Irritation and itchiness when I sweat after a shave

[Oly]

I have had a problem that predates my wetshaving: if I exercise the same day as I shave, my face--and especially my neck--get really irritated. My work out always involves a lot of running and a lot of sweat. I have noticed this slightly more in humid summer months (summer in Indiana), but it will happen even if I'm inside in air conditioning or outdoors in a more temperate climate (year round in western Oregon).

I shave in the morning, and I get the irritation whether I work out at noon or after work. It feels a bit like razor burn, but with less burn and more itching. If I don't shave that day, then I don't get the irritation. I have not found that any change in my shaving routine has an effect, but maybe y'all will see something that triggers it:

Pre-wetshaving:
Hot shower
Canned goo with wet face
1 N-S pass with Sensor Excel (that's WTG on face, XTG on neck)
Hot rinse
Cold rinse
Gillette gel balm

Now:
Hot shower
Either Trumper's soap or cream on wet face (I'm a noob and haven't had the opportunity to try many more products)
Hot rinse
Cold rinse
Thayer's WH
Gillette gel balm, Trumper's skin food, or Every Man Jack (Target brand) cooling balm

FWIW, my skin dries out quickly. Anyone else get this or have ideas on how I can alter my routine to reduce this?

[Oly]

One more thing: I use the Edwin Jagger DE razor with Feather blades and start with a WTG pass, then 1 or 2 XTG passes (depending on time), then touch up. For my neck, I will do 2 passes max.

[dom]

this used to happen to me all the time when i just started shaving. now it doesn't. i didnt change anything...

[Go West Young Man]

Even if you don't feel an immediate burn or sting, sounds like you're still irritating your skin when you shave - happened to me too for the first few months with a DE. Work on pressure and angle, eventually you'll figure out the sweet spot.

[DE Shaver]

Not all irritation is felt at shave time. I've had irritation settle in hours after a shave. Try using an alcohol based aftershave, which will alert you a little better as to whether or not you have irritation. After a while, you'll develop the proper technique that minimizes or mitigates any shave irritation you may get. You can go back to the balm if that is your preference.

[Ronan the BARBERian]

I have had a problem that predates my wetshaving: if I exercise the same day as I shave, my face--and especially my neck--get really irritated. My work out always involves a lot of running and a lot of sweat. I have noticed this slightly more in humid summer months (summer in Indiana), but it will happen even if I'm inside in air conditioning or outdoors in a more temperate climate (year round in western Oregon).

I shave in the morning, and I get the irritation whether I work out at noon or after work. It feels a bit like razor burn, but with less burn and more itching. If I don't shave that day, then I don't get the irritation. I have not found that any change in my shaving routine has an effect, but maybe y'all will see something that triggers it:

Pre-wetshaving:
Hot shower
Canned goo with wet face
1 N-S pass with Sensor Excel (that's WTG on face, XTG on neck)
Hot rinse
Cold rinse
Gillette gel balm

Now:
Hot shower
Either Trumper's soap or cream on wet face (I'm a noob and haven't had the opportunity to try many more products)
Hot rinse
Cold rinse
Thayer's WH
Gillette gel balm, Trumper's skin food, or Every Man Jack (Target brand) cooling balm

FWIW, my skin dries out quickly. Anyone else get this or have ideas on how I can alter my routine to reduce this?

I had a similar problem living in the south of France, fine after shaving but irritation like razor burn and bumps developed progressively over the course of the day.

I solved it by using an Alum block after shaving and leaving it on without rinsing. I follow this up with some ASB.

When you sweat the Alum will stop bacteria from developing and irritating the skin. The same properties make it an excellent De-odorant as well.

In your case try applying it after the witch hazel, in your shaving routine, and when working out on a clean face before and after.

[Big Kev]

Not all irritation is felt at shave time. I've had irritation settle in hours after a shave. Try using an alcohol based aftershave, which will alert you a little better as to whether or not you have irritation. After a while, you'll develop the proper technique that minimizes or mitigates any shave irritation you may get. You can go back to the balm if that is your preference.

