Oh no, I shaved my peach fuzz and now have bumps!

[elvistears]

Ok, so I shaved the peach fuzz/little black hairs I have on my chin a few weeks ago.  The first time was very successful and I must say, a lot of fun.  The second time, not so much.  I think I was a bit rushed.  Anyway, now following my jawline I have a lovely beard of bumps. I have not been shaving since then (couple of weeks ago) in the hope that they'd sort themselves out, but no.

I guess some are ingrown hairs.  Does anyone have advice for getting rid of them?  Good products/home remedies?  I know how to prevent them now.

One good thing is that facial shaving bumps can only help me pass more, I guess.  That's what my friend said.

[Al James]

Know its not the answer you wanted to your question but i have never had shaving bumps on my face. Under my arms on the very very very few times i shaved them but was told to put moisturiser on them and they went away if thats any help

[elvistears]

I've been using a gritty scrub thing to try and get all the dead skin off.  I think I got a little too excited by shaving and forgot I have pretty sensitive skin.  I might get this cool old barbershop style witch hazel aftershave that is supposedly good for ingrown hairs and stuff.

[Janet_Girl]

Use salt and olive oil before shaving

[elvistears]

Thanks Janet! I will try that.  I am all about home remedies.

[Osiris]

When I first started shaving my chin I had the same thing happen to me. I would take some long breaks between shaves just so I could see how much was growing back and kind of keep track of my progress. But after a few more shaves and especially when I started shaving a bit more regularly everything seemed to smooth out. Aside from the stubble that is, that stuff grows out fast. lol

[Teknoir]

I might get this cool old barbershop style witch hazel aftershave that is supposedly good for ingrown hairs and stuff.

I haven't had the bumps, but I use distilled witch hazel. It's cheap, the smell doesn't clash with anything, and it's quite refreshing. It's mostly alcohol - but so is regular aftershave AFAIK.

There are a few tricks you can use to minimise the skin irritation (though the first two or 3 shaves in a short time frame will feel weird).

#1 most important thing - make sure you've got a really sharp, clean razor, and use only a light pressure. Let the blade do the cutting. You'll be changing blades surprisingly often.

Shave with the grain if you can get away with it. Against the grain is harsher on the skin, and it's easier to use too much pressure.

Make sure your face is lubricated properly. Normal bar soap can be drying to the skin and make things worse - try shaving cream. I use anti-acne facial wash that foams up and coats rather well because I like to do two things at once (T brings acne. Get your shaving technique down before you go on T. It's harder to shave with acne in the way, you want to be somewhat good at it first).

If you're still having problems, warm your face first. Also, use warm water.
Personally, I shave in the shower whenever possible (shaving cream or shampoo on the mirror stops it fogging up). The heat softens the hair and makes the skin more pliable.

Good luck . Face shaving shouldn't bring weird bumps - but we cop it 'cause we usually have to teach ourselves through trial and error.

[Cindy]

If you keep getting irritation use an electric razor. Sorry I find this so funny, I HATE shaving, it's a sign of my manhood. You guys love shaving it's a sign of your manhood, 

If you do have acne etc an electric shaver is the way to go. They can be expensive but I have to admit that a guy using an electric shaver is a BIG turn on for lots of girls (IMO). Very manly. Hunky, Juicy, they way they hold the skin and just look at you and smile and ..................

Time for another cold shower


Cindy

[Jamie-o]

If you keep getting irritation use an electric razor. Sorry I find this so funny, I HATE shaving, it's a sign of my manhood. You guys love shaving it's a sign of your manhood, 

If you do have acne etc an electric shaver is the way to go. They can be expensive but I have to admit that a guy using an electric shaver is a BIG turn on for lots of girls (IMO). Very manly. Hunky, Juicy, they way they hold the skin and just look at you and smile and ..................

Time for another cold shower


Cindy

It's funny.  That's what my uncle insisted I should use.  He said, "Use a good sharp instrument like this" while holding up an electric, 3-blade contraption.   

I said, (a la Paul Hogan) "That's not a sharp instrument.  This is a sharp instrument."  And I showed him my razor of choice:







Useful and beautiful.  And made to last.  This one is over a hundred years old, has genuine (pre-ban) ivory scales (the handle) and an etched blade.  Super close shaver.  Eco-friendly.  And makes everyone think you're nuts.    (And for those of you into this kind of thing: Yes, it has been properly honed and cleaned up a bit since these pictures were taken.)

