Micro Dot problem

The Duke · Jun 15, 2008

Hello all!,

I am having a new problem. I have started to get these little micro zits around my mouth. I know that I read about them here in the past, but I cannot remember what the thread said, and I have been searching for about an hour with the search function and manually through all the threads, and turned up empty handed.

I have been wet shaving for a while and have not had this problem yet. I have just recently chnged a few things, so that might be the issue. I changed my blades to feathers, and added conditioner as a preshave. Here is my routine, thank you in advance for reading through this and helping me out!:

-Shower
-wash face with bar soap (facial wash is too much for my skin)
-get out of shower and apply preshave oil and hair conditioner to wet face (leave on for 5 minutes)
-Cade soap/AOS lavender superlather
-Corked Feather
-Two pass shave with touch ups on neck and under chin
-rinse
-Kiehls brightening toner with 14% alcohol (let dry then rinse)
-Kiehls Facial Fuel Moisturizer

I bolded the new additions to my routine. Should i cut out the conditioner? Could the blades be doing this? Should I add Alum bar? Thanks again for your advise. You have all been invaluable in helping me really enjoy wetshaving since day 1!

-Duke

endcycle · Jun 15, 2008

the alcohol based toner might be a problem, but I dunno. I would DEFINITELY not use the conditioner though - that can seriously clog your pores up. Totally comodogenic.

Isaias · Jun 15, 2008

The Duke said:
Hello all!,

I am having a new problem. I have started to get these little micro zits around my mouth. I know that I read about them here in the past, but I cannot remember what the thread said, and I have been searching for about an hour with the search function and manually through all the threads, and turned up empty handed.

I have been wet shaving for a while and have not had this problem yet. I have just recently changed a few things, so that might be the issue. I changed my blades to feathers, and added conditioner as a preshave. Here is my routine, thank you in advance for reading through this and helping me out!:

-Shower
-wash face with bar soap (facial wash is too much for my skin)
-get out of shower and apply preshave oil and hair conditioner to wet face (leave on for 5 minutes)
-Cade soap/AOS lavender superlather
-Corked Feather
-Two pass shave with touch ups on neck and under chin
-rinse
-Kiehls brightening toner with 14% alcohol (let dry then rinse)
-Kiehls Facial Fuel Moisturizer

I bolded the new additions to my routine. Should i cut out the conditioner? Could the blades be doing this? Should I add Alum bar? Thanks again for your advise. You have all been invaluable in helping me really enjoy wetshaving since day 1!

-Duke

It sounds like you have developed an ingrown hair problem. Basically you are cutting the hair under the skin and when it grows, it does not go out through the pores so it becomes a micro thorn.
Factors that increase the likelihood of ingrowns.

Shave too close.
too many passes.
Blade too sharp. (Feather)
Excessive stretching of the skin
Irritation caused by a new product, aftershave, too much pressure, dull blade, etc...
ATG shaving.
Curly beard.
Tight clothes (thought this does not apply on your face... I guess.

Try something diiferent Perhaps it is not shave related.

MotoMike · Jun 15, 2008

Probably a cork fungus. :wink:

use an alcohol splash as your last step. :biggrin:

The Duke · Jun 15, 2008

Thank you for the advise! I am going to take out the conditioner, and see if that helps. If not, then I will start using the swedish gillettes again (still a top notch blade).

Rfury · Jun 15, 2008

+1 on the advice.
the only thing I can add is that you could always remove the new additions to your routine, and once your face is back to what it was before adding anything new.
Then add only one new thing to your routine, allow a week of use to see if this works well, before adding anything new.
This way if there is a problem, you should be able to identify the problem right away.

Robert

sanpaku · Jun 15, 2008

kiehls products are *death* to sensitive skin. i know from experience. drop 'em like a hot potato and see what happens...

jhclare · Jun 16, 2008

This doesn't help - but I always used to get very small whiteheads just below my lower lip/above my chin a day or so after shaving before I moved to DE. Then they vanished! Reckon it was the substance on the lubrication strip of Fusion/Mach 3 blades that did it.

The Duke · Jun 27, 2008

OK, I figured out what the problem was. I had been using a bit too much pressure with the feather right around my lips. I lightened up and the problem dis-appreared. I am back to having great shaves!

Thanks again!,

-Duke

DaveAri · Jun 27, 2008

Try Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion after the shave to close the pores and remove any left over cream/soap. Then when the face is dry apply the lotion.
I would Kiehl myself without Kiehl's!!!!!!!!!!!!

BurnRazorBurn · Jul 1, 2008

Depending on the type of hair conditioner you are using could be making your beard harder to cut. Most hair conditioner is made to close the outer layer or cuticle of the hair thus making it shiner, smoother and stronger. This is the opposite of what you want to accomplish when shaving. i.e. to open the cuticle layer and moisterize the iner layers of hair to make them easy to cut. Also some conditioners don't work until you apply water during the rinse, thus releasing the conditioner and allowing your hair to absorb it.

1969Fatboy · Jul 1, 2008

I am glad the problem was resolved! Feathers can be tough...i dumped them and moved on to derbys, astras, personnas, and crystals...because i have sens skin and a light beard and the feathers were eating me up. i have been an avid pre shave oil user for months, mostly Em's and NB, and really dont know what good it does? if any? I think it helps the first wtg pass alot but is gone after that. But the problem is fixed and thats all that matters!

Search

Micro Dot problem

The Duke

endcycle

Isaias

MotoMike

The Duke

Rfury

sanpaku

jhclare

The Duke

DaveAri

BurnRazorBurn

1969Fatboy

Similar threads