I'm convinced now. Just the other day I had 99% clear skin, so I went ahead and used my safety razor with feather blades (sharpest blades available) to get a clean shave. Looked good the morning after, but then by night I started developing red spots. Overnight those turned into painful bumps under the skin, which I am assuming is ingrown hairs. Now, I didn't use anything on my face (so nothing was clogging my pores); I simply softened the hair for a while with a hot washcloth and then shaved with just water.

I guess I'm going to just have to accept the fact that I will have to use a beard trimmer for the rest of my life. That seems to be the only thing that doesn't give me ingrown hairs. I've tried it all: electric razors, multiblade razors, various shave soaps/creams/etc, safety razors. Nothing works. I always develop painful bumps on my chin and jawline a day or two later.

 

Anyone else have the same problem?

No im a women- but i dont mind a man with stubble and it seems like some type of facial hair is "in" now a days- so youre in luck!

-also my bro seems to have the same issue as you. We talked about it just the other day- i told him to change the way he shaves because he was going against the grain of the hair instead of with. He just has to pay attention to what way his hair grows and shave in that direction. I know its difficult in some areas like the neck, where hair grows in like a million different directions!

Good luck!

-E

Hey, I get bumps on my thighs when I shave as well. They look a lot like acne so I took a visit to the doctor and he told me thosr are just razor bumps. They're nothing to worry about. Maybe instead of using a sharp blade, try going for a softer blade. The problem might just be that your skin is sensitive. I'm glad if I was any help.

I'm convinced now. Just the other day I had 99% clear skin, so I went ahead and used my safety razor with feather blades (sharpest blades available) to get a clean shave. Looked good the morning after, but then by night I started developing red spots. Overnight those turned into painful bumps under the skin, which I am assuming is ingrown hairs. Now, I didn't use anything on my face (so nothing was clogging my pores); I simply softened the hair for a while with a hot washcloth and then shaved with just water.

I guess I'm going to just have to accept the fact that I will have to use a beard trimmer for the rest of my life. That seems to be the only thing that doesn't give me ingrown hairs. I've tried it all: electric razors, multiblade razors, various shave soaps/creams/etc, safety razors. Nothing works. I always develop painful bumps on my chin and jawline a day or two later.

 

Anyone else have the same problem?

Yep, I have similar issue. All I've used is a beard trimmer for 15+ years. Sometimes you just have to accept the hand that's dealt and move on. Look on the bright side, at least you know a solution.

Hi brian85, i used to think the same but for me i found it was largely down to my poor technique of shaving that gave me breakouts. When you shave just as you wash be very gentle with your pressure and let the blade do the work. Also really get to know the grain of your hair and go with it never against it. I find that shaving has it's downsides if done wrong but i've never found a beard trimmer to get close enough to even call it a shave. It's a toss up i know but i am at the point now where my shaving goes pretty quick and i know the flow of my skins hair to minimise that tugging feeling which is what cause irritation.

Also a product which can help you after your shave regardless of weather it was with a razor or a trimmer is an old school product called an alum block it's a piece of crystal thats you use on wet skin and just glaze over your wet skin and you'll feel it tingle on areas that are sensitive ... it's a natural astringent used to clean and tighten pores but thats also a good indicator on where you might be having issues and need to be more gentle on your skin.

Have a look on youtube for alum blocks and shaving techniques and you'll be sure to find great information on what i have just touched on here.

I'd love to recommend a solution but as everyone here knows everyones skin is different and it's not a one shot cure for all. I used to have an electric shaver that worked wonders on my face and it bit the dust and died and i've yet to find one that can actually cut my hair let alone be used daily ...

Well good luck hope my info was of some use.

You can't shave with just water. It doesn't lubricate enough. You need an unscented shaving cream and a badger brush and you're good to go.

You can't shave with just water. It doesn't lubricate enough. You need an unscented shaving cream and a brush and you're good to go.

I can't win with shaving. The day after, my skin looks AWFUL... 3 or 4 days later it looks fine but if I try to grow a beard it also makes me breakout! I wish I could just keep it at day 3 and 4s growth forever

I will make a few suggestions in regards to shaving and issues with ingrown hairs.

First of all, make sure and use a shaving soap (not canned goop) and a shaving brush. Use the brush and face lather with the brush. This exfoliates the skin and helps to break free any ingrown hairs.

Secondly, Don't shoot for the baby but smooth shave. Do one pass, maybe tow passes with a single edge razor (your safety razor with a feather blade is a great choice.) Ingrown hairs are primarily caused by cutting the hair so short that it ends up below your skin. While this provides a nice smooth shave, it can cause the hair to grow into the wall of the hair follicle and not out the top.

Lastly, try using cold water to shave instead of warm/hot water. Many people (myself included) have reported less irritation and a more comfortable shave with a cold water shave.

Hope it helps,

Matt

I have had the same problem for a long time now. Switched over to a good electric razor and haven't had any trouble since. The Braun 9 series 9090C works great!