Shaving Marks

libertinemart

Anyone have any tips for getting rid of shaving marks and bumps on my neck? I've been to three GP's about it, been given advice by tens if not hundreds of pharmacists and spent a fortune on different products, but the marks are still there.

I find shaving in the correct direction is a big help, but I still have fairly noticeable red marks.

Any help is appreciated.

Twee.

Might get some good answers here OP.

Gran Hermano

What is your current shaving regime? What are you shaving with and what is our routine? What razor, what foam/gel/lather, how often doyou shave?


I was troubled by shaving bumps and ingrown hairs in the past, in hindsight the cause was poor pre shave preparation and using multi blade cartridges.

libertinemart

Gran Hermano wrote: »

What is your current shaving regime? What are you shaving with and what is our routine? What razor, what foam/gel/lather, how often doyou shave?


I was troubled by shaving bumps and ingrown hairs in the past, in hindsight the cause was poor pre shave preparation and using multi blade cartridges.

Thanks Twee.

On the recommendation of my doctor, I shave every three days with Gilette two blade disposable razors. I dampen my face with hot water, put on conditioner to soften the hairs and then shaving foam. I shave in the direction of the growth. Then clean my face with a damp hot cloth, then splash cold water. Then I apply moisturiser and aftershave balm. I usually just pick the most expensive shaving gel - Gilette usually.

I'm pretty sure my neck is infected at this stage. I tried tea tree oil for that but to no avail.

Five years of this, I'm sick of it.

Gran Hermano

libertinemart wrote: »

Thanks Twee.

On the recommendation of my doctor, I shave every three days with Gilette two blade disposable razors. I dampen my face with hot water, put on conditioner to soften the hairs and then shaving foam. I shave in the direction of the growth. Then clean my face with a damp hot cloth, then splash cold water. Then I apply moisturiser and aftershave balm. I usually just pick the most expensive shaving gel - Gilette usually.

I'm pretty sure my neck is infected at this stage. I tried tea tree oil for that but to no avail.

Five years of this, I'm sick of it.

Firstly, a lot of what you are doing is better than what most shavers do.
I had years of inflamed skin due to shaving problems - was on numerous antibiotics and potions and lotions from docs and chemists.

Hold off on the tea tree oil, I use it myself in a diluted form but wouldn't recommend it as a post shave treatment. Try witch hazel instead.

The Gillette twin blades are much less irritating than the 3, 4 or 5 blade alternatives. I rate the twin blade Gillette Sensor as the last good cartridge razor and I'll use it for head shaving myself. In simple terms a lot of people find the higher the number of blades the greater the irritation. You could always look at a DE or safety razor with a mild blade as a alternative.

First recommendation I would have is to always have a hot shower or bath immediately before shaving, yes the face cloths and conditioner will soften the beard but a shower or bath will do it better. I find a mild face scrub or using the face cloth helps lift the stubble for me as well pre shave.

Get yourself a shaving brush and a mild and unscented shaving cream or soap.
Proraso with aloe in the white tub is pretty neutral and won't irritate. The shaving brush again helps exfoliate and lift and soften the stubble. A proper shaving lather will protect skin from the scraping of the blade. Only run the razor across skin that has lather on it, reapply the lather between passes. Canned stuff doesn't compare to the traditional lather which protects and cushions much more.

Hold off on the balms and aftershaves for a while, I found if my skin was irritated adding scented post shave treatments would only add to the problem. If you use a good shaving cream or soap you'll find you won't need a moisturizer as much.

Again I recommend witch hazel as a light splash after shaving, see the recent thread here on it.

libertinemart

Thanks a million, I thought I'd tried everything but there's a few things in there that I hadn't heard/thought of. I'll let you know how I get on

dub_skav

Lots of good advice for you here already.

I recently switched to a DE razor after getting one for Christmas and have found that I get much less irritation.
However, I will admit that it is probably just as much due to the fact that I bought a decent brush and soap and started doing a decent prep.

