Thread: Ingrown hair problem

I started shaving with a straight razor because I have always had problems with ingrown hairs. But I still find that every time I shave I get ingrown hairs in two spots on my beard, below the corners of my mouth and on my neck below my jaw.

Shaving against the grains seems to make the problem worse, but I feel like I have to shave ATG to get a close shave. The only thing that seems to help is the constant application of moisturizer in the areas where I get the ingrown hairs.

Does anyone have any advice?

Stop shaving against the grain. Across the grain should be sufficient particularly in the areas you are talking about. If you need it closer, take another across the grain pass.

Try alum some here say it helps

thanks for the replies...

What is it about shaving XTG that causes ingrown hairs? And why does the application of moisturizer help with the ingrown hairs?

I was reading some of the other threads and some people said the more they shave, the less ingrown hairs they get, is this true?

I do believe your face has to get used to being shaved with a straight, and when I first started it was recommended to me that I only go with the grain for at least a week. After that, I started going across the grain, but didn't go against for about a month. Even now, I find that if there is a part of my face that I don't shave regularly (i.e. if I grow a goatee for a while), suddenly going across or against can leave irritation.

In addition, going across and against the grain requires a better lather and shave technique. In short, I'd say you should build up to it. That worked for me, so I suggest it to others.

I do find that shaving regularly reduces ingrown hairs, and my personal theory is that shaving exfoliates the shaved areas, and that reduces the occurance of ingrown hairs. I would assume that balms and moisturizers also reduce ingrown hairs by softening the skin and making it easier for the hairs to find their way out.

I'm just a newb myself to straights (and the forum, 2nd post), but what i find works for disposables has worked for me for the few times ive used a straight as well.

I don't know where I read this online, but somewhere I was told that if after shaving you take a soft to medium stiffness tootbrush (depending on the sensitivity of your skin) and rub (not too hard) in small overlapping circles (a la Karate Kid) on your just shaven areas, it will help to bring out the ends of the hairs. I don't know about the universal validity of this, but before i started doing it i had a lot of ingrown hairs on my neck below the jawline and now i have noticeably fewer.