Thread: Slow Healing Skin

I'm far from having solved this issue, but I just wanted to mention that I've been getting a lighter hand and better results by setting the razor at 4.
What is basically happening, at a lower setting, is that I'm not seeing much hair removed. So I'm like "I demand those whiskers be cut!" and inevitably end up putting more pressure.
So I've had a good-ish shave with a Feather blade on its 3rd or 4th shave with that setting. The alum block wasn't stinging.

Personna med preps are my go to for de.

I didn’t see it mentioned but shaving before my shower and using cold or warm water helped prevent my skin irritation when I was learning to shave with a straight. A good soap or cream helps too. I like Taylor of bond street sensitive skin cream. Some soaps and creams I’ve used will irritate my skin before I even touch it with a blade. If you are still getting irritation in specific places, like the hollows of the neck or other areas that require an odd approach just watch the handle if you’re tilting it too far from your face it will make the razor act more aggressive.

As a quick update, I didn't find witch hazel at Dollar Tree, but did find it in pharmacy, but not near shaving stuff... I was with the peroxide and similar bottles. Sobeys also carries Thayer's in the natural products section.

Does it make sense to use witch hazel every day, even if I don't shave?

Can't offer any advice on post shave irritation cures other than what has already been mentioned such as witch hazel or a balm like Nivea.

I think you should work more on the prevention angle. As has been said before, proper angle and weight on the blade are critical in preventing irritation.

Try placing the head of the DE flat on your face with the handle parallel to the floor. Lower the handle till you just start to feel the blade on your skin. That should get you the angle you need with that particular razor. That should be enough to cut the stubble. If you lower the handle more you start scraping the stubble off more than cutting them off. You have to try and maintain that angle are all the curves on your face because unlike a cartridge razor a DE does not have a pivoting head to compensate around the curves.

For weight on the blade try using just the weight of the razor and use the handle to guide the razor around your face without applying pressure.

I never really got the idea of what not pressure meant until I started to learn shaving with a straight razor. After getting decently proficient with a straight razor I found I could shave comfortably with my Gillette Fat Boy set @ 9. Before that it was only possible to use a setting of 4.

Shaving is gradually reducing the stubble with each pace. If you try and remove it all in one pass you are begging for trouble.

Don't forget a proper lather is also very important to the quality of the shave.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Bob