In other words it will hurt like hell if you have irritation.

I get very little irritation when I am shaving but I have the same problem you do when I work out. Most of the time now I will wait to shave until after a work out. But if I do shave before I use some moisturizing lotion/AS and I normally do not feel as much of the itching/irritation.

[DE Shaver]

In other words it will hurt like hell if you have irritation.

There's nothing like negative reinforcement to improve shaving technique.

[Oly]

Thanks for the comments, everyone! I will try the alum block, as well as the alcohol aftershave. I am open to the idea that my technique is off, but given that I have never had a shave without this issue, I wonder if that is it. I started wetshaving by using Derby and Astra blades on a single pass, and I even felt it then. In fact, there was no difference with that shave vs the 3 pass with a Feather. But, who knows, maybe the alcohol AS will tell me something else. :-)

[BCatl]

Honestly I don't see how putting more alcohol on your skin is going to help your situation, but it will further dry out your skin. I use alcohol based AS myself, and I'm not knocking it, but it does not sound like what you need more of now.

You sound like you need hydrocortizone cream 1%. You can buy it at the drugstore, ask the pharmacist about if you have questions. Don't go crazy with it and begin using it all the time. The goal is to stop using it once you get your technique down.

Also, when you get home from the gym, try splashing your face with baking soda and water. You don't need much baking soda in the water.

[Stubble Face Killah]

You sound like you need hydrocortizone cream 1%. You can buy it at the drugstore, ask the pharmacist about if you have questions. Don't go crazy with it and begin using it all the time. The goal is to stop using it once you get your technique down.

Also, when you get home from the gym, try splashing your face with baking soda and water. You don't need much baking soda in the water.

+1. Since it is itching rather than burning, it sounds like a histamine reaction from your skin. It probably gets minimally irritated from shaving but when the heat and sweat starts, your skin goes into "holy crap, bad things are happening" mode and starts to release histamines. I think cortisone cream is very sound advice. Then again, I'm not a dermatologist, just a hypochondriac.

[DE Shaver]

Honestly I don't see how putting more alcohol on your skin is going to help your situation, but it will further dry out your skin. I use alcohol based AS myself, and I'm not knocking it, but it does not sound like what you need more of now.

It's not about more alcohol but using an alcohol or alum block to see (actually feel) the amount of irritation that occurs after shaving. Alcohol by itself dries out skin but not in a properly formulated aftershave. The alcohol is merely a carrier of glycerin, Castor oil or other goodness intended to promote skin healing. It does also provide anti-septic functions as well.

[Stubble Face Killah]

It's not about more alcohol but using an alcohol or alum block to see (actually feel) the amount of irritation that occurs after shaving. Alcohol by itself dries out skin but not in a properly formulated aftershave. The alcohol is merely a carrier of glycerin, Castor oil or other goodness intended to promote skin healing. It does also provide anti-septic functions as well.

I think alum is a little more forgiving than alcohol and it definitely lets you know when you've done a number on your face. It is also antiseptic, so maybe that would be the wiser choice.

[BCatl]

This was my reasoning on it. That the acid in his sweat might have been irritating his neck. If he got home from the gym, a weak baking soda solution would neutralize the acid and perhaps stop the burning.

Hydrocortizone cream 1% can help with shaving irritation (if it is shaving irritation), and it can help with itching or maybe allergic reaction if he's allergic to a scent, or even the detergent used to wash his T-shirt. Read the label and all that. Don't make a habit of using hydrocortizone cream unless a doctor tells you to, and the druggist can explain why.

Yes, alcohol will temporarily do an excellent job of killing all germs. However it's side effect is to dry out the skin. Oh well, I'm not a doctor either, but I have had education in chemistry (which I guess makes me even more dangerous).

So I am not saying I'm right, I just wanted to give my reasoning.

