Thread: Tough Beard

Originally Posted by avilam

I have 20-25 shaves under my belt and they have been pretty good.

You don't say if you had the breakouts with cartridge razors as well but at 20-25 shaves in, there is room for improvement both in skills & skin becoming accustomed to the blade. Just experiment a little & don't t do the same things to get the same results.

Wow! Lots of responses. Lets see, first of all I think I'm going to try Alum for my post shaves and see how that works. Next I tend to agree with Mark on the "there's no such thing as too much prep." I use a mild face wash that is gentle on the skin and I don't scrub a lot. Just wash off the dirt and grime. The lotion keeps my skin from becoming dry and flakey. I get dry skin during the winter and its been noticably worse since I've started using the straight razor. The lotion helps. It's an after-shave lotion. Finally to onimaru55, my face only broke out when I shaved against the grain with a cartridge razor (which I avoided most of the time). If I tried to get a really close shave with cartridges I got the same break outs within a day or two. If I just go WTG and XTG it's better but if I want a really close shave with the straight and go for the ATG pass I get the break outs.

Originally Posted by markdfhr

I'm not sure you can ever prep too much. It's like stropping too much, what's the harm?

Some people appreciate the layer of dead skin during their shave. I'm quite sure you can prep too much. There's another member here who speaks of the sweet spot when the hairs are soft but the skin isn't too soft. What's the harm? Beyond losing the slightly protective layer of dead skin? Irritating the living skin underneath. I think most of us here have arrived at the understanding that while a very sharp razor gliding over skin seems like a traumatic event (which it is, by degrees) the actual abrasion from fingertip strokes, wiping with towels, etc. may be worse. I know it is for me. I can see it on my face after the shave. Think fingernails digging in for stretching, think scrubbing up pimples/hard nodules after the shave and watching the redness surrounding those spots grow. Yes, too much scrubbing/rubbing and softening, in addition to "just a few more strokes of the razor to make this one last spot perfect" can be too much. The worst part? The rubbing on the skin when all the soap residue is washed off, that rubbery sticky skin-on-skin harshness.

P.S. avilam: I'm a disgusting, repulsive freak, too. I've got keratosis pilarus.

I think everything should be done in moderation, including prepping and stropping; but if something feels good and you're not obsessive compulsive or addicted to something, I'm not going to be the one who says you're going overboard.

If something is as you describe, AxelH, with all the discomfort and rubbery skin feeling, etc., then I'd say things might need to be revisited. I'm not sure avilam's prep would do all that, but the axiom YMMV saves us from ourselves.

Originally Posted by avilam

If I just go WTG and XTG it's better but if I want a really close shave with the straight and go for the ATG pass I get the break outs.

Good enough reason to hold off the ATG for a little while. Sometimes we need to workaround limitations.

I didn't know it was an abnormality to have multiple hairs in a shaft. I have that in a few places on my beard. I use short strokes on those parts. I can get those parts really smooth without any irritation. Keep working on it and be patient.
I thought I had a light touch six months ago, but now I know I was using too much pressure back then.
Experience really will help you out.
If your hair growth really is seriously tough, you can get laser hair removal treatments to lighten the growth.

As you have an unusual condition and conditions like this often times bring in ancillary issues the experiences of most here probably do not apply though all are well intentioned. Yes you can try everything recommended and should but in the end you are probably going to have to find some unique solution to your unique situation. I don't have a clue what to tell you.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

all are well intentioned.

Well stated, thebigspendur.

Also, AlexH, I didn't mean to act out of line. We are all here to help and, based on your previous comment, you have a lot of experience with various forms of prep, etc. There are a few threads out there about ingrown hairs, etc., but nothing about this particular condition that I've been able to find so far that avilam has to deal with.

I hope that avilam gets back to us with what does finally work for him.

A huge thanks to all for your comments and suggestions.

MinATX - Having a few hairs like that (multiple hairs from the same folicle) is pretty normal; having them ALL OVER (and I mean ALL OVER...75-85% of the hairs on my body are like that) is not! It's not that big of a problem. It just makes shaving a pain (literally). In high school and college I was a swimmer and so shaving the legs and chest was an issue. Now I'm a pretty serious cyclist and so I still shave my legs (which BTW is much easier with a straight). I do have to admit that I get MUCH less ingown hair problems on the legs with my straight. The chin area is about the same though.

