Slow Healing Skin

Hi everybody,

I don't shave very often (3 times per week at best) and it looks like the irritation spots just carry over from one shave to another. I recently hadn't shaved for a full week and I was still seeing an irritation spot that I gotten 2 weeks ago. And I was seeing it BEFORE I shaved.

So I'm concluding that I my skin is just healing slowly.

I use the Nivea Sensitive aftershave balm and will occasionally put some skin lotion based on Aloe Vera.

Anybody else have a similar problem? What can I do to accelerate this healing process? Is purchasing a better AS the solution, or is a daily investment in skin care necessary?

Have you tried plain old Witch Hazel? Cools, soothes and no burn.

Not yet. Any good-yet-cheap brand you recommend?

Actually I pick it up at a Dollar Tree. Cheaper than CVS Drugs.

Once the horse is out of the barn door it's too late to talk about stopping it.

Your issue isn't to repair it's to prevent. You need to find out what is causing your issue and deal with it. Is it your shave technique or some product you are using? The fact you are getting these skin issues says it all and that's what you need to address.

A skin care program is never a bad idea. The better half of the population uses one; they wouldn't continue to do so if it hadn't a benefit. Like most good things for you, you get most of the benefits with the initial cost and effort.

When i first started using a SR, i found irritation/sore spots on the skin, could last as long as 3 days if i was hard on myself durring the shave. Ive your having issues of a week or lo ger, you got other problems. As was stated, the way you shave or something your using. Id go as far as to say, pick up the plastic razor one more time and see if it still happens. If with the same soap, A.S. and pre that you do in a shave happens even with the catirage razor, then you something in your software is not working well for ya. If its all better and no problems with the cartirage razor, then its the way you sha e or your blade.

Its a mater of ilimitation. Or, you have a medical issue you should see someone about.
BTW, i use Thiers Witch hazel. It cost a little more, but comes in nice scents and has lots of good stuff in it for your skin.

If the irritated spot always shows up in the same spot, you might need to see a dermatologist, but your primary care physician can provide guidance.

I would suggest using a top tier shave soap with great slickness, cushion and post shave conditoining. Since you are in Canada, you might try Tallow and Steel. I have not used it, but I have heard a lot of good things about it.

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Your issue isn't to repair it's to prevent. You need to find out what is causing your issue and deal with it. Is it your shave technique or some product you are using? The fact you are getting these skin issues says it all and that's what you need to address.

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I've been having irritation issues with every piece of software I tried, so I'm inclined to think that my technique is to blame, especially my heavy hand.

I heavy hand is one of the worst things when shaving. I bet its the biggest cause of irritation. Easy does it, man! A light touch is all that is needed if your equipment is right. I know, you want to be sure you got a good grip on it, but the grip can be light too, just dont transfer your grip to the preasure on the shave edge.

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Originally Posted by Gasman

I heavy hand is one of the worst things when shaving. I bet its the biggest cause of irritation. Easy does it, man! A light touch is all that is needed if your equipment is right. I know, you want to be sure you got a good grip on it, but the grip can be light too, just dont transfer your grip to the preasure on the shave edge.

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+1 on Gasman's comment

The goal of shaving it to remove more hair than you do skin cells. To do so, you have to be gentle. Do not try to remove your beard, only to reduce your beard with every pass. One good piece of advice I learned is to "shave the lather rather than shaving the beard". You should only apply enough pressure to control the path of the razor as it moves across your face.

Also, whether you are using a straight razor, a DE or SE razor, the angle of the blade is critical. If the angle is too steep or too shallow, you will be scraping hair off your face rather than letting the blade slice through your stubble.

Thanks again for the good advice. A light touch is easier said than done for me, but I'll get there.

Here's what my routine looks like right now.

1) Shower
2) Proraso white preshave for a few minutes while I work my lather
3) Proraso green cream lather (with my trusty Omega pro boar brush)
4) 2 passes (WTG and XTG) with my Futur clone set at 1.5 and a Feather blade
5) Alum block
6) Witch hazel pad
7) Aftershave balm
8) Drying and palm stropping my blade.

It feels like the witch hazel is helping the skin to heal.
By the way, what do you suggest for days I don't shave?

It might be worth you trying a slightly less aggressive DE blade - say an Astra, rather than the Feathers

Some guys like the Feather blades. I never got along with them. They were just too harsh for me. I found the gilette silver and blues to be a nice keen but comfy blade to use.

I have used unrefined shea butter as a pre-shave and after the shave. It doesn’t seem as greasy as coca butter or many of the oil-based pre-shaves and leaves my skin feeling quite nice as well as adding a little more slick under the lather.

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Originally Posted by Maladroit

It might be worth you trying a slightly less aggressive DE blade - say an Astra, rather than the Feathers

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+1

Unless your technique is really good (malaverdiere indicated that he may be using too much pressure), Feathers may be too harsh. I can use them, even with my sensitive skin, but I always have to be aware that I have a Feather loaded, or I will regret it later. At least he is using an adjustable on a mild setting.

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Originally Posted by malaverdiere

It feels like the witch hazel is helping the skin to heal.
By the way, what do you suggest for days I don't shave?

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Since your face is not healing quickly, I would suggest that you follow your aftershave routine: witch hazel plus balm, even on days you do not shave. Since you are not shaving, I do not know whether the alum block will do any good, but you might try it a few times to see if it helps.

Also, if you continue to have issues after trying some of the recommendations provided by the forum members, you might also consider trying another soap. Although Proraso is a decent soap, especially for the price, there are quite a few other soaps available that have better slickness, residual slickness, cushion and post shave conditioning. However, they will cost you more than a tub of Proraso, so whether they are worth it for you depends upon the amount of irritation you experience.

Alum, witch hazel, and balm only sooth already distressed skin. I too would suggest getting rid of the Feather blade. I don't use a DE anymore but for when I'm traveling and more likely to wake up with the shakes. But when I was, I found that your blade choice is what made DE successful. And that choice was personal. Some guys loved Derby. Some loved Feather. You have to find what works with you. For me it was Kai. Feather blades will light you up quite nicely. If you admittedly have a heavy hand, you don't want to be using a Feather blade. And you might check your angle. Just like using a straight, you can't scrape along. You've got to ensure that you're cutting not scraping. Ease up on the pressure, check your angle, and try a less aggressive blade. But give your face a shot at healing because the aftershave products only sooth abused skin. They don't heal it.

I can admit that my first experience with Feather blades was no fun. I think that 'irritated all over' is a good summary.
My motivation for Feather is because of the 'wall of beard hairs' I experience sometimes. A sharper blade means less temptation to increase pressure, so that's actually helped me on that front.

Previously, I tried and Wilkinson, Personna, vintage Gilette with a Gilette Slim razor. Got fed up and purchased my current razor (Futur clone).
With the Futur clone, I tried Bic, Feather and even those Ming Shi blades that came with the razor. No silver bullet, but I can say that the Ming Shi were the worst of them.

Lets look at another angle - should a a beginner in my situation try to stretch the life of their blades? Or stick to 1-2 shaves until I get the technique right?

I almost invariably have skin irritation below the jawline. Still trying to find out what causes it. Upper lips are pretty sensitive too.

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