[DE Shaver]

Your reasoning is sound but hydrocortizone (and most steriods) have side effects too, which (ironically) in this case include dryness and itching. However, a 1% formulation is mild enough that extended use usually has no problems and allergic reactions are uncommon. Regardless, I'm not recommending alcohol but an aftershave with an alcohol base and only on a temporary basis.

[Go West Young Man]

This was my reasoning on it. That the acid in his sweat might have been irritating his neck. If he got home from the gym, a weak baking soda solution would neutralize the acid and perhaps stop the burning.

Hydrocortizone cream 1% can help with shaving irritation (if it is shaving irritation), and it can help with itching or maybe allergic reaction if he's allergic to a scent, or even the detergent used to wash his T-shirt. Read the label and all that. Don't make a habit of using hydrocortizone cream unless a doctor tells you to, and the druggist can explain why.

Yes, alcohol will temporarily do an excellent job of killing all germs. However it's side effect is to dry out the skin. Oh well, I'm not a doctor either, but I have had education in chemistry (which I guess makes me even more dangerous).

So I am not saying I'm right, I just wanted to give my reasoning.

Your reasoning is sound, but you're focusing on AS as a method of treating the symptoms. DE Shaver is suggesting using it to help identify the root cause of the irritation, which can then be addressed and hopefully solved.

[BCatl]

Your reasoning is sound, but you're focusing on AS as a method of treating the symptoms. DE Shaver is suggesting using it to help identify the root cause of the irritation, which can then be addressed and hopefully solved.

Yes, I see what you are saying. Help him improve the technique so the irritation stops. That would be the ideal goal.

I just hope Oly has not lost faith in his advisors. I'd hate to lose a patient!

[RazorPete]

I know there are million suggestions already, but instead of making things more complex, try simplifying a bit. Instead of all of the complex preshave/postshave things you do, try eliminating some of the things you are using, one at a time, and see if any of them might be causing the itch/stinging.

Things high on the list as causing stinging would be substances that dry out the skin, such as alcohol, or things that irritate the skin such as preservatives or fragrances, especially those that you put on your skin as a last step that will stay on for a long time. Also, if you are not properly washing off alum, or if you are using ammonium as opposed to potassium alum, that could be irritating too. Also, even though its gentler than amnomium alum, sometimes even potassium alum can irritate skin.

Try this, for face prep, just get your beard nice and wet in the shower, no soap or at most just wash it gently once briefly with a very mild soap. No abrasives, no washcloth, no scrubbing. Let that be your simple pre-shave prep.

Then just use your shaving soap (which should have less preservatives/fragrance than your cream) and create a rich lather. Don't put a million things together to make an uber lather, just keep it simple, just the shaving soap and water.

Focus on the best shaving technique possible, almost goes without saying of course.

Then afterwards, go for a nice bland balm to put on your skin rather than alcohol or a watery preservative laden lotion. If you want to keep it very simple, try just a small amount of plain old vaseline (blue label petroleum jelly). The only caution I would give you is that if you have any tendencies towards acne, be judicious with the vaseline. Otherwise, use as much as you need to combat the dryness. I believe this last step is going to help the most for you.

Good luck

Pete

[SiBurning]

Try different types of soaps. In particular, give a tallow or heavy oil-based soap a try. Modern Trumpers is very water friendly, which can strip your face too much, and lacks the oils to protect your face. Also, try lightening up on any cleansing routine before the shave.

[Oly]

Wow, a ton of info here. I'm digging it.

All I have right now is Trumper's soap, Bigelow's cream, and Trumper's creams (I have several from a sampler pack). I've heard good things about the Trumper's coconut, so maybe I'll try that one. I have some Clinique AS that doesn't have alcohol or fragrances. I'll give it a go. I hope it's not a fragrance allergy, though, because one of my favorite things about wetshaving are the scents of the products!

I won't be able to work out until early next week, but I'll post an update as soon as I can.