[ha2fb]

Hello people,

Look below to see a picture of my face. I've remembered for the longest since I've started shaving I'd guess that I have coarse, fast growing, ingrown?, redness, discomforting facial skin. I don't have acne. I didn't have acne that much at all as a teenager. 23 now btw.

I have had laser hair removal below my chin, thinking that it'd help. I've had 6 sessions, and boy do they hurt even with a topical cream applied.

Could someone point me in a good direction as to why, or what it is? I'd be nice if they could take a skin sample and test and find out exactly why & how it's like that! I come from as I know german & native american background. That's what my parents say atleast. For all I know I could be a mutt!

 

[ha2fb]

Also-

I use a quattro razor with aveeno sensitive skin shaving gel. I change the cartridges every other day.

I was told that it may be ingrown hairs. It does look it to me. Anyone have success in ridding themselves from it?

 

[Freddy]

I do not have a single ingrown hair in my face and this is my protocol:

1. Don't shave unless really have to. Shaving is hard on the skin, specially if you're doing it daily. Don't shave on the weekends or on days off etc. to give your skin a break.

2. Don't shave close if you don't have to. I'm self-employed so I don't have a boss that tells me that I have to come in completely clean shaven everyday. I rarely shave close (unless it's for modeling) but most of the time I use the electric shaver and finish off with very small stubble for the "rough" but clean look. Woman love it too so I'm not complaining.

3. Shave after you shower as the water will soften the hair.

4. Exfoliate your skin before shaving.

5. Use a good thick shaving cream.

6. Use a VERY sharp razor and shave WITH the grain.

7. Keep your face clean.

8. Splash some cold water on your face when you finish shaving but don't use after shave as they tend to have alcohol which will dry out your face.

You can get rid of the ingrowns by using a tweezers and pulling each individual hair out from the red bump, but don't pull it out completely. Once you're finished you'll have a whole bunch of stray hairs, just shave normally and you'll be good to go.

 

[mony]

Did you ever think about waxing? My son gets that quite a bit. But for his employment he needed to be clean shaven. Now the company he worked for closed it's doors, so he tried slowing down on shaving, but can't stand it, he finds the hair on his face irratating and hot as now the humidity is bad out here. I have offered to wax him, he hasn't said yes or no to that yet. But I wonder if you or Freddy have tried that yet?

 

[Freddy]

I'd pass on the waxing.

 

[ha2fb]

1. Don't shave unless really have to. Shaving is hard on the skin, specially if you're doing it daily. Don't shave on the weekends or on days off etc. to give your skin a break.
- I'm in the military, so not shaving isn't a viable option. I already don't shave on the weekends.

2. Don't shave close if you don't have to. I'm self-employed so I don't have a boss that tells me that I have to come in completely clean shaven everyday. I rarely shave close (unless it's for modeling) but most of the time I use the electric shaver and finish off with very small stubble for the "rough" but clean look. Woman love it too so I'm not complaining.
- Once again shaving is a 5 day hurtful regimen! Electric razors are crap in my opinion. I've owned a $150 Norelco, and it did absolutley nothing.

3. Shave after you shower as the water will soften the hair.
- Majority of the time when I shave it preceeds after showering.

4. Exfoliate your skin before shaving.
- Only done this a couple of times. Need to do this much more often. Recommended products?

5. Use a good thick shaving cream.
- I use Aveeno Sensitive Shaving gel. I feel it keeps my face moisturized better than a cream. Do you disagree? What do you use?

6. Use a VERY sharp razor and shave WITH the grain.
- I use new cartridges every other day. I am starting 'WTG'

7. Keep your face clean.
- I was my face every day. I also use baby lotion 2-3 times as well.

8. Splash some cold water on your face when you finish shaving but don't use after shave as they tend to have alcohol which will dry out your face.
- I don't use any post shave lotions, since the majority of the market has alcohol based content. Cold water to rinse off the shaving gel.

You can get rid of the ingrowns by using a tweezers and pulling each individual hair out from the red bump, but don't pull it out completely. Once you're finished you'll have a whole bunch of stray hairs, just shave normally and you'll be good to go.
- My wife looked at my skin very closely and said she doesn't believe I have in-grown hairs. Maybe a chemical imbalance possibly? Allergic to some ingredients in normal daily use products? I'll take the same pictures on Monday with no shaving in between.

