Neck Help For Other New Guys

[Zach V.]

I've had problems with my neck for years. Much of the time, the irritation would be minimal with no bumps or visible irritation, but it's always seemed extra sensitive, and occasionally it would get really irritated.

On the recommendation of another member, last night I took a q-tip and ran it across my neck to figure out exactly how the beard grows, and it worked like a charm. If the cotton catches, it's ATG, if not, you're going with the grain. Turns out, I've got a pattern of S-N, E-W, and N-S in different areas; I'd actually been shaving portions of my first passes bass ackwards all these years!

The whole process took about three minutes and cost me the price of one q-tip. It was a near epic discovery. Highly recommended.

I went TRULY WTG afterwards on the first pass, and mysteriously received zero irritation. And all of a sudden, my neck doesn't feel quite so sensitive. Imagine that.

[aujwhite83]

I'lll have to try this. My neck is awful. I swear every square inch grows a different direction. I usually just grin and bear it!

[jkh]

It seems that the neck area is problematic for many, myself included. If I am not careful to do the first pass WTG on each area of my neck I am punished with ingrown hairs/razor bumps.

Also, I used to "save" my neck for the last part of each pass, figuring that the soap/cream would have more time soften the hair. Recently I've started each pass with my neck and this technique has yielded even better results.

[Zach V.]

I'lll have to try this. My neck is awful. I swear every square inch grows a different direction.

That's what I used to think too, but I bet you'll discover the pattern isn't as complex as you think it is, and then everything will make sense...

[jholen]

Nice idea! I'd been struggling to pin point all areas of my face, and this sounds like a great method. Definitely going to give it a try! Thanks!

[-PO-]

Thanks for sharing this great little tip on figuring out which way the grain goes n the neck

[Nesseca]

I've been DE shaving for over a month now and have had success on the neck area until the last week or so. I'll have to do the Q-tip trick.

[Jarmo P]

Neck is my least problematic area, unless that includes lower jaw and use of Feather blade there, which I dont use.
You have to know how your beard grows and shave first pass WTG as much as possible and always remember that the skin at least in my case is very gentle on the neck, so minimum pressure there. Gladly my adams apple is not very big.

All in all I get non irritating shaves on my face with DE these days. And almost BBS everywhere. From under nose to my jaw tip I really dont aime for BBS but just a good clean shaven look with mostly WTG and XTG passes and some ATG there too. All other areas ATG is for 3rd pass.

One thing I use too in my neck is. In the same 3rd pass I shave both WTG and ATG. I mostly shave my neck ATG on 2nd pass but some whiskers might remain no not get BBS, so on last pass I shave WTG and immediately after moving lather I do also an ATG or XTG stroke (hard to tell cause directions there vary so much). The stubble left if any is so soft just after removing the lather, so that works just fine if you do it immediately after removing the lather in the other direction first. Consider that a tip too ;)

Jarmo

[BroJohn]

Right. That's the 'cotton ball' trick. Lightly go over beard/neck/where ever with the cotton ball. Does the same thing. Mapping your whiskers is an important part of learning how your beard behaves and in determining the appropriate direction and order of your shaving strokes. It's a 'must do'.

-- John Gehman

[Jarmo P]

It's a 'must do'.

Really, would not a little faceturbation do the same trick? My whiskers anyways are so tough that I don't need any cotton fooly on my face to know the ATG directions and then what directions to avoid in the first pass. YMMV.