsh and many people tend to actually scrub their face whilst using them. Don't do this. Be kind to your face. If you use a washcloth do so gently. Always blot your face and neck with the towel to dry. Again, don't scrub. Washcloths and towels are just like sandpaper if you over do it. Go easy. Always rinse soap from your face & neck completely. Leaving soap to dry on the skin is a sure way to cause irritation and inflammation. Water temperature is very important for those of us with super sensitive areas. While there are some folks who can get away with using really hot water, you and I cannot. Applying hot water (above 98 deg. F) to the skin promotes blood flow nearer the surface and increases sensitivity, which is just what you don't want. Conversely, cool water inhibits blood flow near the skin surface and decreases sensitivity, which is beneficial. While you may not be able to tolerate really cold water, the cooler the better. If you enjoy hot water in the shower, plan not to shave directly afterward. Shaving with a single blade razor (of whatever type you prefer, SE, injector, DE) helps most of us to reduce or eliminate irritation. There is much good advice here, and I suggest you cruise these forums for a while to gain some very helpful insight. There are some general rules that apply to all wet shavers, regardless of your choice of razor. 1. Time. It takes a bit of time to shave properly. Some DE shavers can consistently get a good shave in 6-8 minutes. I can't. My routine regularly requires 12-14 minutes. No big deal, I just set the alarm clock appropriately. If I don't have time to do things right, I don't shave. Remember, nothing invites the fire gods in quicker than hurrying through a shave. 2. Get to know your facial hair growth. You need to avoid shaving against the grain in areas that you already know are sensitive. 3. Cartridge type razors by their design require you to press the razor into your face. DE, SE, and injector type razors FORBID this. There is no surer way to light your face on fire than to press excessively on the DE razor. It may sound strange, but this is one of the hardest lessons for the new DE shaver to learn. It takes conscious thought and concentration to break this habit. Remember, don't press. Just let the weight of the razor do the work. 4. An after shave treatment of some kind is required. That may seem like a pretty strong statement, but it's true. Even when done carefully and correctly, shaving involves dragging a very sharp steel object over your skin. You skin needs something to cool, moisturize, and soothe. I really like witchhazel for this. It's easy to apply, has little/no smell, it's not greasy or oily, and it's a time tested and proven tool to help reduce irritation. There are other products too, like balms and "milks", but I like good old witch hazel the best. Remember, some these products contain alcohol. You may be able to tolerate that, but I would not make it my first choice. The product shown above has no alcohol, and it works really well for me. Best of luck to you and let us know how you are doing!
Welcome to TSD. once l started using a DE razor my neck started to get better. I'm still working on my technique, took me a couple month to get a nice shave. my neck is 100% better, no bumps, rashes, my neck even is getting better color back instead of being real red. good prep, pre shave oil before each pass. use just shave creme. cold water splash, aftershave with no or little alcohol. take your time, their is a lot of good info here in the Den. Good Luck to you. Enjoy Your Shave. Have you thought of maybe trying to use different kinds of laundry soap? some people can have a reaction to some of the chemicals that are in them. Or do you get them washed and starched. Just a thought.
