Thread: Razor Bumps

Gentlemen, one reason for switching to a str8 was the razor bumps I experienced with the Mach III (medical term is folliculitis; they are painful pimple-like irritations that are caused by ingrown hairs). Since I switched to the str8, the frequency of the bumps have dramatically improved but I still get some now and then that last for weeks and sometimes months at a time. They're annoying because they prevent me from getting a nice pass with the razor. I've gone to a dermatologist to get them "healed" but I can't always run to the doc every time I get one.

Can anyone help with a remedy?

Happy holidays!

Thanks in advance.

-Rob

I don't really know any remedies for them, but perhaps someone else in the forum can give you some good advice on treatment. I don't suffer from ingrowns like others do.

I've found that I have some very difficult spots on my neck that sometimes I just cannot get very well with my straight razor sometimes. I find that streaching the skin in that area is even more critical than other places for me. One thing that has helped lately for me is to use a lot less pressure than I do on my checks with the straight and stretch the skin as much as possible and don't try to get silky smooth shaves on that part of my neck.

It's not worth the trouble it causes for me, so I just shave one pass there and try to remove as much of the beard there in one pass and leave it at that.

Chris, I learned quickly that stretching the skin and using the weight of the razor makes all the difference in the world. I also find that shaving the most difficult places (chin, below nose) is most effective/safest when they're the last places to be shaved during each round of lathering- let the lather remain there but be careful not to let it dry.

Here's my routine: (post-shower, of course and with a Feather)

-run water very HOT (must be stressed b/c it has made a difference)
-cover soap cake in mug with HOT water (just enough water to cover the cake)
-place HOT washcloth on face/neck while putting the brush perpendicular to the stream of water and letting the water soak in.
-allow water to drain from brush w/o shaking it
-pour out the water from the mug
-begin with circular motions with brush in mug
-(fun part) gently lather on face in circular motions for about two minutes
-north/south shave on cheeks and neck
-relather chin/under nose
-shave chin/under nose, again north/south
-relather entire face/neck
-shave diagonally cheeks/neck
-relather chin/under nose
-shave on a diagonal (oblique, to be fancy) under nose - to go directly against the grain there is dangerous and traumatic for the skin. Have a pivot point and just use the wrist to maneuver the blade on the diagonal (it's a little more difficult than it sounds, believe me I know.)
-for the chin, I can only go against the grain to get a clean close shave
-water pass comes next: put some of the lather on the fingers and glide your wet fingers across your face to feel where you've "missed". Your fingers will stretch the skin and lift the hairs while the other hand is following closely with the razor to remove them. This step, in my opinion, is how one gets a baby's bottom-close shave. There should still be enough lubricity left on your face to prevent you from cutting off your face.

Don't forget to stretch, relather as much as needed and don't use pressure.

Hope that helps. I've read so much here and from talking to Ray DuPont, God help him in his most trying time. You'll find the best way to get a nice shave by improvising as well. It took me a couple of months to figure it out and I'm always learning. I think that's the great part about str8 shaving - it's an art that requires skill and constant knowledge. We are definitely a rare breed.

-Rob

Great Advice Rob,

My routine, like many others here I would imagine, is very similar. I think learning the fine details can take a very long time. I've been shaving with the straight now for close to three months and just now really starting to feel comfortable with the basic shave, but the nuances will continue to come for years I would imagine.

Rob, I don't have an ingrown problem myself, but I've read a lot about it on the various shaving boards. The guys most pone to it have curly hair. It seems to be caused by a combination of irritation and cutting the whiskers too short. What seems to work best is to learn where you problem areas are and be extra careful there about irriatation and closeness.

If you have areas that you want to heal, you might intentionally not shave them as close as possible and avoid repeated passes that produce irritatiion. After they heal you can experiment and see what you can get away with. Change one thing at a time.