bam42685;
What you are describing sounds like a classic case of
"pseudo folliculitis".
This is a condition where after shaving the hair decides not to grow properly out of its own follicle, but deviates slightly and grows through the skin instead. This causes irritation, redness and (in some cases) the tiny pimples that accompany the local irritation. When the hair finally grows through properly the skin heals itself (usually within a day or so) and all is normal again.
Of course, in some cases, the hair does not break through the skin but grows underneath it (ingrown hair) which can really be annoying.
I suffer from the same, exact problem on my chin and have never been able to shave with a blade in that area without ending up with the same annoyance. As a result, I shave most of my face with a straight and save the chin for an electric razor (
oh for shame! :o)
The best way to fight the condition is to NOT shave close in the problem areas. In other words, don't go for a BBS finish there, but rather the opposite. For example, shave only with the grain and never against it, do only one pass instead of two, etc. Waiting a few days between shaves until the skin recovers is also a plus since you don't want to annoy the area so much with repeated shaves that the area becomes infected.
As
BrickBag recommends, good preparation can help a lot and I would also add that cleanliness of hands, sink, razor and associated accessories can only be seen as a plus.
Sometimes a good aftershave balm will help reduce the condition. If the annoyance is severe you might even need to consult a dermatologist.
I provide a link to a more complete page of information:
Pseudofolliculitis barbae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hope this helps.
- Ignatz