In need of neck shaving tips

[nikkuchan]

After a few months, my technique has improved quite a bit and I can now shave most of my face with a DE and not cut myself, but what I just can’t do right is shave my neck. I can do the front, under the chin, but the sides of my neck are really giving me a hard time. Though I am getting better (when I first started I had blood dripping on my arm while I was shaving), I always seem to cut myself no matter how careful or gentle I try to be. After the blade dulls a bit I can shave without cutting myself, but even then it takes my best kid gloves to pull it off. Anyone have any tips?

[MaxJ]

You could try doing the straight-shaving thing, stretching the skin down from the base of your throat with the opposite hand, or just raising your chin really high. I've found that both give me a better surface for the blade.

[taprater]

If the hair around your neck is not overly thick and if you can be very gentle about it try going from S-N but again be very gentle. I have had a similar issue on the sides of my neck behind my cheek bones. Hope this helps for what its worth.

[Eman]

I am glad you asked this question. I have also been having trouble around my neck and am glad to have any help.

[Bulldawg]

(when I first started I had blood dripping on my arm while I was shaving)

woah!!! I'm glad your technique has improved since then! what type razor are you using? I've had excellent results on the neck by going lighter there. Toss out that whole "let the razor do the work" thing on the neck and just try to go as gently as possible. Imagine shaving lather off a balloon. Learn the grain of the neck and practice going with the grain with a razor and no blade. Also consider doing fewer passes there. BBS on the neck is overated in my opinion. I go for DFS on the neck and BBS everywhere else...you really can't tell the difference. Good luck!

EDIT: After reading your post again it seems like you may have some lather issues there also and possibly some blade issues. What type blade are you using? Be sure to never make a pass on the neck without good lather there. You may be able to get away with this on the cheeks but not the neck.

[The Real McCoy]

with all the trouble I've had on my neck I learned that

1) you need to go in the direction of hair growth
2) you need to lift the hair out of/off the skin. This can be done with a brush of course but also with a wet wash cloth in the shower before you shave.
3) you need to be gentle and not do ANY ATG shaving here.

No one will think you're cool if you have BBS on your cheeks but ingrowns on your neck...

[mretzloff]

You could try doing the straight-shaving thing, stretching the skin down from the base of your throat with the opposite hand, or just raising your chin really high. I've found that both give me a better surface for the blade.

I like your sig. Spoken like a true victim of AD!

[fatpanda]

I have had problems with the 2 inch patch to the left and right of my adam's apple. But I am now able to shave there without irritation or cuts.

I basically figured out that my beard in that region grows perpendicular to N and S and away from my adams apple. I shave in the direction of growth, and no matter how tempted I am, I have abandoned ATG all together. Plus, in the neck area I tilt my head upward and to the side to get the skin tight. I can't get BBS in that area but if I do a WTG and XTG a few times it is almost just as good plus I don't get any irritation.

[mretzloff]

(when I first started I had blood dripping on my arm while I was shaving)

I went back and read this...Jeeze. Blood dripping? You must have been either pressing very hard or moving the blade horizontally.

[ozzy_scl]

Hi, I'm a straight razor shaver, so I can't really come up with an answer for DE shaving.
I think what you should try also is a bit of shaving oil, just apply it over the neck area while is wet, let it sit for a couple of minutes, then apply your lather if you like.
That way you'll create a film that'll help the blade glide, and you'll reduce razor burn aswell.
(belive me I have sensitive skin, and this was the answer for me).
I think also there might be something wrong with your shaving angle, (I've read that some DE blades are very unforgiving about this).
In my case, i shave both WTG and ATG on the neck with a straight, and have nicked myself only once, but i do pay attention to the shaving angle, specially when going ATG.

Hope this helps.

[gotsumoves]

Face, and in this case neck prep is essential. Try using very very warm water and massaging your neck to get the hairs to lift up as much as possible.

Go really slow and really gentle if your neck curves you need to keep constant blade angle.

One thing that has helped me is to get my neck as flat as possible. I managed this by turning my face to the side and lowering my chin until it touches my chest.

Now you have a flat area to shave. It makes it much easier while you are learning to follow the curvature of your neck with constant and proper blade angle.

Hope this helps

[strat1117]

You could try doing the straight-shaving thing, stretching the skin down from the base of your throat with the opposite hand, or just raising your chin really high. I've found that both give me a better surface for the blade.

I like this idea. If you are having trouble with your neck, it most likely has to do with your blade angle. If you pull the skin, or at least raise your chin up high, it will make it a lot easier for you to find the right angle without doing so much damage.

Enjoy!

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

My neck has always been the weak link in my shaves. I could never seem to get it slick enough and was starting to get very discouraged. After each shave it was on fire, and often nicked to hell, due to the blade feeling like it was pulling on the hairs.

Then I switched from Merkur to Derby blades, and the difference was literally day and night. The blade went through my 4-day stubble like hot knife thru butter. No more pulling or tugging.

I've also started taking a longer time with preparation. I use a glycerin bar of soap in the shower to slick things up, then while I'm mixing up my lather I wet my face with some Proraso Pre-Shave cream. My lather was also quite dry, so I took the time to improve my lathering and it's now much more moist than it had been. I also keep rinsing and soaking the face and re-lathering several times throughout the shave.

I've always had bumps and burn on my neck but it's improving, and now that I finally have a blade that doesn't chew on my hairs but cuts them clean, I'm sure I'll eventually have what for me has been the Holy Grail of Shaving: a clean baby-smooth neck.

[ProphetNoir]

woah!!! I'm glad your technique has improved since then! what type razor are you using? I've had excellent results on the neck by going lighter there. Toss out that whole "let the razor do the work" thing on the neck and just try to go as gently as possible. Imagine shaving lather off a balloon. Learn the grain of the neck and practice going with the grain with a razor and no blade. Also consider doing fewer passes there. BBS on the neck is overated in my opinion. I go for DFS on the neck and BBS everywhere else...you really can't tell the difference. Good luck!

EDIT: After reading your post again it seems like you may have some lather issues there also and possibly some blade issues. What type blade are you using? Be sure to never make a pass on the neck without good lather there. You may be able to get away with this on the cheeks but not the neck.

+1
What he said.

[nikkuchan]

I went back and read this...Jeeze. Blood dripping? You must have been either pressing very hard or moving the blade horizontally.

Maybe I exaggerated a bit there. It wasn't much, but I do remember seeing looking down and seeing blood on my arm one time while I was shaving. I must have slipped up pretty bad there.

Anyway, I use a feather razor and feather blades. I know they're a bit sharp, but I like them all the same.