Markdfhr - I will definitely get back to you with results...

To everyone else...thank you for your help!

Originally Posted by markdfhr

I think everything should be done in moderation, including prepping and stropping; but if something feels good and you're not obsessive compulsive or addicted to something, I'm not going to be the one who says you're going overboard.

Okay.

Originally Posted by mrakdfhr

If something is as you describe, AxelH, with all the discomfort and rubbery skin feeling, etc., then I'd say things might need to be revisited. I'm not sure avilam's prep would do all that, but the axiom YMMV saves us from ourselves.

Then I shall revisit them. I do not experience discomfort while washing, before or after the shave. The rubbery skin feeling is an accurate description of the grippy texture of my finger skin rubbing on my facial skin (which is quite smooth at that point, contributing to the rubberiness of high textured grippy finger skin scraping). My visible skin discomfort, which is not tender or sore but a visual clue to excessive skin abrasion, is a result of the normal exfoliation of shaving plus every wipe, towel or hand, plus stripping the skin's own natural oils.

Rubbery skin is the skin that is smooth and stripped of natural lubricants (i.e. skin oil, i.e. Axel Grease). Don't make this out to be dysfunction, error, or excessive grooming (OCD, etc.). I am describing a physical process.

Originally Posted by markdfhr

Also, AlexH, I didn't mean to act out of line. We are all here to help and, based on your previous comment, you have a lot of experience with various forms of prep, etc. There are a few threads out there about ingrown hairs, etc., but nothing about this particular condition that I've been able to find so far that avilam has to deal with.

Don't worry about it, mrak! We don't know about this guy, how could we? Even thebigspendur is stumped! I don't have a lot of experience with prep, compared to some here. I don't do the hair conditioner thing, for example. Really it's about stripping the skin (and hairs growing from it) of their oil to allow the water to penetrate. I don't understand the reason for removing the pre-shave oil with a rinse, then re-lathering on top of that. This prep routine is obviously redundant and excessive. This wastes water, product and time. It's too convoluted and wastes time in his day. I have tough whiskers. I have been experimenting with longer beard prep lately and it helps, showering is about right, long enough for adequate softening. Just a hand or body soap oil strip in the beginning. The air is so humid during a shower I don't have to keep soaking my face. It's simple physics. Not much YMMV with objective physical processes.

I'm not being an antagonist, I'm not angry at anyone. I don't take it personally. If I have to write paragraph after paragraph describing this kind of stuff just to help some poor fellow freak in need of a little advice, then so be it.

Seriously, once the hairs are hydrated enough to be softened enough to facilitate a good shave going farther probably isn't going to help. There is at least one other shaver here who's repeatedly mentioned that he thinks his skin can get too soft for a good shave. I feel I must take greater care not to shave too many times due to the skin softening of hydration. Glycerin has hydrating properties, our skin cells may actually be more hydrated with all of these chemicals than is normal (you know, just water). I am fairly certain that my shaving lathers dry less quickly when I have hydrated the skin upon which it rests. There is a humidifier in the same room as my shaving station. The humidity likely does not change. The difference is the hydration of my skin. Things to think about: 1) direct contact with pure glycerin's effects on the skin, 2) shaving soap/cream lather on the skin. That difference is a clue. I'm not saying I think he's using pure glycerin directly on his skin as a pre-shave treatment. I'm not saying the humidity of his shaving area is not right. I'm not saying anything but mentioning two concepts which, in contrast, help us to understand what is happening to the skin we are shaving. This guy is going too far with shave prep. IMNSHO. YMWNV, your opinions and subjective experience may!

Originally Posted by markdfhr

Also, AlexH, I didn't mean to act out of line.

You're out of line! My name's Axel! You know what? I re-read what I write and I question if other people get the wrong idea, too. Then I think it's good that you brought it up, allowing me to clarify. It's appreciated, mrak. No hard feelings (just slightly prickly)...