Ingrowns --> Exfoliate?

Ever since I started using a DE razor, I have gotten one or two ingrowns every other shave or so on my neck. My prep is good, I shave in the direction of growth and I only do 1 or 2 passes at most. I started using code blue after each shave but that hasn't helped. I typically don't exfoliate at all, should I do this once or twice a week after shaving? Any other typical reccomendations for this issue?

There was a discussion on face scrubs recently here.

I'm prone to getting ingrown hairs next to my Adam's apple and get much better results using a gritty exfoliant scrub in the shower before shaving. The rationale is to remove dead skin cells and oil at the base of the hair follicle, giving you a closer shave and reducing the chance the hair will be impeded and become ingrown.

The Clinique face scrub is a very good product but a little expensive. The St. Ives Apricot Scrub also works well, is less expensive and more widely available. I've also tried some products with "microbeads" with less successful results.

Some will say these grittier exfoliants shouldn't be used every day; I usually do anyway, at least on my neck, if I'm going to shave.

Good luck! If you search the forums here for "ingrown hairs" or "razor bumps" you'll find some other discussions on other products/strategies.

As a someone who sometimes still suffers from bumps I found one thing that can help me. REALY PREP WELL! I'm not saying your not but that when I dont I get more bad shaves, nicks, ingrowns, etc....For me a long hot shower where the first thing I do is wash my face leads to good results. I think that washing removes oils which impead the water from softening the beard. Like many others the long hot shower gives the beard time to soften up as well. So that when I shave I get a clean easy cut not a tugging match. Thus my hairs are cut more across than at an angle, and for me angle cut = ingrown.

Think my Doctor to me to do it this way 20 some years ago....lol. In fact that Doctor is why I'm here today. Some advice can last a long time.

thanks for the replies...I have read many time here that washing before (which will remove the oils as you have stated) is actually not recommended. What exactly is your prep? I typically apply pre shave cream, a layer of shaving cream, massage that in for a min, apply a steaming towel to my face for a few min, then re-apply cream and start shaving....where would exfoliating fit in here?

Which way are you shaving. If you are sure which way your hair grows(Use a cotton ball to be sure) In the area you get the ingrown only shave with the grain and do not apply a lot of pressure. Ingrown hairs happen when you cut the hair below the skin surface and it gets stuck(like those medical terms.) That is why the multi blades are so bad they pull the hair out and cut below the surface. I am know expert or Doctor but I can not see where exfoilating would help this. Then again I am probably wrong

I agree with Taz. In my opinion, any razor can cause ingrown hairs if you press down too hard or your lather isn't up to snuff. Believe it or not, when Bic first introduced their "Metal" razor, even though it had only one blade, Bic advertised that the safety bar would stretch your whiskers out just like a multiblade cartridge does.

-Clarke

With your routine, I'd try using an exfoliant first thing.

I usually shave right after a shower, so I don't do the steaming towel. I use a face scrub exfoliant in the shower, then sometimes slather some Noxzema on my beard while I'm preparing the soap/cream. I then wash that off and lather as usual.

As I understand it, the reason exfoliating helps reduce ingrown hairs is that it removes dead skin cells at the base of the hair follicle, thus increasing the likelihood that the hair will exit the follicle correctly and not become "ingrown." Aftershaves for preventing razor bumps usually contain a chemical exfoliant (like glycolic or salicylic acids) which also slough dead skin cells.