okay. i accept what your saying toeman. but i just cannot afford electrolysis or laser at the moment. i probably won’t for a while. but its okay. i just need to do what i can until the $$$ comes available for me to do electrolysis/laser. until then i have to work with what is available.
okay folks. i found an old thread that talks about epilators. but in the thread the folks there also talk about tend skin, razor PFB bumps and moisterizers.
maybe i should change over to an epilator instead of shaving.
what do you guys/gals think?
like i mentioned tend skin works very well on the pfb bumps but it DRIES the bumps up making the bumps ashy and flaky looking. so while i no longer have the painful ouchy bumps that had i now have flaky/ashy skin along with hair stubble. its not awful its just that i have solved one problem and created another.
according to the thread epilators get your skin smoother but can cause pfb bumps too. but can be worked around if you do the right things.
here is the thread:
Ok my experience with epilating (and I do not have a condition like yours) is ingrown hairs when they are growing back.
Not much, but still more then with shaving.
My guess is, when you, with your condition, epilate…You will get a lot of ingrowns due to your curly hair.
I think there is one solution, if you don’t mind being not completely smooth.
And that is buying an electric razor which you can configure to shave the hair till a certain length.
So that it will shave the hairs till they are approximately 1,5 or 2 milimeters above the skin. Then the hair wont grow into the skin again.
Ok you won’t be completely smooth (but try to forget about that right now) but you will have a nicely trimmed shade on the face, which is, as a matter of fact, quite popular these days…
Good luck man!
well.
i think the thread i posted says that using tend skin and exfoliating helps with the ingrowns. is this true.
by the way what exactly is exfoliating any way and how is it done?
There is so much information about this that you should google ‘How to exfoliate your face’ and start reading several different sources. You’ll put it altogether and understand this all much better. You can get even more detail with that question to make it more specific for you. Go to www.hairfacts.com and see what is offered there about TendSkin and exfoliation.
okay thanks i have found an article. i see now that i MUST exfoliate then use tend skin as a back up and use a cream to smooth things out instead of letting it get dry.
but my main question is WHICH is the best brand / kit for a man to get? i just need some suggestions on brands.
here is what tthis guy had to say. but at what point do i use tend skin?
If you’re like me and have ever suffered from RAZOR BUMPS (also called ingrown hairs, razor burn) then you’ll know how Ugly, Painful, Irritating and EMBARASSING they can be!
They’re caused when the shaved hair gets trapped inside the follicle or grows back into the skin. Ouch! This then leads to scarring, redness, swelling and itchiness (its medical term is Pseudofolliculitis Barbae or PFB for short).
I have come up with this simple 5 step article that has really helped to cure my issue with Razor Bumps, ingrown hairs and Razor Burn. By following my tips below over several weeks it should do the same for you!
Step 1:- Use active ingredients
There are loads of skin care products out there that claim to reduce ingrown hairs and cure razor bumps but very few actually really work! What you need to look for is skincare products that contain the active ingredient called Salicyclic Acid. This ingredient has been clinically proven to moisturise, exfoliate and clear your pores thereby preventing further infections.
Do: use an after shave product that contains Salicyclic Acid - that way it will stay on your skin all day long giving you added protection.
Don’t: use products that contain alcohol! It will dry out your skin and increase irritation.
Step 2: - Skin preparation:
Make sure you exfoliate (removing the upper layers of dead skin) first. Daily use of a gentle face scrub with Glycolic and Salicylic Acid is particularly effective.
Do: Use a soft-bristle face brush and liquid cleanser in a circular motion on your beard to dislodge the tips of ingrown hairs, eliminate dead skin cells and clear follicles to allow hairs to surface unimpeded.
Do: Trade in your shaving cream or gel for some old-fashioned shaving soap, a mug and a badger brush. These soaps are cheap and provide superior lubrication, and the use of the brush makes hairs stand up and easier to shave. You can find them at your local supermarket.
Do: Try and shave in the shower as the warm/hot spray will make your hairs soft and opens pores, allowing you to shave effectively and comfortably and reduce outbreaks of razor bumps.
Step 3: - Change the way you shave:
One of the main causes of razor bump is by shaving too close. By shaving too close the hair stubs will end up getting stuck in the hair follicle and bam you have the start of an ingrown hair! Shave in slow, small strokes tapping the razor under hot water to clean it between each stroke as a blade full of hair won’t sit evenly against the skin.
Do: make sure your razor blade is clean and sharp.
Don’t: Apply too much pressure on the razor blade and shave against the grain of your hair.
It is crucial you keep this in mind while shaving because if you forget and shave too close the razor bumps will come back to torment you and it will take a while before you get rid of them again!
Step 4: - Post-Shave Care:
Splash cold water over your freshly shaven skin to close up your pores. You can also use ice if you’re feeling brave! Ice works just as well as alcohol and will not dry out your skin. .
Do: Apply Aloe Vera or Tea Tree oil balm to moisturize, soothe and cool your skin.
Step 5:- How to get rid of existing ingrown hairs
To get rid of your ingrown hairs you just simple but carefully lift the ingrown end out with tweezers. I sometimes also use a sterilised needle to gentle prise the hair out if it’s too deeply ingrown. Resist the urge to pull the hair out!
Do: Use products that contain Azulen and Allantoin as they will keep you comfortable and stop the itching, redness and swelling.
Don’t: Do not pluck your ingrown hair out. Just lift them out of the skin otherwise the ingrown hair will only re-grow deeper and increase the problem.
There you have it! For easy to follow tips to get rid of your razor bumps all you have to do is take a couple of more minutes of shaving time and remember to keep these tips in mind.
I also suffered from razor bumps and aside from it being embarrassing and drawing attention to myself, it was painful. However, thanks to these steps I was able to get in control and improve my skin. You can do it too! You can keep on irritating your skin or you can put these steps into practice and have the smooth skin you deserve!
okay folks. i see what my problem is i need to exfoliate my neck/beard before i shave. i got some products. please tell me what you think.
1.gentle face scrub with Glycolic and Salicylic Acid
Menscience Eye Rescue Formula
2.Use a soft-bristle face brush and liquid cleanser to clear away
Dermalogica Exfoliating Face Brush
so would exfoliant and an exfoliating face brush pre shave and using a epilator and tend skin combo do the trick for now?
To be honest…No I don’t think so, because it’s the way your hairgrowth is, it’s not a skin problem.
It’s the fact that the hair enters the skin after shaving smooth and EVERY normal healthy skin would have your kind of reaction, but with most people, after shaving, the hair won’t enter the skin that’s why we don’t have your reaction.
But like I said if you don’t believe it…You can try what you have now…I hope that after you tried I won’t have to say…“I told you so”…
Good luck man.
I remember when my face used to look even WORSE than this.
Of course, if that had not been the case, I would not by typing here now… that problem was just the first of many things that cattle prodded me into this industry.
DO NOT USE AN EPILATOR. Before I got laser and electrolysis on my stomach I was removing her with an epilator. Let me tell you my stomach looked so horrible I had ingrown hair all over it. I still have scars from all the ingrown hairs that I tried to dig out. Your only hope is laser, or electrolysis…