[no_id]

That is one sexy razor....... Props.. 

Now if you happen to see a shadow at your bathroom window, simply carry on shaving, it's just a Cindybird who happened to flutter by...

[Jamie-o]

That is one sexy razor....... Props.. 

Now if you happen to see a shadow at your bathroom window, simply carry on shaving, it's just a Cindybird who happened to flutter by...

Lol.  Thanks.  I've got more razor porn, if you want to see it.    Brush porn, too. 

[no_id]

Lol.  Thanks.  I've got more razor porn, if you want to see it.    Brush porn, too. 

I better not risk it; I might wind up under your cold shower with a Cindybird targetting my eyeballs.

[Greg]

If you have sensitive skin, like most of us transguys do, then use as few blades as possible. A straight razor by design is the sharpest. They can be expensive and require stropping before each use and honing every few years but they last a lifetime and then some. I use a DE safety razor (I have a merkur 33c and an Edwin Jagger DE89L for anyone into this sort of thing). These hold a razor blade which is replaced after a few shaves.
They require a different technique to a multiblade razor, i.e the angle that you hold the razor to your face and the amount of pressure to apply, hopefully none or you could get razor burn.
For me, even a single bladed disposable bic is preferable to something like a mach3 or a fusion because they give me the exact same bump problem.

Witch hazel is fantastic, although I can't stand the smell of it on its own (bacon?) so I add a few drops of essential oil (Lavender or peppermint work well for this) Preparation is also important. I only shave straight after a shower so that the hairs are soft and easy to cut.

Also, you can't beat the feeling of lathering your face with a nice badger hair brush. Speaking of brushes, Jamie-o where is this brush porn that you speak of?

[DRAIN]

i have yet to try shaving but i'll definitely be keeping these suggestions in mind (no love for sensitive skin. even dust from work makes me break out). but my real comment:

oh my gawd that straight razor sent me into a full out nerdgasm. engraved and everything?  (why is there no heart emoticon? o_O)

i really want to try an old fashioned safety razor with some of that avocado and essential oil lathering cream. 

[Teknoir]

Bacon?! 

The stuff I use smells like weak cheap vodka.

That's an awesome looking razor, btw. Seconding more razors (though I know nothing about them).

I use a plain ol' Mach 3 (I am a consumer whore! ), and I really like it. Never had an issue with bumps, cuts, ingrown hairs or anything of the sort.

I've used cheap disposables and I don't like them. They don't feel good in the hand, and I found them harder on the skin. They felt blunt out of the box by comparison. I kept wanting to use too much pressure.

I think everyone just has their own technique that's suited to a different kind of razor. If a certain type of razor isn't working out for you, try something else.

[M.Grimm]

I'm not coordinated enough to use a straight razor, although I love the aesthetic. My compromise is using an old-school safety razor, the stainless steel kind that uses razor blades. The discarded blades go into a little metal blade bank and once it's full, it gets recycled. Switching to this from the plastic disposables made my tender skin much happier.

[Quicksand]

I've got the same problem.  I exfoliate like crazy both before and after, and have tried a ton of the products out there, but to no avail.  Now I use a battery-powered beard trimmer/facial hair groomer on the shortest setting (i.e. no guard attached for mine).  No bumps, and I can get down to almost no stubble.  And frankly, I don't object to keeping a little stubble!  I highly recommend it though, because then the hairs never get shaved down so far that they curve back into the skin and instead grow out straight.  Mine was $20 at walmart!

[Al James]

There is a product by gillette called ingrown hair night cream. only ever seen it at mankind.co.uk tho

[cynthialee]

I had that neck bump issue, but it is fixed now. The reason is simple. Shave secret. The stuff is a god send for sensitive skin. Try it.

[Vanessa_yhvh]

A few tips from a MTF who had such a thick beard that she got in trouble for not shaving in boot camp right after shaving....

Pre-shave, (doesn't have to be this brand or anything, but it's what I use) Softsoap Body Butter Mega Moisture Body Hydrating Wash.

It's cheap, and it works like mad.

If any spots actually start to turn red, you *can* (and I do) daub just a bit of 91% isopropyl alcohol right on the red spot (or the spot I know is going to be red if I leave it be). That stuff is like Agent Orange to bacteria that like the face.