Help!

[DoubleEdgeDawg]

Greetings B&B Community:

I've taken the plunge away from my Fusion and have been shaving with my Merkur 34C for about 3 weeks now. I'm using Merkur blades, Proraso cream (lathered with a badger brush) and GFT's Limes Skin Food as aftershave.

I'm having major razor burn and nick issues with my neck (especially around my laryngeal prominence). I also seem to be having trouble figuring out the grain direction of my neck hair. On some areas the direction is pretty obvious but on other areas of the neck (again, especially around the Adam's Apple) the hair seems to grow in all kinds of crazy directions.

The result: many, many red spots on my neck (I'm assuming razor burn) and 2-3 small nicks every time. I'm holding my razor by the end with 2 fingers to try and make sure I'm applying little to no pressure.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[Pumpkin]

I'm having major razor burn and nick issues with my neck (especially around my laryngeal prominence). I also seem to be having trouble figuring out the grain direction of my neck hair. On some areas the direction is pretty obvious but on other areas of the neck (again, especially around the Adam's Apple) the hair seems to grow in all kinds of crazy directions

That's pretty typical. Try shorter strokes on your neck so that you're getting as much as possible just going WTG (XTG is ok), this should reduce the chance that you're doing lots of ATG. Additionally, try not to go over the same area too often, 2/3 passes should be sufficient for a reasonable result on what can be a sensitive area. As your technique improves (and your skin gets used to the blade), the results will improve!

[luvmysuper]

Greetings B&B Community:

I've taken the plunge away from my Fusion and have been shaving with my Merkur 34C for about 3 weeks now. I'm using Merkur blades, Proraso cream (lathered with a badger brush) and GFT's Limes Skin Food as aftershave.

I'm having major razor burn and nick issues with my neck (especially around my laryngeal prominence). I also seem to be having trouble figuring out the grain direction of my neck hair. On some areas the direction is pretty obvious but on other areas of the neck (again, especially around the Adam's Apple) the hair seems to grow in all kinds of crazy directions.

The result: many, many red spots on my neck (I'm assuming razor burn) and 2-3 small nicks every time. I'm holding my razor by the end with 2 fingers to try and make sure I'm applying little to no pressure.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Sorry to hear you're having trouble.

Pressure isn't the only culprit in irritation, another bad one is wrong angle.

Take a read on this thread with pictures that explains angle very well.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=130110

Also make sure you are going slow!

What are you using after the shave is over? A balm or a splash?
Do you use witch hazel?

I ask because, even if you are a little bit off, you can help prevent these bumps with the application of witch hazel, which contains alcohol to kill the bugs and soothe the skin at the same time.

Note that not all witch hazels are crteated equal, and some witch hazel "products" don't contain enough alcohol to do any real good.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

[shmeegs]

Let growth develop over a day or two and check out the direction of the hair and draw a small diagram of how you should shave. Start off with two passes WTG. Then after a week or so, add a XTG pass. Week or so later, do one pass WTG, one pass XTG, and if you can do it one ATG. If you can't do ATG, dont worry, not all of us can.

[SiBurning]

I'd stay away from that area for a while. Try to find the most comfortable direction to shave--forgetting about grain for now--and give it just a light pass or two in that direction until your technique improves and you're getting BBS everywhere else. At that point, slowly work your way to figure out how to handle that area. If you're like me, that's the most difficult and sensitive area to shave. When you do this, first just try to find another direction that's nearly as comfortable, For me to get really close I have to shave inwards towards the adam's apple, but the comfortable directions are down followed by up. That works well because it's WTG and ATG mostly around it and I can just skip the WTG pass there. Then if I want to get closer, I take care and go inward. I just skip it most of the time, and go kind of up and slightly inward and call it good enough.

[Barbash]

Let growth develop over a day or two and check out the direction of the hair and draw a small diagram of how you should shave. Start off with two passes WTG. Then after a week or so, add a XTG pass. Week or so later, do one pass WTG, one pass XTG, and if you can do it one ATG. If you can't do ATG, dont worry, not all of us can.

+1. I was having trouble with my neck when I first started shaving with a DE and I did this and it really helped with figuring out which way my neck hair grows.
You can get a great shave with out a ATG pass, so try that for a while.

Good luck and welcome to B&B

[JPM]

Good advice above, so I'll just say, "Welcome to B&B!".

[DoubleEdgeDawg]

Thank you all for the great advice and the warm welcome to B&B!.

[rm71]

Welcome!

[dsipari]

as you can see, this place is always full of good advice, and i think you've gotten some already.
One thing i might add is lose the Merkur blades, even though your 'symptoms' point to technique rather than equipment.
For me, Merkurs are the worst blade out there (but, as the Badger & Blade mantra goes...YMMV)....
try another blade and see if there's any improvement...

Best of luck with your new addictions!
dsipari