Submitted 8 hours ago by countrypunk@slrpnk.net to nostupidquestions@lemmy.world
Every time after I shave, I get more acne in those areas. I use a safety razor and an oat based cream. I always wash my face beforehand. Is there a way I can reduce the amount of acne I get after shaving?
Stop shaving.
Haven’t shaved my face in 10 years. Haven’t had a haircut in 11 years. This is the way.
There’s a problem in answering this. We don’t know what the actual cause is, and we don’t know if it’s acne, a reaction to products, ingrown hairs, or just irritated skin that mimics one or multiple of those. So, be aware that you’re going to see responses that may not address the real problem but is still good in general, even if it doesn’t lead to a fix.
So, I used to be a nurse’s assistant. Shaving people is part of that job sometimes. Back in the day, one of my teachers was even the crazy type that pulls the whole “shave a balloon” thing. Which, while entertaining and slightly useful, doesn’t actually teach what it takes to shave a person.
Anyway, shaving is always a skin irritant. It’s a matter of degrees. Most of the time, if you follow the core principles, that irritation is going to be below the threshold where it’s noticeable for more than a few minutes at most.
Number one rule is that sharp razors cause the least irritation, and are less likely to result in nicks. Doesn’t matter what kind of razor you use, it has a limited range of uses before it needs sharpening or replacement. A straight razor, you strop every time you use it. Safety razors and most of the disposable head razors (no matter how many blades) expect to get three shaves at most before you start feeling the difference.
Yeah, that’s less than what most guides will say. That’s because you can definitely get more shaves in before it turns into a problem. But you’ll feel a change before it gets to the point where you’re losing the ability to slice smoothly and it turns into damaged skin. Most safety razors, assuming your facial hair isn’t absurdly thick and dense, expect to change the razor after five or six uses. Some of the multiblade heads can stretch a little more up to maybe ten shaves total, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to shave myself or anyone else with something for that long.
See, sharpness is only the first factor. Cleanliness is another. As you build up soap residue, microscopic cells, etc; the razor not only cuts more poorly, it’s likely growing bacteria for you. There’s ways to prevent that. Make sure the razor is as clean after use as possible, then dry it thoroughly. Some folks recommend rinsing them in something like barbicide, but I tend to see that as causing extra work for diminishing returns, so I don’t recommend it when this comes up.
If your razor is sharp and clean, you’ll minimize irritation as well as minimize and bacterial growth afterwards, which is what pimples are, and why ingrown hairs look like pimples. It’s bacteria that’s gotten part way into the skin and is being walled off and killed. The pus is dead microbes and your own immune cells (basically, this is the quick and dirty version because this is about shaving, not skin infections).
Next, you do your prep. The skin itself is going to respond best, overall, when it has been exfoliated gently, and is both warm and as hydrated as is reasonable. So wash your face first, with warm water. Not cold, that’s going to cause issues.
Look, my hands are killing me, so I’m going to have to take some meds and come back to this. I will though, and I promise you that it’ll be worth it. If you run across this before I come back, I intend to ping OP once I finish it. If anyone else wants a ping, let me know. It shouldn’t be half an hour or so before I come back to it, but I will come back.
I haven’t been cleaning my razor and need to buy a new blade. This answer was very helpful, thank you.
You take as much time as you want, but come back for sure. My patchy beard has already declared a peace treaty seeing that I now know how to destroy it’s existence. I want my pubes too to feel the terror of my updated skill. Gonna flash my silky smooth crotch to my lady friends as foreplay, but that can only happen when you come back with the rest of the sacred texts. Counting on you, former nurse assistant.
Do you have any metal allergies? If you think you do, you might consider looking for a blade without that particular metal. Most stainless steel contains nickel, which is a fairly common allergy.
IMO pre-shave balm before shaving cream makes a noticeable difference in irritation.
I have the same problem and just switched to an electric foil shaver. It’s not as close a shave so it does leave a bit of a stubble. That look might not work for everyone but it works for me
Foils are good, but the rotary style electric shavers create the least irritation. I use one, and would recommend it. It also comes with a little cleaner base that keeps the heads disinfected and clean of hair particles.
