Shaving while slightly irritated?

[tob1303]

So I'm new, and am simply not good at this yet...I shaved yesterday evening and have what appears to be razor burn or a red irritation along the bottom of my neck (I don't actually know what the difference is between in-grown hairs, irritation or razor burn)......but, it's a little red and a little sore. So far, this has happened each time I shaved. I figure I just need to work on my technique and it will eventually stop...that isn't the problem.

My question is should I wait until this heals to try again? I want to practice and am excited to do so...but each time I shave as of now I get some of this and wait 2-4 days for it to completely heal...I don't feel like waiting though. Should I not shave an irritated neck? Should I wait? Or can I go ahead and practice despite the irritation?

[Kelly siefkas]

Give it a chance to heal for a few days or you will add to the irritation.

[Calder]

Give it a chance to heal for a few days or you will add to the irritation.

+1

Gotta agree, back when I was starting to wet shave if I didn't let my irritation heal up for a couple of days it would just get progressively worse. Come to think of it, my DE STILL irritates my skin a lot more than my straight does.

Guess I never really got the technique down before jumping ship :blushing:

[pauls51]

Give it a chance to heal for a few days or you will add to the irritation.

+2

Have you tried using WH and Alum? I find using them both helps with healing process.

[Greybeard]

It sounds like irritation. Give your skin a chance to heal before shaving again. On your next shave try only shaving WTG and XTG and leave ATG until your technique improves.

Don't try for a BBS shave until you're more comfortable with your lather and technique. I got irritation when I started shaving with a DE also and hated waiting for my face to heal. I used to practice lathering my face and then rinsing it off on the days between shaves. :lol:




- Peter

[HoosierTrooper]

I have a place on the lower left side of my neck that gets irritated sometimes, even if I do a good job shaving. I keep a tube of hydrocortisone cream in the cabinet that seems to help it clear up fairly quickly.

[Evbo]

Why did I think at first glance that the title of this thread was "Shaving while slightly inebriated?"

[HoosierTrooper]

Why did I think at first glance that the title of this thread was "Shaving while slightly inebriated?"

:lol:My first thought when I read the title was irritated as in upset or angry. Inebriated and angry would be a real adventure!

[tob1303]

It sounds like irritation. Give your skin a chance to heal before shaving again. On your next shave try only shaving WTG and XTG and leave ATG until your technique improves.

I only do 2 passes WTG as of now...I want to get as close to an irritation free shave first...then I'll worry about getting it closer to BBS. Will XTG help decrease irritation? My initial reaction says no, but I could be wrong.


Have you tried using WH and Alum? I find using them both helps with healing process.

Used an Alum block, seemed to improve it slightly from last time, though that could have been multiple things......the fedex man still has my WH:mad3:

[tob1303]

:lol:My first thought when I read the title was irritated as in upset or angry. Inebriated and angry would be a real adventure!

Lol, guess the title wasn't entirely clear......fixed...unless your neck regularly gets angry independent of everything else.:tongue_sm

[Evbo]

:lol:My first thought when I read the title was irritated as in upset or angry. Inebriated and angry would be a real adventure!

Inebriated, angry AND irritated would be even more of an adventure.

...on 2nd thought, maybe not. :blink:

[Greybeard]

I only do 2 passes WTG as of now...I want to get as close to an irritation free shave first...then I'll worry about getting it closer to BBS. Will XTG help decrease irritation? My initial reaction says no, but I could be wrong.

That's a good question and I don't have a definitive answer. I don't think a second pass WTG would do much for beard reduction though. You might also be irritating your neck more by going over the same spot twice in the same direction. Try your second pass XTG and see what the result is.



- Peter

[mike72]

i had the same trouble and it's frustrating, but just give it time. if your razor burn is pretty bad give it 3 to 5 days and if you have to shave in between for what ever what reason use a gillette cartridge. even shaving with a cartridge still try to practice no pressure even say it to yourself, it helps if your not use to it. someone mentioned a alum bar...get one they are great. i got mine from http://mamabearssoaps.com click on shaving related items. also check out mantic59 on youtube. keep trying and it will be more enjoyable.

[mblakele]

That's a good question and I don't have a definitive answer. I don't think a second pass WTG would do much for beard reduction though. You might also be irritating your neck more by going over the same spot twice in the same direction. Try your second pass XTG and see what the result is.


Good advice, especially true if the OP is actually shaving ATG on that irritated patch. It's pretty common to have multiple directions of hair growth on different parts of the neck.

[homebrewer]

One piece of advice that hasn't been mentioned yet, is to try especially hard to avoid alcohol based aftershaves this time of year. This is the season that your skin will dry out the most, which only exacerbates the condition.

I find that if I use proraso, SM Novella, or another type of pre-post as an aftershave, that I'm usually good for the week and get no irritation. If I choose to use something such as bay rum one day, I'll have irritation on the lower half of my neck for 2 days.

If your prep is sound, I'd look at your aftershave, and how much it is drying your neck. If you don't use any alcohol at all, maybe it is time to look for a shirt with a half inch wider neck:blushing:

[Jim1968]

When I had an irritated spot on my neck I used WH and let it air dry, then I used a non alcohol balm to sooth the skin. It took me several days before I could shave the area properly. Because of my job I have to shave every weekday. I would do a single slow, very gentle, and absolutely no pressure WTG to remove the hair.

[unmodern]

+1 on Witch hazel. A true miracle product. Try Thayer's unscented with Aloe for just the basic mix. I follow that with 99% aloe gel for moisturizing and further cooling. Although a bad shave still irritates me somewhat I find I am ready for the next day's shave with this regimen. Meanwhile, work on lathering & blade angle, as well as sampling as many blades as possible. Any of these three variables could be causing the irritation.

[luvmysuper]

Shaving while slightly irritated?

I'm old. I get irritated by almost everyone. If I didn't shave while slightly irritated, there wouldn't be a time to shave at all. :lol::lol:


The neck area is a tough spot to master, particularly if your hair grows in swirls like mine does.
Give it a bit of a rest and don't go for BBS there, just a visibly passable shave till it calms down.

I find that a cross pattern works best for me, like a big X on each side of the neck rather than trying to go specifically ATG, since any way that I shave is going to be ATG for at least some of the hair.

[JPM]

Shaving while slightly irritated?

I'm old. If I didn't shave while slightly irritated, there wouldn't be a time to shave at all.


The neck area is a tough spot to master, particularly if your hair grows in swirls like mine does.
Give it a bit of a rest and don't go for BBS there, just a visibly passable shave till it calms down.

I find that a cross pattern works best for me, like a big X on each side of the neck rather than trying to go specifically ATG, since any way that I shave is going to be ATG for at least some of the hair.

This is what I do also. My neck still gets irritated some and not shaving isn't an option. I will just do two passes on the neck in an X pattern and use a little witch hazel. Seems to work out pretty well.

[Marco]

If you have irritation on your skin or razor burn the best option is just to avoid shaving.
Let your skin repare waiting a few days and shave again only when there's no more trace of redness.

[cfriend]

I have a place on the lower left side of my neck that gets irritated sometimes, even if I do a good job shaving. I keep a tube of hydrocortisone cream in the cabinet that seems to help it clear up fairly quickly.

THIS. I like to think my technique is pretty solid after almost a year, but I still get a patch of irritation every now and again at the very bottom of my neck. Hydrocortisone clears it up in a jiffy.