 

[mony]

Well here's an idea, and hopefully it helps ya, why not try dermabrassion. It helps shed the dead skin cells Ingrown hairs are basically ingrown because the cell doesn't want to shed right? maybe try that once or twice, see if it might help you. It can't hurt, if anything I bet your skin will feel better not so irratated. I have very sensitive skin and use the Avon dermabrassion (it's in a tube) cheap too! it takes only five minutes, good luck I hope that helps!

 

[Freddy]

To be quite honest, any mild exfoliant will do, visit the pharmacy and see what you can find. Even the St. Ives crap is better than nothing.

The imperfections shown in the first picture are indeed ingrown hairs.

Skip the baby lotion and get a proper facial moisturizer, I like the clean and clear SOFT night and day moisturizers.

Shaving gel and cream to me are the same thing, since once you lather up the gel it turns into a creamy texture anyways, either way you're fine as long as you're just shaving straight up with nothing.

 

[fawnie]

Have you ever used this:

Shop online Magic Regular Strength Shaving Powder, Blue - 5 Oz at AmericaRx.com

It's a dipilatory which removes the hair without shaving.



Skin | care | talk

 

[ha2fb]

They sell that product line at Wal-Mart on the bottom shelf usually cheap like $2-3. I may pick one up and see if anything happens. I did purchase some Tend Skin wash/lotion. So hopefully in two-three weeks my skin will look rejuvenated!

Freddy: Do you know of any other forums that are dedicated to men, purposely for skin/face/exercise, etc? That can have more input on this?

 

[fawnie]

Not Freddy here, luv, but maybe this can help til he signs on for you:

Men's Skin Care and Shaving Forum - Men's Biz: Index



Skin | care | talk

 

[gymrat]

You know here is another thought-

My husband has corse facial hair and uses a shaving cream warmer. He SWEARS by it!! He can shave at 6am and by noon he could shave again!! He calls it his afternoon shadow-

Conair Combination Hot Gel / Lather Machine

 

[Freddy]

If you want the best of the best in shaving check this out:

The Art of Shaving

I don't know of any other forums that discuss skin care except those shitty ones from magazine sites like GC and what not that really like to push products.



Check out my blog, that could help alot too, lots of reading there:

http://www.skincaretalk.com/basic-sk...care-blog.html

HOpe that helps.

 

[gymrat]

If you want the best of the best in shaving check this out:

The Art of Shaving

I don't know of any other forums that discuss skin care except those shitty ones from magazine sites like GC and what not that really like to push products.



Check out my blog, that could help alot too, lots of reading there:

http://www.skincaretalk.com/basic-sk...care-blog.html

HOpe that helps.

I LOVE The Art of Shaving!! They have a store not far from where I live-

The Sandalwood oil-

 

[fawnie]

This has a money-back guarantee and also works on the bikini-area for ingrown hairs (in case you're interested):

Official PFB Vanish Website



Skin | care | talk

 

[ha2fb]

Thanks for all the help guys/gals.

I bought some Apricot Facial scrub, exfoliating sponge (medium), Aveeno microdebrasion?, and some moisturizing lotion.

I've been using all the above mentioned products for 3-4 days straight. I shaved today because I had a 4 day weekend (Army). So I'll post picture's of what my skin looks like after half a week of no shaving plus washing face daily, etc.

 

[mony]

Cool Hope it all works for ya, Let us know!!!!!

 

[Honeypot]

I'm a female, but I gotta go with Freddie's advise. I use to date a guy with had a huge problem with ingrown hair on his face, those are ingrowns. He use to ask me to help with the tweezer thing, uh couldn't do it. Be careful with that apricot scrub, those grounded up seeds can be a real irritant, if your skin is already challeged, that can exacerbate the problem. Its an exfoliant, it does not heal the skin. Use only products for senitive skin. Many men of color have this problem, (because of the curl in their hair) and use special products. Always use new razors, no fragrance or oils. Good-luck!