Disagree. Really depends on the hair. Rotary pulls mine. I switched to foil a long time ago and haven’t had issues since.
I use that for my face too, super easy and I can’t cut myself with it lol
can’t say it leaves any stubble for me though
so, how quickly does the acne show up after shaving? are you sure it’s not irritation from shaving itself?
some general advice for sensitive skin:
Have you considered an electric shaver? It doesn’t cut as close, but by the same token, it also doesn’t scrape across the skin. You’ll avoid catching the tops of any spots that you may have, and until your skin becomes happier with wet shaving, it’ll keep the whiskers away.
My skin drastically improved once I figured this out, it hates having the top layer scraped off with a blade. Electric razor is perfect.
My two cents are the following : avoid irritation as much as you can. This means doing as few passes as you can, if possible shaving somewhat less often, and/or shave less close to the skin, for exemple using an electric trimmer. You should wash beforehand using hot water, and afterwards using cold water, and then dry before moisturising. I personally use and beeswax and olive oil based cream but a lot of products will do the trick. Remember that every skin is different, and sometimes, you can do everything right and still have symptoms, so you should adjust your shaving habits to accommodate those
Using hot water beforehand was what caused my irritation. I had a dermatologist recommend using a tri-head electric razor before showering with a dry face. I bought one for $50 a few years back and it’s been a night and day difference for me. I used to get pretty bad skin irritation, despite doing all the suggested things. It’s not as close of a shave, but my skin is a lot healthier. I’ve seen some people say they’ve benefited from only using cold water when shaving, but dry shaving has been the best route for me.
Didn’t realize that hot water can cause irritation. I’ll try doing it cold.
Feather blades, single blade, use foam and this brush to apply it. Then alcohol.
Another recommendation for Feather blades. There is a learning curve where you take the name literally when applying pressure, especially while learning. If you ever decide to try a safety razor, something like the Lord L6 safety on Amazon is inexpensive. A basic cream like Porasso or any canned cream will work (don’t invest in a brush yet, use hands to lather at fist) and don’t forget a styptic pencil for the war wounds.
Then consider investing in a brush and something like a Merkur 34C. A pack of 100 Feather razors lasts a couple years when changing the blade weekly and the shaving soap/cream lasts the better part of a year.
I shave after showering, soak brush in the sink with warm water and use a shaving soap. Shave short strokes one pass with the grain. Rinse with cool water and pat dry with a clean towel.
Good luck and don’t go down the straight razor rabbit hole.
Then consider investing in a brush and something like a Merkur 34C.
i had a really bad experience with the 34c. Basically the posts for the blade to ‘register’ to, allowed a relatively significant amount of play I’ve never seen in any other razor. This made seating it and using it at the ‘proper’ angle impossible- it also tended to make one side vastly more aggressive than the other, since a significant amount of blade was exposed on one side and not-enough on the other. (or worse, it was twisted so that on half the edge was too exposed and the other half was not, on both sides the blade.)
maybe they fixed it, but, I sort of doubt it.
Alcohol will dry the fuck out of your skin & may cause further blemishes to form.
the alchohol is there to kill to the bacteria- which is the immediate cause of acne. most aftershave splashes will also include some glycerin to re-moisturize the skin.
if you don’t want a scented product, you can do IPA and then some aftershave balm instead.
For me a double edged safety razor as well as drawing a face map of the directions my hair grows so I could shave “with the grain” for the first pass.
See a dermatologist, there are multiple causes of acne and you may need to treat it with diet or medication.
Increase it before shaving your face
Get medication against acne from a doctor. That was the only thing that finally helped me get rid of it.
Besides going to a dermatologist, here are a few things.
Change your pillowcases often. Sleeping on the oil creates more oil.
Take some steam baths and saunas. Open the pores and clear the skin.
I do change my pillowcases every couple of days. Unfortunately I don’t have a bath or sauna.
A barber will put a hot damp towel on someones face for a few minutes prior to shaving, can you microwave a wet facecloth?
