It's about the hair on my chinny , chin , chin .
 

I've been having some serious issues with shaving (shave bumps) and I need some advice and tips from the TFP Collective Intelligence .First of all, let me list what I do before, during, after shaving.

1) I always shave after a warm shower. Always.

2) I always use a fresh Mach 3 blade.

3) I always use a sensitive skin shaving gel.

4) After shaving I use very cold water to wash the chin area to close the pores .

5) Then I use Nivea after shave balm for sensitive skin.


All to no avail. Suffice to say, I must have ultra-sensitive skin.
So now I turn to the TFP to help find a solution .

Have you tried an electric razor? They are expensive, but I find that some people that have your problem shave fine with electrics.

I don't shave anymore...It use to kill shaving around the top of my neck, even with a fresh razor.

I got my hands on a free pair of sweet hair clippers, So I just use that and it brings the scruff down to almost nothing...It's easier that way to, Now I don't need to spend money on razors or shaving cream.

Use electric. It's your best bet. I get out of a warm shower, use a mach 3 blade (mostly not fresh) put some cold water on it and shave up with almost no problem. Go figure.

I too have very sensitive skin and so I feel your pain.

If you switch to electric, it really does take a month for the skin to get used to it.

Do you shave every day? I give my skin a break once a week, but can't miss more than that or my skin looses it's toughness.
Have you tried just using soap and water with no aftershave? When I'm not in a hurry, that's what I do. I get a closer shave and my skin doesn't react at all.

I hope you find the answer that's right for you.

I shave my whole head & face everyday.

I just use a Excel Sensor, with a non-fog mirror in a hot shower.
No gel, or lotion...that makes me break out.
The hot water prevents most bumps.

Many barbers will apply a very hot towel around the face,
to prevent bumps.
I just cut to the chase (face?;)) by just doing it all at once.

I also don't like the Mach3, it doesn't follow the curves of my face well.

I shave in the shower with a soap that has moisturisor in it.
Big fucking girl that I am.
But it helps the skin and no bumps or cuts.

I used to shave with a Mach 3, but my skin was too sensitive and I would always get razor burn on my neck, no matter what I tried. I finally got tired of it and bought a Norelco Advantage (one of those wet/dry electric dealies.) It seemed kind of expensive at the time, but I love it, it's wonderful. I use shaving cream with it, and it never gives me any problems. No nicks or irritation or anything.

Run the water as hot as you can tolerate it on your skin, then turn the cold down a bit. Soak a towel in that, and hold it on your face wehre you'll be shaving until it feels like your skin is about to melt off (45 seconds shoulud work.) While you're wetting the towel, have the can of shaving cream under the faucet, and you'll end up with a pleasantly hot lather. Then proceed with your normal shaving routine.

You may want to try giving your face a good scrub before you shave as well, dead skin cells and/or small particles of dirt can get shoved under the skin while shaving and create irritation or bumps.. i had that problem a while ago but i started washing my face with some exfoliating body wash stuff before hand and haven't really had a problem since, i still have really sensitive skin though.. give it a try it may work.

i find its the gels, and balms and such that cause me to get break outs.

i just use a moisturising soap in the shower.
nothing else.

Any thoughts about using Clearasil (the anti pimple cream) ?

I've got some "apricot scrub" stuff in my shower, who knows how it got there, but I use it sometimes. I scrub like a madman during a hot shower and then shave and it's a lot nicer than without the facial scrub. It gets rid of all the dirt and oil and dead skin.

Try something like that and see if it works?

I have had this discussion before with someone else. They said they shave in the shower because the steam keeps the pores opened up for a smooth shave. Then after getting out, they splash on cold water then aftershave. I swith from mach 3 to electric every few days to give the skin a rest. The electric is ok, but it is never as close as a razor.

Don't wash your face before you shave. If you do you wash off all the natural oils on your skin that will help the razor glide across your skin. Also the more blades on a razor the harder it is on your skin. Try swithing to a double or single bladed razor and see if that helps.

Really? You do basically the exact opposite of what I do, and I have 0 problems. I always shave before I shower (makes cleaning all the foam off a whole lot easier ;)), I use the same razor about 5 to 6 times, and I use that cheapass Gillette shaving cream that's $.94 a can. No problems here, maybe all the extra work is causing you to stress out and make yourself get the bumps ;) Who knows though, but good luck. Maybe try NAIR? I dunno if you are supposed to use that on your face, but I think you can, though the stuff does smell like complete ass :-/

I shave in the shower w/ soap. It is a wonderful experience

I realize that I am about the last person that should comment on shaving but I do shave the upper parts of my cheeks each morning. I shower first then, and this will not sound too good, I don't use a thing. No gells, no creams, nothing, then I use an after shave. It's a little painful but I never get any bumps or irritations. I've used the same old Trak 2 handle I have had for 30 years but I don't skimp on the blade renewals. I have also found that cheap blades are not worth the saving.

two words...... DRY SHAVE!!!!!!

Maybe it's time to grow a full beard . Hmmm .

Same here. Just hot water and the Sensor Excel and I don't have any problems.

Maybe it's time for a razor change .
Thanks Spectre and Rogue, I'll give the Sensor Excell a try !

Make sure you use the hot water, while you're doing it.
That's why I like doing it in the shower.

Wax it baby, wax it.

Always shower first, it softens the beard. Make sure you are shaving WITH THE GRAIN!!

Use an electric during the week and just use the blade once weekly

I had the exact same problem with shaving. I tried many different soaps, gels, creams, etc and nothing worked. So, I went to a dermatologist and she gave me some advice that has saved my face and social life.

1. Mach 3 is the best disposable razor out there, but make sure to change the cartridge once a week. Expensive, I know.

2. Stop using aftershave.

3. Wash your face throughly before shaving and use Lever 2000. it has moisturizing stuff in it; thus, your face won't dry out as quick.

4. Buy a shave cream called "Neutrogena Skin Clearing Shave Cream." It comes in a tube and costs around five bucks.

Believe me, I was very skeptical about all of this, too. Just try it for a couple weeks and see what happens. Bumps from shaving are usually caused from not taking care of one's face like one should. Good luck.

If it does continue, try going to a dermatologist.

Try using a shaving brush with a good quality hypo-allergenic shaving soap. Using the brush will fully relax your pores and allow for a very smooth shave.

i shave in the shower as well, i use to shave then shower but my face always looked like i hacked away with a rusty knife than a razor. shower really helped with the bumps and smoothness. as well great clean up.

I don't shave much anymore (I've got about a 6" full beard), but I have heard that the older style double sided razors can help with bumps, as can a pre-shave oil. And, to double what's been said before, exfoliate.

eshave and mensessentials (I think that's correct) carry a lot of the stuff that's supposed to work (including a shave brush and the oil) and have some really informative articles as well. Try running a search, they both have websites.

well i dont have any bumps or any problem till like 2 days later when it starts coming back... then it blows...

You might want to give Shave Secret a try. My wife and I get this...although we mostly use it for shaving, uh, "other" areas. It's an oil that reduces razor drag when you shave.

Seems as if I stumbled upon a forum filled with shaving virtuosi ;)

For me though, the act of shaving is but a minor annoyance. The growth rate of my facial hair is seemingly set to 'next to none' so I only have to shave about once a week. Maybe twice.

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shave with the grain not against it.

I get the bumps if I either skip a day or two, then shave. Or if I forget to wash my face the night before.