So I would echo what you've already been told, get a brush and an old fashioned cream / soap and get a proper lather going, this will protect and moisturise your face. You can continue to use the same 2 blade disposables you have for now and then see if you would fancy trying a safety razor, but beware you may soon find yourself scouring ebay for vintage razors.

Another +1 on the witch hazel too, great for calming the skin

Cabaal

OP, some very sound advice here in relation to shaving.

A shaving brush and a proper shaving soap or cream is far better then gel or canned foam, the brush allows you to make a proper lather and to properly work it into your whiskers which softens them.

You may note that safety razors are very popular on this forum and not without reason, after the inital outlay they are cheaper in the long term (ie: 100 blades for less the 15e).

More importantly you use one proper sharp blade, this is far far better then 2, 4 or 6 kinda sharp blades and as such it reduces razor burn, ingrown hairs etc.

From my own experience I used to get awful razor burn and shaving caused me to get spots no matter what way I shaved, after a while of getting used to a new razor I noticed a massive reduction in my problems.

MadsL

I used to be plagued with ingrown hairs.

I have had just one since I switched to single blade shaving (mostly straight and occasionally DE when pressed for time)

libertinemart

Thanks for all the help.

Had a shave today with some of your suggestions and haven't seen an improvement yet, but of course it's very early days!

Following some of the above suggestions, I:
Applied the witch hazel after the shave.
I also shaved after my shower, which is a change for me.
Aswell as that I used an exfoliant in the shower.

Few more things I can do based on yer suggestions, so they're in the pipeline.

Can anyone suggest an actual brand of shaving cream? Or a shop where I could pick it up? I bought the brush but unfortunately neither of the pharmacies I went to had old-style shaving creams. Anywhere in Dublin would be great. Alternatively I don't mind shopping online.

Again, thanks for all your help. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, as I have in vain previously - but you guys do seem to know what you're talking about so...

Dramatik

If you don't all ready try shaving in short strokes (maybe 1 inch in lenth) rather than long sweeping ones, also try not to go over the same spot. It might also be worth looking at the direction of growth of hair. Mine grows all in one direction on my neck apart from one spot which swirls, this was where I used to get irritation because I had failed to notice the change in direction.

As for soaps and creams there is a barbers in the lane between grafton st. and Clarendone st. the one beside bewleys not sure of the name, it's got a couple of jewlers on it. Last time I walked past they had some in the window, Taylor's of old bond st. ect. Don't know of anywhere else that does, someone else on here might know of somewhere else.

kaiserjim

libertinemart wrote: »

Thanks for all the help.

Had a shave today with some of your suggestions and haven't seen an improvement yet, but of course it's very early days!

Following some of the above suggestions, I:
Applied the witch hazel after the shave.
I also shaved after my shower, which is a change for me.
Aswell as that I used an exfoliant in the shower.

Few more things I can do based on yer suggestions, so they're in the pipeline.

Can anyone suggest an actual brand of shaving cream? Or a shop where I could pick it up? I bought the brush but unfortunately neither of the pharmacies I went to had old-style shaving creams. Anywhere in Dublin would be great. Alternatively I don't mind shopping online.

Again, thanks for all your help. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, as I have in vain previously - but you guys do seem to know what you're talking about so...

Tescos have palmolive shaving cream for about 2 euro I find it very good.

ladhrann

libertinemart wrote: »

Anyone have any tips for getting rid of shaving marks and bumps on my neck? I've been to three GP's about it, been given advice by tens if not hundreds of pharmacists and spent a fortune on different products, but the marks are still there.

I find shaving in the correct direction is a big help, but I still have fairly noticeable red marks.

Any help is appreciated.

Something that might be helpful as well is to go for a straight razor shave and see how a barber's technique might differ from your own. You should also see how much of a difference there is afterwards compared to your routine.

MadsL

Something that might be helpful as well is to go for a straight razor shave and see how a barber's technique might differ from your own. You should also see how much of a difference there is afterwards compared to your routine.

Might learn something, but I have found that being shaved is almost always more irritating than shaving yourself. Don't let a bad barber experience put you off trying a straight.