2 replies to this topic

[lip5016]

so i've pretty much come to the conclusion that i get acne after i shave.. if i wait a few days between shaves, my acne seems to go away or calm down for the most part, then ill shave and a day or 2 later, my face will be broken out again.. i noticed last night after popping a few pimples that there was a tiny hair stemming inside the pimple.. i tweezed these out as i figured that they were the cause for the pimple.. i have semi-wavy/curly hair, but nothing overboard and i think my acne might be from ingrown hairs.. after reading thru the message boards for a few hours i thought id ask you all about how u think this regimen would work for me..

1. shower and let warm water run on face for a while
2. apply aloe vera gel to face
3. apply aveeno sensitive shaving cream
4. use sensor excel razor blade
5. wash using clean & clear 10% benzoyl continuous control cleanser
6. pat dry
7. wait 10 minutes, then apply aloe vera gel to face again

does this seem like a good regimen? i'm so sick and tired of getting shaving bumps/irritation/ingrown hairs on my face after shaving and i'm willing to do anything to get rid of it!! also, i currently shave about once every 3-4 days (until it gets fairly noticeable).. would shaving everyday eliminate my acne problem since shaving is a supposed to be a good exfoliator? please help me out!! thanks!!

[Max Quin]

so i've pretty much come to the conclusion that i get acne after i shave.. if i wait a few days between shaves, my acne seems to go away or calm down for the most part, then ill shave and a day or 2 later, my face will be broken out again.. i noticed last night after popping a few pimples that there was a tiny hair stemming inside the pimple.. i tweezed these out as i figured that they were the cause for the pimple.. i have semi-wavy/curly hair, but nothing overboard and i think my acne might be from ingrown hairs.. after reading thru the message boards for a few hours i thought id ask you all about how u think this regimen would work for me..

1. shower and let warm water run on face for a while
2. apply aloe vera gel to face
3. apply aveeno sensitive shaving cream
4. use sensor excel razor blade
5. wash using clean & clear 10% benzoyl continuous control cleanser
6. pat dry
7. wait 10 minutes, then apply aloe vera gel to face again

does this seem like a good regimen? i'm so sick and tired of getting shaving bumps/irritation/ingrown hairs on my face after shaving and i'm willing to do anything to get rid of it!! also, i currently shave about once every 3-4 days (until it gets fairly noticeable).. would shaving everyday eliminate my acne problem since shaving is a supposed to be a good exfoliator? please help me out!! thanks!!

This looks like a good regime aside from one or two things. I remember getting razorbumps/ingrown hairs from shaving but they're a thing of the past now, a lot of whats on your regime is what I use, I use a SensorExcel Razorblade, Aveeno Positively Smooth Shaving Gel and (non-brand specific) Aloe Vera Gel.

I'm assuming you don't use any of these products now. You can properly forget aloe vera gel completely it's really not needed, but if you insist on using it, using it after shaving should be enough.

If you're following the regimen with BP you don't need a BP cleanser, medicated-cleansers are bad in general as they tend to have a high PH and bad ingredients which will irritate your skin (Not what you want after shaving), not to mention you'll properly wash off most of the chemicals before they can get to work. I can see where you're coming from in trying to treat the acne before it can start, but I shave in the morning and follow directly with the regimen (which involves BP) so you can pretty much count out a medicated cleanser.

I use a product which is very popular on the market for ingrown hairs and pretty much anything to do with razorblade irritation. Since using this and the other products I've mentioned I have had no spots from shaving, the product is called "Tend Skin Ingrown Hair Solution" look it up, it's a product that works 100% for dealing with those issues you suffer with, you apply it after shaving, it's pretty much the only after-shave that works.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tend-Skin-Ingrown-...l/dp/B00021DO6Y

After-shaves tend to use ingredients like Camphor and Menthol to produce that cooling effect. It's pretty much just an illusion these products actually irritate rather then soothe, some do contain usefull soothing properties but they're negated by the inclusion of Menthol/Camhpor, so don't waste your money on these products. Typically they help somewhat but stick with Tend Skin it works wonders.

I also recommend purchasing a Alum Block, this is a block that you apply to your face after you shave that literally stops wounds and cuts and steralizes them (some cuts you may not be able to see, you have to remember shaving cuts the skin on a microscopic level as well)

Edited by Max Quin, 03 May 2010 - 02:57 PM.

[HTX_2008]

You're drying your face out too much, which is causing it to get irritated and that's what is triggering the ingrowns.

Look at your regimen, you shower, so that water alone dries you out some. If you use a facial cleaner then that dries you out even more. Letting warm water run over your face for an extended time is also likely to dry you out more. Then you shave, again, more dryness. Then you clean with BP cleanser, and BP is drying, so even more dryness.

I suggest either :

1. shave before showering. then in the shower only rinse your beard area with water, no cleanser, no scrubbing. Alcohol free aftershave post shower.

2. shower first, but don't wash beard area, just rinse. then shave right out the shower. rinse after and then apply aftershave without alcohol.


I dont see any need to wash the beard area on days you shave. The shaving exfoliates and a rinse after should be enough to remove any left over shaving gel or loose dead skin. you might consider using a shaving brush to lift the hairs.