Thread: Str8-Edge Shaving & Follicle Bump Woes

Okay, so in the title is the main problem and it can be seen immediately after the shave (ATG or aggressive XTG) or the next day. The next day is the most reliable onset of mild folliculitis. It is not ingrown hairs, not sycosis, just mild mechanically-induced follicular bumps.

I know how people like the traditional, historic, iconic old-timer gentlemanly blah blah whatever to this. For me it is the harshest shave for my skin. I don't have much chemical sensitivity (some of the el cheapo alcohol-based aftershaves can leave me with artificial "razor" burn but many other don't) but I can easily mark up my skin, anywhere, just by roughly grazing a smoothed (i.e. not recently clipped) fingernail over the skin. I could put my jersey number on my body as one of the "skins" in a pick-up basketball game. Nothing is harsher than having a piece of sharp metal literally physically raze down terror on my columns of keratin directly, with no piece of metal in front of it to slightly push down the skin (such as in the DE safety blades).

I've got the pre-shave prep thing goin' on, had been doing it for some time. I'm not fooling around with pre-shave oils or anything. I've read Kyle's pre-shave prep sticky at badger & blade. Had been using the traditional moist-heat towel pre-shave prep without additional B.S. successfully for a good, long time with a double edge. Funny to find out some of the strengthening hair conditioners can actually increase the resiliency of the hairs. So, we can rule out the pre-shave oil blocking the absorption of water and softening compounds of the shaving soaps and creams (don't use pre-shave oils, never have and never will). I've done a pre-hot-towel of soap washing or used two beard softening products (neuter-o-gena's (to neuter your maleness!) face-clearing face wash (salicylic acid) and Nivea's equivalent (the one with some coarse "scrubbies" for enhanced exfoliation). When I use the beard softeners I don't bother to do the soap washing because the pre-shave cleansers/softeners do a pretty good job of taking off the skin oils. So we can rule out natural oils getting in the way of the softening effects of the soap lather or cream.

I've recently moved and because of moving all the boxes from the apartment to the truck, from the truck to the new place and in the new place to the basement I've had a surge of androgens (hormones) from all the full-body lifting that has created a resurgence of androgen-induced acne. I've used the opportunity to go full-out immersion into the world of straight-razor shaving beyond anything I'd done before (having much hotter tap water available is another source of inspiration). I'd previously only str8 shaved here and there, trying to keep alive in mind & memory what to look for, stretch for, refining technique in a discontinuous and disorderly fashion (not recommended). So now I'm really stepping up to the plate.

In keeping with this relatively "newbitistical" return to straight-edge shaving I am reducing all variables in true scientific fashion by using my first shave-ready straight-edge, a 6/8 Dovo "Best Quality" honed by Chris Sebell I acquired from Christmas day of 2007. I had to re-hone it on my Spyderco ultra-fine synthetic sapphire (ceramic encrusted with sapphires) honing tablet. This tablet is, by hair-shaving standards, defective but there is thankfully a small region just large enough to (hopefully) swirl circles safely enough for re-honing purposes.

I've purchased a few eBetray razors and had them professionally honed by the legendary likes of Josh Earl and the super-rupper Kenneth Rupkalvis (sp?) so I know a sharp (or at least sharp enough) razor when I feel it. I've got good, delicate hands and was made for this (honed away chips on several razors and brought 2-3 to shave-ready status myself in miserable fashion (too long a story to tell here) so could trust myself to work on a previously perfect str8). I'm not bragging, just preemptively eliminating negative variables. The Dovo is quickly and easily removing the little straggly hairs around my mouth, and it is these precise, "assassin" tasks that require a light, swift, somewhat bold touch that defines for me whether or not a razor is sharp enough to be safe. I've taken my self-honed eBay bad boys to the 8,000 grit Norton level, more old-school, and had perfectly smooth results on the most heavily bearded parts of my face (which doesn't account for much) and while those parts have fairly coarse, thick hairs I don't count well-shaven heavy parts of the face to be the success because they are much easier to stretch well and the skin lies comfortably on top of the jawbone. It is the hairs around the mouth, and the moustache (especially in the dip of the philtrum) that compels me to higher than the Norton's level of fineness. So I know what a sharp blade can do! And my re-honed Dovo is up to par (have a 10 dollar microscope per Lynn's advice from the DVD and it's looking good visually, too).

