Thread: post shaving skin woes

This is not an ingrown/razor bump issue, but I'm not sure what it is.

I've tried using a straight razor and a DE, both have the same problem. I take plenty of time to prep (I use kyle's prep) and I go really slow. As long as I don't go ATG I'm fine. I've had razor burn before, and this doesn't seem like it. My skin is actyally very smooth and comfortable for the first 12-24 hours. So anyways....

If I go ATG I'm usually fine for the first 12-24 hours. Then my skin hurts if I rub my face ATG. I don't get ingrown hairs or bumps, and I can see that the hairs are growing out and not stuck under the skin or curling back into the skin, but it still hurts. If I try and shave, good lord!!! I'll get weepers, and it feels like I'm shaving off my skin. My face feels like raw hamburger. Its almost like it gets sensitive and almost inflamed, but my skin isn't red. After a couple days my skin feels almost sore, if that makes any sense.

I try using stuff like nivia balm and trumpers skinfood for a couple days, keeping my skin clean and free of dirt.

So I am at a total loss. it doesn't seem like bumps or ingrowns, it only happens ATG, but I'm fine when I shave WTG and XTG. Does anybody know what the crap this is and how to get rid of it?

Hmm...that is strange...and i'm no doctor so...
The only thing I can say is that there are some people that just can't go ATG for whatever reason, thier skin just doesn't like it. Have you been trying ATG for awhile? Sometimes it does take time to adjust, I know it did for me.

Its been this way all my life, even after switching to straight/DE shaving. my old multi-blade tool of death used to give me really really bad ingrown hairs and that was painful.
I've done ATG for a while now.

I'm not sure then at all, hopefully one of the other members will chime in with some knowledge. Unless you have some strange barbed hair when it grows in, like a cats tongue...lol.

FWIW --

Two thoughts:

1. "If it hurts, STOP!" If you're getting a decent shave _without_ an ATG pass, why make your skin hurt?

2. In my limited experience, shaving ATG needs a really sharp blade. If your edge is off, even a little bit, it'll scrape skin, as well as cutting hair.

I use a "body moisturizer" after shaving. No alcohol at all. It helps me, but it sounds like you've tried it and it _doesn't_ help you.

Charles

If it's causing problems I wouldn't do it. Unless you are young and just starting out you have probably managed up until recently to get an acceptable shave without shaving ATG.
Some barbers advise never to shave against the grain. It doesn't work well for me. I find a reasonably close shave slightly more often works for me, rather than skinning myself so that I don't need to shave for a couple of days.
If I am suffering from razor burn, I find that avoiding any chemicals, be they in Trumpers Skin Food or anything else, suits me better.

Some people simply can't shave ATG, full stop. I assume that you use no pressure, its only that you said that it felt like you had shaved your skin off!
Maybe your prep is the problem. I have used all the methods of prep from hot towels, pre-shave oils etc.
I have come across a method from an old shaving manual from the turn of the century and it works great for me.
Take a bath, shower or use a basin to clean your face. I use a very mild soap for this, you may want to use an antibacterial one. Do not spend any great length of time on this stage, just wash and out.
Dry your face, yep, dry your face completly and then lather. Just lather with the brush long enough to get it on your face then massage the lather into your face with your hands/fingers.
I spend a couple of minutes with this stage, really push/massage that lather against the grain getting that lather to the base of the hairs. Just clean up the lather with your brush and shave. At each stage you can apply and hand massage your lather into the beard/hair.
I have had startling results with this method, its quick, efficient and works great for me. The idea is that the hairs are not soft after soaking etc and so stand up to/resist being pushed away by the blade. The blade cuts the hairs clean off rather than the hairs bending/giving way in front of the blade.
Might be worth looking at your prep if you have tried everything else.

I've been using aloe vera (pump bottle from CVS) for years. It soothes and heals skin irritation after shaving. I use some other after shaves but always finish up with Aloe Vera. If I shave in the morning, I will usually put on more aloe vera at noon and sometimes at night, especially the upper lip area.

well i have the same issues, not quite ingrown but irritating, and I found that a good shower scrubbing with a facecloth and no ATG did wonders.

Geek

My face is exactly the same way. I have never tried a straight razor however I have noticed with some double edge blades (derby, merkur, dorko and personnas) the shave will feel great at first but then upon closer inspection a few days later (like niftyshaving's 3-day rule which is ultimately true) the shave really wasn't so great.

I read about a Microrash earlier in this post. You may be onto something since the irritation is more noticeable after the follicles are activated and begin to shoot out whiskers.

I'd suggest become comfortable with one razor before trying to rotate. I tried rotation with two razors and about 5 blades and the results were horrible.

Find a DE razor that is mild, and stick with a blade for about a week. Don't shave more than 3x with the blade before you toss it. I have adopted the use of Gillette's yellow packs exclusively and it is rare that I have a poor experience.

Furthermore after about a year of using the same razor, I have found that 2.5 passes are sufficient; one with the grain and the second across the grain. The 1/2 of pass consists of when I'm being meticulous and trying to clean up any rough spots.

I noticed that Lenny does something similar to me. After splashing warm water on my face, I then lather up lightly with the brush, working the lather in, then washing it all off again with warm water and then lathering a second time followed by shaving it off.

I have not found that stretching every area of skin is useful either, sometimes when you slump your face down (like if you are trying to make your face appear fat) and then go across the grain (chin to ear) the neck quadrants of the face (chin and throat to your neck) have zero irritation.

I usually wait 2-3 days for stubble to accumulate so that my face is fully healed before shaving off a few layers of skin again. When I finish my shave I splash cold water on my face, as cold as possible until my face is literally numb. You get used to it after a while but it helps to close the pores on your face and from what I have read reduces any irritation.