Is growing a beard not an option?
I’m younger so my facial hair is not fully developed yet and I don’t wanna have a pubestash
Im almost 40 and my facial hair is still in the pubestash phase
Sometimes you just have to embrace what you what, find a way to make it work. It doesn’t always work admittedly, and I am biased in that I basically had a full beard at 17 and trying to maintain a clean shaven look is a losing battle for me. But even some of my friends who have more patchy facial hair can pull it off.
Is it acne or in growing hairs causing the acne? Try not shaving against the direction of growth, do across or with the growth. I use a wet alum block sometimes, helps with small cuts and irritation after, however it stings like fuck. One block will last you a life time unless you drop it. Also a face scrub can help the day after, however the wife has an oil based soft one that makes my skin worse, I have to use a more aggressive non oily one
Are you sure that it’s the shaving and not the cream?
It would be easy enough to test, say by not shaving for a couple of days and applying the cream to one side of your face.
I had a reaction (not acne), only to some shaving lubes (it wasn’t the shaving, per se). I ended up noting the ingredients of the lubes and narrowed down what was triggering it. I now use oil or a really cheap, supermarket foam.
Good luck 👌🏼
A lot of the things that happen to your skin can be caused by bacteria, clogged pores by dead skin, dirty, hair, fabric… Those steps will help you minimize the chances and help your skin recover faster after shaving.
If possible, you should visit a dermatologist for a deeper understanding of your skin, and the care you need.
Also, on a special occasion, treat yourself to one of those old school barbers, with hot/cold towels and all the pampers.
I’ve always had pretty sensitive skin and trouble with razor burn and then ingrown hairs and acne after shaving. I’ve used everything from cheap single- and dual- blade generic, disposable razors to Mach 3 (and four- and five-blade razors with handles that you replace the cartridges on) to electric shavers (Norelco-style with the three round foils as well as the Braun-style straight foil) to eventually safety razors. I’ve actually had the best luck with safety razors and trying to find a routine and style of shaving that keeps my skin less angry, as well as using a blade that works for me.
A friend told me about Henson razors. They’re manufactured to really tight tolerances to keep the blade from slipping around while you’re pulling it across your face and I think the angle of the blade is different than most safety razors. It has been a night and day difference for me. I can actually shave faster and more haphazardly than before and I no longer cut myself shaving. And the best part is I no longer get razor burn, even when shaving against the grain. (Depending on the texture of your hair you may need the AL13-M model. I find that shaving pubic or body hair takes forever with their standard AL-13, but also it keeps you from cutting your balls off.)
A couple things for blade care to keep it clean and sharp: Set the blade in a dish of rice after use to soak away the moisture. If your blade begins to dull, rub the blade against denim with normal-use strokes to sharpen the blade and remove any microscopic rust development. I heard these tips on a radio show more than a decade ago and feel as though they made a noticeable difference for me.
Your problem is likely washing your face before shaving, especially if you’re using warm/hot water.
This was a big problem for me as well. My problem was the fact that my face was wet while shaving or was washed before hand, which caused a lot of dryness and irritation. I was recommended to use an electric Philips Norelco tri-head razor, and use it BEFORE showering while my face was completely dry. After showering, your face is too dry from the heat. The shave isn’t as close with the electric as it is with a regular razor, but it’s pretty close and I no longer battle with the acne from shaving, which is well worth the tradeoff.
Regardless, it may be good to see a dermatologist anyway, but that’s what worked for me and was recommended by a dermatologist.
I have the exact opposite experience. All my problems went way when I started shaving in the shower. I don't even use a mirror anymore and can do a three pass shave no problem. Before that I tried every form of wet shaving voodoo and still ended up with frequent irritation.
Kolanaki@pawb.social 1 hour ago
It might not be acne but ingrown hairs or an allergic response (hives) from something you use or just general irritation if you just use water.
Exfoliate before and after you shave to limit ingrown hairs.
Use a shaving gel/cream if not already and if you already do, try a different one
Apply some acne cream or other
Use some kind of astringent after shaving