My thing is the "razor" bumps, follicular-head bumps the day after a close shave. Anything. Mach3 (got a shave stand/drip-tray/badgerbrush/razor setup for Christmas), disposable (hot showers/sauna at the YWCA), double-edge safety razor (Weishi was the first, inherited a Gillette WWII army-issue from my father's father through father, Gillette Goldtech from a co-worker). It isn't the quality of the razor or the shave, it's the closeness. I have sensitive skin, not chemical, just sensitive to the abrading action of any shaving implement. I have no allegiances, no subconscious adoration or ill-will towards anything to enhance or sabotage the shave.

I've done the pre-shave pre with clearing the skin of oil, moist heat treatment, shaving, and post-shave of cold rinse shock, alum block, witchhazel or skin tonic (which contains witchhazel (Kiehl's or C.O. Bigelow's traditional skin tonics)) and an aftershave balm (or not, to allow for just the witchhazel or skin tonic to work without potential interference). I have tried Clinique's after shave balm (too expensive and doesn't feel like it works well enough). ProLab series' "Ultra Razor Burn Relief" aftershave balm, two of Nivea's balms ("extra soothing" and "cooling"), Neuter-o-gena's triple protect and regular balm. I have also tried using a moisturizer, regular vaseline intensive care and organic herbal stuff and Gold Bond Ultimate, some Maui "Plumeria" moisturizing body lotion too.

I have definently found relief from the razor burn aspect, hygiene isn't an issue (any aftershave or alcohol-containing balm takes care of that) and moisturizers aren't the solution, either. It is more mechanical action on the follicle heads. I've had the burn last an hour or two, or half a day. When the burn disappears the smoothness of the skin, with the invigorating feeling of mild tenderness (with or without the zing of an aftershave), remains. Whether the razor was at 8,000 (Norton) or 12,000 (estimate for my current Dovo finished on my highest hone) or taken to the insanely-awesome professional level of an Earl or Rupkalvis edge (lost Sebell's 30,000 pasted strop level on this Dovo). Level of fineness beyond ease of mouth-hair removal doesn't matter. Mach3/disposable/DE/str8 doesn't matter. Astringents, alum blocks, aftershaves and balms/lotions don't effect my problem. Mine is one of shave induced folliculitis.

In addition to the mechanically-induced folliculitis I have sporadic outbreaks of the sycosis. Nodules (tiny bumps) can be called folliculitis or sycosis, but the larger bumps that could be mistaken for ingrown hairs are also sycosis. With proper second hand (non-dominant hand) pulling/stretching technique the acne and sycotic bumps don't become bleeders.

My neck is not a problem; neck is sparsely beard and a single WTG pass is all that is required for visually clean shave. The beard along the jaw & chin is acutely angled from left-to-right (faces right) and a WTG as downwards cutting is almost a XTG. Diagonal down-left is very serviceable. Right to left is pseudo-ATG for this region. I won't even flirt with an upwards ATG because it is 1) not necessary and 2) exacerbates folliculitis too much resulting in a sloppy appearance the next day.

The reason I bother to type this is because, in spite of the acne and sycosis from the first str8 shave, I have achieved a genuine respite from the tiny follicle bumpiness from shaving two and a half days straight (pun intended). Now they're coming back so this will officially be the third day. I took the second shave to a pseudo-ATG level of smoothness on a heavier bearded part of my jaw. No cuts or even day-after bumps! I did lighter strokes on the patch with the pseudo-ATG pass. Delighted to learn great smoothness and no bumps so with this progress I am posting.

I am looking for any more advice possible. This also could be an anchor post to see if regular "hardcore" shaving in an aggressive direction could be the solution to the day-after bumpiness problem.

I have good knowledge of diet/nutrition. I know about reactive hypoglycemia (the carb crash) and its concomitant jitters. I know about the effects of various common drugs like caffeine on the neurophysiology, in this case the neuromuscular system and motor neuron function. I've given myself very good str8 shaves on a few drinks of alcohol. The ease and deftness of living on the blade (cutlery) translates well to the proficiency of a straight-razor/DE shave. So that's not a problem either.

Any advice/encouragement would be appreciated. Thanks for reading this much.