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lower neck irritation

For as long as I have been shaving I have been getting a horizontal line of irritation across my lower neck. I have been de shaving for about a month now and I still get it. Is this common? Do I just have to learn to accept this? Its visible all day long.
 
Don't accept it. A shave should be a pleasant experience. If you are getting any irritation that is an indication something is wrong, What is the direction of growth in that area? Is it getting as much lather as the rest of your face? Are you changing your blade angle when you shave that area?
 
I had a similar problem until I did a very careful analysis of just how my beard grows. I only shave WTG or XTG in a certain direction otherwise it's just like back when I used cartridges. Let your beard grow out for a few days and check it out.
You might not like what you find. (That doesn't really make much sense, I just always wanted to say that :lol:)
 
I had the same problem too, and I was able to solve it by correcting my blade angle.

When I shave my neck, I use a very forgiving angle, to the point it almost doesnt seem like it would shave - but it does. I've also noticed, the more forgiving of an angle, the more pressure you can use.

Aggressive Angle + No Pressure = OK for 90% of my face.
Aggressive Angle + Pressure = OK for my cheeks/sideburns. VERY close shave, be careful.

Forgiving Angle + No pressure = Gentle, light shave. I do this for the first pass on my neck.
Forgiving Angle + Pressure = Gentle, but shaves more. Not as close as aggressive, but no nicks or weepers. This is how I do my neck.

Once I get it comfortably shaven, I go back to the stubbly areas with a forgiving angle, and gently make the angle a tiny bit more aggressive to where it cuts the stubble, but I don't feel a drag or pull. If you feel any hair being cut, let off the angle just a touch until the pulling stops and the shave is smooth.
 
I had a similar problem until I did a very careful analysis of just how my beard grows. I only shave WTG or XTG in a certain direction otherwise it's just like back when I used cartridges. Let your beard grow out for a few days and check it out.
You might not like what you find. (That doesn't really make much sense, I just always wanted to say that :lol:)


+1

From reading posts when I first started DE shaving, most men's neck hair grows in different directions. I never thought about it. If you were to draw a horizontal line across the Adam's apple, the hair above it grows in one direction and usually, the hair below it grows in the opposite direction.

For me, the hair above grows N-S and the hair below grows S-N. When I first started, I would shave the whole neck N-S. That meant the lower area of my neck would always give me terrible irritation. Now I know to shave that little area S-N and no more irritation. Give it a try.
 
Aggressive Angle + No Pressure = OK for 90% of my face.
Aggressive Angle + Pressure = OK for my cheeks/sideburns. VERY close shave, be careful.

Forgiving Angle + No pressure = Gentle, light shave. I do this for the first pass on my neck.
Forgiving Angle + Pressure = Gentle, but shaves more. Not as close as aggressive, but no nicks or weepers. This is how I do my neck.

Forgiving is with the grain? Aggressive against?
 
Forgiving is with the grain? Aggressive against?

No. Sorry for the poor wording (I was literally staring at my post for a matter of seconds trying to figure out the correct words :lol:).

Here is a simple diagram to try and explain what I mean (sorry for the large size).

The graph shows the relative closeness of the shave in regards to angle and pressure, as well as how the risk for irritation increases depending on angle and pressure.
 
Are you shaving right up to the lather line? If the razor strays over to unlathered skin, even a silly millimeter or two, you are dry-shaving that strip and will get irritation. Just a thought.
 
I spent a little bit of time trying to figure out the direction of the growth on my face. Once I figured out the directions, I sketched it all out on a paper. Being able to see it on paper made me realize what I was doing wrong. (All N-S on my neck) Now, I'm starting to get better shaves without the irritation that I had been having.
 
happened to me too. took me ages to figure it out. hair changes directions 180 degrees! (and goes in a little circle near the adams apple).

+1 on the sketch robertw, saved me irritation too.
 
I had the same problem and nearly quit using a DE. Then I read Kyle's prep process and started using it. I also figured out my hair growth direction and started following it. Finally, I also determined that my blade angle was too aggressive and I was tending to apply to much pressure on my lower neck. It can't be stressed enough that the lower neck area is prone to razor burn and must be treated very gently.

One suggestion - get a bottle of Thayer's witch hazel and use it after every shave. This is wonderful stuff which really takes the sting out of razor burn. I've got the rose scented one and I really like it. You can find it on-line or at a local health food shop. To use it, you apply it like an aftershave over your whole face and you can also put it on a cotton swab and dab it onto the more affected areas. This can be followed by an aftershave balm.

Just use good prep, pay close attention to your shaving method, and use witch hazel.

Hang in there, take your time, and have fun.
 
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