Can anyone help explain this?

I'm needing to take yet another break from shaving due to irritation in two areas.

The base of my neck and my cheeks.

I do 2 WTG everywhere then an XTG on my cheeks and a ATG pass on my neck.

My beard is a mix of hair colors, black, brown, blonde, and gray. When doing the XTG on my cheeks I noticed small red bumps and small blonde hairs about .5mm in height sticking up, whereas all the black hairs are cut short. The blade makes a pronounced sound when I pass over this area.

My neck is just a pain in the A*#! I have to do an ATG pass on my neck to be passable.

I had trouble with the Alum bar and I had to give it a rest last week from that experience. I was getting small red bumps on my cheeks.

Could this be a soap allergy? I do have irritation issues with my GFT cream and sometimes my TOBS sandalwood cream.

Hasn't been to dry here so I don't think that's an issue.

So, I think I can deal with the neck, but I'm at a loss about my cheeks.

Any ideas?

Is your blade sharp enough? Or overhoned? In both cases you might be muscling your way through the shave causing irritation. If you have a very tough beard a stiffer razor might be a solution as well.

If either, wouldn't I have these problems in other areas as well?

I would vote for underhoned. White and gray hairs are chemically different. Stronger and harder than "typical" beard hair. Thats for the cheeks. The neck is probably getting irritated because of the same condition, but not for the same reason. The neck skin has a lot of microfolds that the blade is probably abrading against. I would pull the neck super taut and go lightly. The microfolds are probably getting shaved at too great an angle.

So, hone the razor a little more, and on your neck stretch it out much more and use a very low angle.

Try that.

Will your razor pass the HHT along the entire blade? If you leave hair behind, I don't care what color, your razor is dull. When you shave WTG and after the shave you still feel hair WTG your razor is dull. The only direction you should feel hair on your face when you are done with a pass is in the direction you have not done a pass yet. Stretching skin is another thing that, even with the grain, one should do. I have discovered that ATG is not something I can do on my neck unless almost all the hair is gone and I use a very light touch, I mean very light, and that can only be done with a really sharp razor.

Take Care,
Richard Adams

Definitely pay real close attention to polishing up your technique. For me it seems like every six months or so I end up with about a week of bad shaves that has me going back to the basics. I find that I tend to get sloppy after a while but I just don't really notice until I get so sloppy that I have some pretty irritating shaves. For me it starts on teh neck too thats where my blade angle is the most important and when I stop paying attention this angle is the first to vary.

Well I am using two freshly honed and finished on CrO2 pasted strop razors. They have no problem passing every test we do so I'm at a loss about sharpness.

I realize it's difficult to do an analysis over a few lines in a post but I really don't think its about sharpness in this case.

I stretch my neck pretty taut but I'll concentrate on doing more.

I think maybe I had a strong reaction to the alum bar and I am still feeling the effects.

We'll see. :shrug:

Have you tried applying some hair conditioner, or other skin moisturizer, to your beard before applying your lather? If not you might give that a try.


Scott

I used to have a similar problem.Try using a very light touch & a shollow angle going with the grain & very flat angle when going ATG this has helped me.
I also use proraso pre shave cream before every shave & lots of moisturiser afterwards. I stopped using the alum block as it was drying my skin out too much.
I've tried lots of different pre shave products & post shave ones but proraso preshave ceam & post shave milk has been the best I've used so they have now becme my standard products.Paul

Your could try contacting The Gentlemens Quarter or Mama Bear and see if they can make you a non scented shaving soap. That would eliminate most of the allergens.

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Originally Posted by mischievous

I have to do an ATG pass on my neck to be passable.

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Is it because of the peaks and dips in your neck? Can't you pull the skin sideways to a flattish part and get it passable WTG?

My vote is to work to get a passable shave WTG. See if that cures the bumps and the burn. If it does then gradually add in extra passes XTG or ATG and get an idea how much each part of your face will tolerate.

Different parts of your face can seem to have different sensitivities...

I go ATG on the neck by pulling SUPER tight to the side and going very lightly. I still have a few red dots around my Adams Apple, but they are always there and don't hurt. Everything else is BBS!

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Originally Posted by Sharp&Shiny

Try using a very light touch & a shollow angle going with the grain & very flat angle when going ATG this has helped me.Paul

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+1 here. Pressure can really tear it up. I also go with the balms after shaving because of the dryness. Sometimes, when I am shaving I feel the totally smooth, only to feel a little minor stubble a few seconds later, only to feel BBS after the natural oil in the face comes back. Nice and sticky smooth with the Balm that really helps before that.

Experiment with your finger also to try to feel which way the grain is running and try to duplicate that direction with the razor for with and cross grain. I rarely need to go against.

Lynn

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Originally Posted by Wildtim

Definitely pay real close attention to polishing up your technique. For me it seems like every six months or so I end up with about a week of bad shaves that has me going back to the basics. I find that I tend to get sloppy after a while but I just don't really notice until I get so sloppy that I have some pretty irritating shaves. For me it starts on teh neck too thats where my blade angle is the most important and when I stop paying attention this angle is the first to vary.

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+1 So true.

Jordan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by riooso

If you leave hair behind, I don't care what color, your razor is dull. When you shave WTG and after the shave you still feel hair WTG your razor is dull. The only direction you should feel hair on your face when you are done with a pass is in the direction you have not done a pass yet.

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I disagree with this statement. Technique and angle has as much to do with how much hair is removed as the sharpness of the blade. If the pressure is not even or the stroke is not even, hair can be left behind. Also, on my neck the hair grown in every direction, so never feels BBS until I complete WTG, ATG and XTG. JMHO.

Brad