Newbie looking for suggestions or encouragement

I been lurking for a few months in the TSD forums and have found lots of good information. I started wet shaving with a D/E razor a little over 2 months ago and my last 2 shaves have been my first 2 consecutive shaves without blood, very little irritation (it took me a little while to figure out the right angle with the razor), and very near BBS. The past couple of weeks I have been paying close attention to my beard pattern. Also for the first of those two weeks I was only doing 2 WTG passes. I got the growth pattern down pretty well but I was still having problems with bleeding. A week ago I changed to the red pack IP's from Crystals and had a nice improvment in my shave. My last 2 shaves were 1xWTG, 1xXTG, and 1xATG on my cheeks, 1xWTG and 1xATG on my mustache and upper chin, and 1xWTG and 1xXTG on my neck and lower chin.

Currently I'm using:
Merkur HD
red box IP's
shave secret shave oil (before every lather) - I've tried without but get really bad irritation
VHD soap
Tweezerman shave brush
Gillette sensitive skin ASB.

A few years back, like 10 or so, I was sent to a dermatologist for this type of irritation. Though a bit more severe then, I was told it was just acne. I don't have to shave near as much for work now but the wife like me shaved close.

My mild irritation is on my neck and chin, little red spots and some with white tops, does increase if I shave every day. I was wondering if changing from using VHD Soap to Proraso aloe and green tea shaving soap, using a alum block or using an alcohol based AS would help? ...or am I on the right track and I need to work on my razor handling skill some more?

And I also would like to thank everyone for all of the great assistance you have been with all of the post that I have read. I feel like I have learn so much with all of the threads that I have already read.

 

Hello!Congratulations for your last two shaves.It seems that your learning curve have been improved.Its a question of patience and enjoying what youre doing.I encourage you to keep going and answering to your questions if you have a sensitive skin(as it seems you do) your lather has to be really lubricating.You can use the Proraso white jar but remember that pressure and cutting angle are important too, so its a ombination of good lubricating lather and knowing how to "attack" your stubble.I use alum block and alcohol based AS but I dont have a really sensitive skin so you have to experience how those things works for you.I hope that you keep going and enjoy this experience of proper wet shaving.

 

Hello and welcome!
I would say that the red spots is caused by too much pressure on the razor when shaving. You can be very delicate when shaving with a DE razor and therefore get rid of a lot of irritation caused by "scrubbing" the razor against the skin. My skin responds me with some mild "razor burn" or small red spots as you describe when i apply too much pressure or go over the same area over and over again.
You can minimize the risk of getting this by finding a product that suits you but it's not sure that what works for others may work for you.
After all it's probably the technique that needs some refinement. It will come in time.
Good luck!

 

Thank you both for your comments. I'm still working on getting rid of a lot of bad habits that I have learned over time. I have very fair skin and a dark tough beard, and after almost 15 years of military service I have tried just about every shave technique with a cartridge or electric razor. Heh...I've even been cut up pretty bad with an electric razor trying to get rid of the shadow of the hair under the skin. After shaving with the IP's this past week I felt like I was pampering myself instead of "just shaving". Right now the irritation is just redness, no pain or burning. Would just doing a single pass on my neck for a while help, since my neck growth is side to side, to kept the irritation from getting worse while I improve?

 

When I have irritation on my neck, I go easy for a few days choose a milder razor or drop/change passes until my neck gets better.

I see that you are currently listing your neck as 1 WTG, and 1 XTG. Try doing 2 WTG or maybe just 1 WTG.

Are you sure all your neck has grain from side to side? I have patches on my neck and WTG is N-S on one part of my neck and E-W or W-E or S-N on other parts. If you are going ATG on part of your neck on your first pass, that could be causing some of your issues.

 

I have a few hairs at the beard line that grow up but that isn't where the irritations is occuring. The rest of my beard growth is like a backwards D. My cheeks and mustache grow downwards. From my lower lip to my chin goes from growing down to straight up. My chin and my neck grow from left to right. I spent a few days with some cotton balls and a lot of face rubbing in the mirror looking at how it all grows.

Now my last 2 shaves were both very close shaves, I don't know if that makes any difference. Should I reduce my passes for a day after I do a close shave like these? When I would shave like this with a cartridge razor I could only shave every day and a half or so.

 

What peders said +1

 

I would suggest trying out some different soaps and creams. Tabac is a great soap. J.M. Fraser's, Proraso, and Musgo Real are excellent creams with nice prices to match.
Here's a link for Tabac,it's the best price right now online.
http://www.fragrancex.com/products/_cid_Cologne-am-lid_T-am-sid_TABACSH44__products.html

 

Lots of great advice giving as usual. Have a look at this thread. Does that look like the irritation you are getting?

I like Justin will give my neck a break if I rough it up. I also will use some Clubman Club Mend. That usually really speeds the healing process for me.

 

Kinda of but a LOT milder. I get those but maybe only 5 or so scattered around my neck when I shave and they fade away a few hours after I shave. If I shave consecutive days, I will begin to get more and more and they last longer and eventually will include discomfort. I also get some that have white tops that will form a few hours after I shave and include discomfort. These tend to last the longest and were the reason that I was sent to the dermatologist before. A that time I looked like the photo of lferg but with half of them with white tops.

Applying too much pressure makes alot of sense to me. My neck is a hard place for me to get the head of my razor to lie flat, so I'm probably applying pressure and not realizing it when I'm doing it.

I feel stupid for having to ask this... I read a post that said to hold the razor at the balance point. Where exactly is this on a Merkur HD? I wondering if that will help with my technique.

For now I will have to skip shaving today since some of my dreaded white spots surfaced and I should let them heal.

 

I find that the balance point for the HD is holding it with only two fingers on very end of the handle(at least for me)
Aloe Vera pure juice will help you to heal your skin quicker.Also jojoba oil works great too.

 

Let me suggest throwing some witch hazel into your routine. use it before the cold water rinse. after the last warm water rinse. That might help with any irratation problems. I know I like the way it feels. Have you tried any other razor then the HD. Maybe I missed that. I will also repeat pay close attention to pressure.

 

It a little hard right now to justify to the wife element on getting another razor. She has less patience then I do for "my new obsession." And as she sees it right now it's no better then using my previous razors just a little cheaper right now. So until I can get some more improvement getting a another razor is out of the question.

I've brought that up to the wife since I had seen it in some other posts. Is there a difference in the different witch hazels, or can you just grab any bo-bo brand at the local store?

 

I use the generic dollar store stuff. it has like 14% alcohol in it. There are some that are pure WH they cost a bit more.. Thayers I believe is the brand name.

Keep your eyes out in the classifieds.. there are people here that are always PIF'ing razors. You may pick up another to try.

 

Answer the following question correctly and I will send you a user grade Ball End Tech if you would like. It is totally serviceable but uuugly! The Techs are known to be some of the mildest D/E's Gillette made. Heck I can even send you a pack of Derby Extras to try out. All free of charge just for being a contestant!

Who sang the following songs: "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue"

 

Thats really nice of you man!

 

If I answer first can I have the goodies?

 

Do you really want a set? I have more than one, but your question will be harder.

 

I would have to move if I didn't know that...lol. Buddy Holly. After I joined the service my parents moved here, I would come here to visit from time to time and really like the area. So, when I got discharged my wife and I moved here.

 

I have two or three of those things myself..