Here's one for the Shave Clinic. While my shaving results are better since I switched to DE shaving, and I'm enjoying the art of shaving, my razor rash still rears its angry head up occasionally. I would really appreciate any advice people have.
I started on B&B and DE shaving because after 25 or so years of irregular razor rash I thought I would look on the net and see if I could find a solution; that was a bit more than a year ago. Over the years, my razor rash would appear without any rhyme or reason; it was the unreliability of it which was the most annoying. For a big night out or if I was going to a wedding for example, I'd shave the evening or day before in case it didn't go well. If I didn't, sometimes it looked like my throat was bleeding (sometimes it was ).
Using the B&B method of describing "quadrants", the razor rash would, and still does occasionally, appear in quadrants 3 & 4 where the hair growing in different directions meets.
Last Summer while I was on holidays (including from shaving) I took a couple of photos of my facemap over the course of a week. I have to say this was a very valuable exercise and helped clarify a bunch of issues I was having. I *thought* I knew which way the growth was headed but it wasn't until I got a proper perspective from these pics did a few things drop into place.
I'm still using my beginner gear and I'm quite happy with it: a Merkur 34D, a Vulfix Pure Badger Hair Shaving Brush #849 and TOBS Sandalwood Shaving Soap, the one in the wooden container which is lasting ages, six months and still going.
Some of my immediate observations from the photos:
Enough from me, photos are below. If anyone has more advice I'd love to hear it.
Apologies for the long post.
Paul (Grumpy Typewriter)
Q 3 - Day 3
Q 3 - Day 5
Q 4 - Day 3
Q 4 - Day 5
I started on B&B and DE shaving because after 25 or so years of irregular razor rash I thought I would look on the net and see if I could find a solution; that was a bit more than a year ago. Over the years, my razor rash would appear without any rhyme or reason; it was the unreliability of it which was the most annoying. For a big night out or if I was going to a wedding for example, I'd shave the evening or day before in case it didn't go well. If I didn't, sometimes it looked like my throat was bleeding (sometimes it was ).
Using the B&B method of describing "quadrants", the razor rash would, and still does occasionally, appear in quadrants 3 & 4 where the hair growing in different directions meets.
Last Summer while I was on holidays (including from shaving) I took a couple of photos of my facemap over the course of a week. I have to say this was a very valuable exercise and helped clarify a bunch of issues I was having. I *thought* I knew which way the growth was headed but it wasn't until I got a proper perspective from these pics did a few things drop into place.
I'm still using my beginner gear and I'm quite happy with it: a Merkur 34D, a Vulfix Pure Badger Hair Shaving Brush #849 and TOBS Sandalwood Shaving Soap, the one in the wooden container which is lasting ages, six months and still going.
Some of my immediate observations from the photos:
- I realised in Qs.3 & 4, shaving N-S is basically against the grain for the bottom half of these quadrants (sound of penny dropping) thus the razor rash. Because of this I've taken to trying to split them up into a top and bottom half. Unfortunately it's still about trying to work out what to do where they meet. And the degree of difficulty is the hair is basically going horizontal from the centre heading east and west respectively.
- I can achieve BBS but often it's accompanied razor rash in Qs 3 & 4.
- Taking a photo of the underside on one's chin is one of the most unflattering angles possible, for anyone...
- that said, it did show me the origin of the directional growth around my Adam's apple which was valuable.
- One of the main changes I made because of these shots was in order to go WTG in Q 1 & 2, I've taken to starting with under my nose and working from the centre to my ear on each side. As we like to say around here, YMMV and this works for me. I'm a lefty and previously I used to start under my left sideburn and work towards the middle. Similarly, for Q 3 & 4 I start under my chin and work out to the sides.
Enough from me, photos are below. If anyone has more advice I'd love to hear it.
Apologies for the long post.
Paul (Grumpy Typewriter)
Q 3 - Day 3
Q 3 - Day 5
Q 4 - Day 3
Q 4 - Day 5