Razor Bumps

[heydude]

I get red spots along my neck after shaving. I believe these are called "razor bumps" as i have curly hair and I believe the hair starts to grow out and curls and irritates the skin (supposidly).

My regime is as follows:

1. Shower
2. Apply shave cream that contains aloa vera
3. Let shave cream sit on face for a few minutes
4. Shave with Gilette 4 blade disposable razor (although I use it for like a month or two).
4. Rinse with warm water

I have tried after shave and it didn't help and just made me burn more.

What is the correct way to be shaving! So much trouble!

[SteveinMN]

heydude, I had a similar problem until I switched to a single-blade razor. Mine is a Gillette that's almost as old as I am, but if you're not up to that, BIC sells disposable (I know...) single-blade razors you could try. And there are new razors out there for double-edged blades which are cheaper than the old Gillettes.

The key with the shaving, though, is to shave with the grain, then across the grain, and then against the grain (if you need to). To determine the grain on your neck, let your whiskers grow a bit and then use your fingers or even a credit card against your beard as if you were shaving it. You'll find one way (with the grain) is easy. The opposite way is against the grain and should be your last pass with the razor. Of course, perpendicular to those (either direction) is across the grain. Your preparation is good, so first move the razor with the grain of your beard. Depending on how much shave cream you leave behind, you may want to apply more for the across-the-grain and after-the-grain passes. You don't need much -- just a thin layer. Don't worry about removing all the hair in one stroke.

And, seriously, consider using a new cartridge at least every two weeks. I know they're darned expensive, but beard hair can have the strength of thin wire; scraping a razor around your face for a solid two months (daily use?) cannot end well.

[heydude]

Thanks Steve!
i tried a single blade and it left blood all over my face! ughhhhhhhhhh! so hard to get this right.

i am skeptical about all those passes (perpendicular and then against). that seems like more trouble to the situation. it has always seemed like the less i touch it all, the better.

every 2 weeks? that is expensive! maybe maybe.

i also hear to dry them cause water will make them go out fast.

[Mrs-M]

My husband soaks his face with a hot washcloth to soften his beard. He first washes his face (soap/hot water), then he submerges the washcloth in the sink (filled with hot water), then holds the cloth to his face (without wringing). He repeats this process a half dozen times (or so), holding the cloth to his shaving-area for 20-30 seconds each time. Shaving cream follows, then he goes to work shaving.

His skin is flawless, clean, and blemish-free. DH, also switches shaving directions on different parts of his face, and as he tells our oldest son, "never shave against the grain".

[Mrs-M]

Heydude. My husband is shaving as I'm typing this, and he asked me to ask you if you are trying to get too close?

[heydude]

OH, MRS-M.......YOU ARE SOOOO THE BEST!

I have tried not getting too close and all that did was make me not even shave anything off, hahahahhahaa. UGH.

[SteveinMN]

Thanks Steve!
i tried a single blade and it left blood all over my face! ughhhhhhhhhh! so hard to get this right.
If by single blade you mean a double-edged blade or an injector blade, they require a totally different technique than cartridge razors. Pressing down on a single-edge blade at the same angle you'd use for a multi-blade cartridge is bound to end badly (as you've discovered).

i am skeptical about all those passes (perpendicular and then against). that seems like more trouble to the situation. it has always seemed like the less i touch it all, the better.
It may seem counterintuitive, I admit. But the key is to not try to take all the beard off in one stroke. Especially as the blade dulls, it will try to take more of the hair shaft with it and you'll end up with ingrowns like you're experiencing. Think about mowing your lawn -- a dull blade doesn't cut the grass cleanly; it tears it. You can see the frayed ends on the grass. The same thing is happening on your face, at a more microscopic level.


every 2 weeks? that is expensive! maybe maybe.

i also hear to dry them cause water will make them go out fast.
Drying is good, but it's best to air-dry (or shake the moisture out) rather than use a towel or anything that will run up against the blade.

A few more things you might try: you mention letting the cream sit for a few minutes. Does your face ever feel like it's burned? Is it red where you applied shaving cream even if you didn't shave? Maybe you need a different shave cream. There are some really good ones which are not expensive. Another option is to rinse with the coolest water you can stand. Cold water causes pores to shrink, giving the torn hairs less of an opportunity to grow in.

AFA cost, I tried single-blade shaving because paying Schick or Gillette a bundle of money every couple of months didn't seem frugal to me. I didn't like the disposable aspect, either. Now I buy a year's worth of blades at one time; they're 9 cents apiece and each lasts me almost a week of daily shaving. That puts me at about 40 cents a month for blades. The cream (or soap) lasts for months and costs only a few bucks. Learning? Yeah, that took a little time. But I did learn and my shaves are better and my skin is in better shape, too. I'm not trying to sell anything; I just have to shave pretty much every morning and feeling bad or uncomfortable when I get done is, IMHO, not a great way to start the day.

Hope that helps....

[Tussiemussies]

My upper thighs are very sensitive and I must shave with the grain there otherwise I will have red bumps. Shaving with the grain and then across the grain works really well for me. No red bump problems...let us know how it works out for you!

[fidgiegirl]

My Plastic Free Life just had a funny post (http://myplasticfreelife.com/2012/05/use-a-straight-razor-to-manscape-without-plastic/) about using a straight razor, yeah, that's right, like barbers used to use. Worth a read, even if you don't get any useful advice, cuz it's just that comical. Though I hope it would be useful to you.

[heydude]

Steve,
It was a bic disposable single blade?
I use a shave cream called "bump patrol" and it has aloe vera in it. It does not burn. What do you use?

[jennipurrr]

There is a product called Magic Shaving Powder that you make into a horrible smelling pasty concoction. Its cheap and they sell it at the drug store. It works like depilatory creams like Nair, but it is much less harsh. It was originally intended for African American men who apparently often get ingrown hairs and razor burn really easily, but it has picked up a big following on the internet with women using it on their bikini lines. Hopefully not TMI, but its fabulous on the bikini line! So its probably good on the face too.

[daisy]

Along with the Magic Shaving Powder, there is also a product called Bump Stop that you apply after shaving. My DH has used it and says it helps.

[SteveinMN]

heydude, right now I'm alternating between some Avalon Organics lavender shaving cream (not crazy about it, but it certainly protects my face) and some shaving soap from St. Charles Shave in St. Charles, Missouri. I actually use a brush with the soap, which helps get the lather all around the whiskers, which makes shaving smoother.

The BIC razor you're asking about is their "Sensitive Skin" razor. Walgreen's carries it, as do a bunch of places on-line.