What can i do about this?

[Jason1]

Well, my dilemma. 2 years of shaving with a DE. I still get razor bumps... the hair just grows below the surface.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2460/dscn0769ns2.jpg

I'm lost... I can't go to work looking half shaved... if i can only go with the grain its ugly... my neck has so many curves its impossible to shave with the grain... should I use an electric on my neck? to keep the hairs higher?

Thanks guys.

[Slack]

Have you tried a couple splashs of witch hazel after shaving? I use that in conjunction with jason 6 in 1 aftershave to get rid of 95% of the redness and ingrown hairs. Also try using an exfoliating scrub before you go to bed, followed by some witch hazel, and either aloe or vitamin e gel.

[frank85]

+1 on witch hazel and vitamin E oil

[Zach V.]

Well, my dilemma. 2 years of shaving with a DE. I still get razor bumps... the hair just grows below the surface.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/2460/dscn0769ns2.jpg

I'm lost... I can't go to work looking half shaved... if i can only go with the grain its ugly... my neck has so many curves its impossible to shave with the grain... should I use an electric on my neck? to keep the hairs higher?

Thanks guys.

Silly question, but I assume you've let the stubble grow out long enough to find out which direction the neck hair actually grows?

I did that, and discovered my own growth pattern was a little different than I thought it was in certain spots; I had never taken a detailed "inventory" of it before.

Also, depending on the direction of your growth of course, have you ever tried going E-W on the neck instead of N-S or S-N? You'll cover more surface area that way on each pass, in a more efficient manner.

Witch hazel and all that stuff is great, but ingrown hairs are caused by cutting the hairs beneath the skin. So the hazel and the balms will ease the discomfort, but won't fix the initial problem. I would skip ATG altogether if I were you, as they are probably the culprit of the ingrowns.

I'm sure other guys will have more insight as well. Good luck.

[trifthen]

Pic of under-skin stubble

if i can only go with the grain its ugly...

+1 on this! I could submit a similar picture. I've gotten nearly BBS on my neck (which I sometimes have to get by going ATG twice), and even rubbing my hand against the grain, it's smooth, yet I look like I have stubble!? Heaven forbid I only go WTG or XTG for a few passes; looks and feels like I didn't shave at all except for the expected amount of reduction.

Weirdness.

[scoopster]

Jason, If you could give us some info about how you shave we might be able to offer some additional advice.

What kind of preshave prep do you do and have you read Kyle's post on this topic?

What kind of razor/blade are you using? And have you tried a blade sampler pack?

What kind of soaps/creams and aftershaves have you tried?

If you give your face a few days to recover are the shaves noticeably better than when shaving every day?

[otherstar]

I've got a nice double chin that is a pain to shave. I've found that going E-W and then W-E does the best job for me. YMMV. Witch Hazel/astringent also works well after I shave.

[gabeyb]

Not being real sue of your process, here is some advice:

Prep like crazy. Use some sort of pre-shave (prorasso pre-shave or even plane ol hair conditioner).

Make sure you're not going against the grain on the first pass. In other words, make sure you know the exact direction of your hair growth through out your face and neck. If it hurts on the first pass, you're probably going against the grain.

+1 on EW or WE passes. You can also try a more unorthadox SE to NW or NE to SW pass.

Lastly, and this may sound weird...but do one last WTG pass to end your shave. I once read that shaving against the grain can obviously cause ingrowns, but making sure the last few strokes are WTG might help reduce them by encouraging the hair to grow in the right direction.

Hope this works.

[greenerock]

Good prep of course but shave from the bottom up for a few inches or so. Most whiskers grow up toward the face on the bottom of the neck until about the adam's apple. Up past the adam's apple it goes down.
Also get some Tendskin or what I use(No Bump Rx) from Sally's Beauty. After you shave and dry your face, use a cotton pad with the No Bump stuff and go over your beard. Let it dry a few minutes and then use aftershave balm or moisturizer. Even if you do this every other day or a couple of times a week I think it would really help.