Thread: Barber says I'm hopeless...

Sorry to hear about it. You don't mention who honed your blade, but if it wasn't one of the experienced honemeisters on this site, you might get a second opinion on the edge. Also, if you managed to meet with one or more of the more experienced members, maybe they could eyeball your shaving technique and demonstrate what "light" pressure and stretching mean for them.

Even if this doesn't solve the whole issue, it might allow you to make substantive gains on how much you can use the straight. Maybe you'll end up the "go-to" guy for shavers with this issue!

Casey,
I am not sure what the problem is. There might be a remedy for it, however, with perhaps a different lather and shave technique. I live in Milwaukee, about 100 miles north of Chicago, and you are more than welcome to come up for some personal training.

Great ideas here....try a hybrid shave and see how that works! You've got nothing to lose....or as Obie offered, go and spend some time with him!?! Maybe it's just your technique and/or your face is still getting used to it.

I know when I started, I'd get awful burn on my lower, right side of my neck, really badly, but I just kept easing up and easing up on the pressure until I it slowly went away. I also realized, I was lathering in areas of my neck where there wasn't any beard growth, was lathering just an inch or so lower than I needed to, and that of course added to the irritation as well.

Give it another month or two, get some feedback from an experienced shaver, and you might be giving the same advice to someone new to straight shaving having the same problem as you a year from now!!

Keep trying as suggested, esp. with variations of shaving products. I had a lifetime of bumps, ingrown hairs and redness on my neck from shaving UNTIL I used a straight razor. A very sharp razor and cold water lathering and rinsing (suggested here) vanished the last of the problems.

Originally Posted by MisterMoo

Keep trying as suggested, esp. with variations of shaving products. I had a lifetime of bumps, ingrown hairs and redness on my neck from shaving UNTIL I used a straight razor. A very sharp razor and cold water lathering and rinsing (suggested here) vanished the last of the problems.

Yes...good point MisterMoo! The cold shave was the other thing I changed to, and haven't looked back. Many have noticed their irritation diminish and/or disappear using the cold shave.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Yes...good point MisterMoo...

Thank you. I hope, one day, to have an original idea as well.

I hope these things work for you Casey. Cold water lathering/rinsing was a real eye-opener (ha); changed the game entirely.

It's more likely your barber was suffering from a case of Barberus Incompetente. If you truly have a skin condition, see a Doctor. Remember, at one time a straight was the only way to shave and folks managed back then.

Pseudo-folliculitis barbae (PFB) can be extremely problematic. I'm black and a physician (though not a Dermatologist), and I've treated both myself and some of my patients. PFB occurs when a hair curves back into the skin, and causes an inflammatory reaction. This shows up as pimples and pus pockets, and sometimes scarring and keloid formation.

Here are a few observations:

• Close shaves are a no-no
  What you use to shave isn't the main issue. The problem is that closer shaves encourage ingrown hairs, especially if the hair is curly and/or wiry.
• Shaving ATG is asking for trouble
  This is because you are shaving closer, and may be damaging the skin. You also may cut the hair off below the skin surface, which really encourages ingrowing.
• Shaving less often may help
  Skipping days may help because you reduce how much irritation your skin faces. I never shaved on weekends.
• Brushing and exfoliation may help
  I literally brush my face and neck using a hair brush; this helps lift out any early ingrown hairs. It also is a mild form of exfoliation in that it helps remove the dead outer layers of skin. You may find that lathering with a boar shaving brush is better for you, because they are stiffer and provide more exfoliation than do the softer brushes. Chemical exfolliants may also be helpful, but may also be too irritating.
• Topical steroids can be very helpful when used properly
  This is especially important for keloid formers. See a Dermatologist or other medical provider who has experience treating PFB in order to get an appropriate steroid at the appropriate strength!!
• Some people may 'grow out of it'
  My PFB definitely improved as I've gotten older. Mine was my original motivation for growing a beard as a teenager. I had fewer problems in my 20's, when the Navy required that I shave. And it really improved in my 30's. Now, at almost 60, I still get an occasional ingrown hair, but they're far less frequent, even when I used 5-bladed cartridges and shaved ATG. So there may be hope!

But the bottom line with PFB is this: No BBSs for you, and probably no DFSs, either. Settle for being presentable.