I have two requests here.  Some may not apply to any of you folks here, but.... Aye!

First off, with shaving, this can relate to any part of the body.  Would it reduce skin irritation if you were to shave every day as compared to less often such as every other day or even once a week? I am not overall sure.  I figure it may be easier to shave and cause less irritation if the hair is less grown, and your skin is more adjusted, but then again I feel like it is constant abuse and would only make it worse.  So shave daily, or less often?  I shave my face every other day, I get little irritation though, but would not mind shaving every day because I hate facial hair.  I recently realized my gillete fusion power thingy works better when the vibration is off.  With it on, I have trouble shaving all parts evenly, and thusly go over it over and over and cause razor burn.  More so, I have never been able to shave pubic hair or my legs without getting uncomfortable irritation and red blotches all over.  Any tips?  I have not tried a women's razor, yet.  I usually use an electric razor to get bulk off and then manual razor the rest.

Second matter, acne.  What products can I use to fight it? Ever since puberty, I have had it fairly bad.  In recent years my facial conditions has improved greatly, with the occasional pimple showing up on my face every few weeks, its no problem.  But I do have a tendency to get acne more often around my chin/neck area, but I associated this with shaving. Not sure if there is a connection.  Worst of all, is my back.  I have horrible back acne on my upper back, and particularly in the middle area.  I have tried back scrubbers to no avail, so I assumed I reach just fine with my hands.  I usually use Neutrogena products, but I am usually unsatisfied.  I bathe daily, and wash my face once a day in addition if I had work that day, and I also wash my shoulder area a bit, but I don't touch my middle back.  Could this be my problem? I just want to know if maybe I need to shower with a better cleansing product.  I also have it fairly bad on my butt.

Just want any tips that can be provided.  I have, myself, failed to treat these issues.


In addition, any tips on products for naturally curly hair?  I want it to be less frizzy, and the curls to be more defined. I just bought a garnier fructis gel-creme for curly hair the other day, but I feel it is not working powerfully enough, as I used a flat ironing creme in the past with better results, it just ran out, however, so I felt that a specified curling creme would work better.  Is there a particular type/brand of curly creme I should try?  Should I try Mousse?  My hair is not particularly curly, just a wavy and the back tends to be curly, mostly because I allow it to be.


Thank you all for any help!

EDIT: Also, not on any hormonal treatment.  I am male, as it may matter.  But this is obvious, anyway.

First of all, the fact that you have Anna Varney as your avatar is awesome!!   I totally love Sopor Aeternus.

I have the same problem with you when it comes to shaving legs: every single time I do it, I get bumps and redness all over the place.  I shave my face daily and don't have that problem.  Back when I shaved my arms, I never had that problem.  My armpits don't have that problem.  Only my legs!  And I can't seem to figure out how to prevent it.  I use sharp razors, and I make sure that I have plenty of glide by soaking in warm water beforehand, applying a layer of moisturizing body soap, then shaving cream, then I wet it down to make it very slick.  I use a loofah to get rid of any dead cells, I use lotion... and yet the red spots happen every time.

As far as using women's razors vs. men's razors, I actually got more redness and had more problem with the women's variety.  It seems to be independent of hair coarseness because my leg hair has become a tiny bit thinner after seven months of HRT and I've been shaving my legs for two years.  Women's razors just don't work as well as my Schick Quattro 4.  I found they nick and cut a whole lot more.

Acne, I can't help with, sorry.   I'm fortunate to have never really had a problem outside of the occasional zit every few months.  Actually, I used to break out far more often when I used an electric razor, but since switching to manual, that's disappeared.

But for wavy hair?  Nothing worked for me except a flatiron.  Granted, mine's not REALLY wavy, nothing that two or three minutes of straightening can't get out (and only wavy past chin-length).  Short hairs are very frizzy and nothing seems to tame the frizz, not even in the dry climate of Colorado.  Can't imagine how it'd act if I lived in a humid place!  I learned to live with the waves though.  Especially considering I get so many compliments on them for something that I don't even have to work for.

I use a silica acid exfoliant in the shower (before I shave my face). It helps with acne and is good for shaving. I just recently started using benzoyl peroxide on my face once or twice a day.

For shaving specifically you want to go with the hair. If the hair grows down, shave down. I use a shaving brush and shaving soap instead of a gel or cream. Use hot water and make sure your face (or whatever body part) is hot and wet right before you start shaving. If you removed all the shaving cream and see areas with patches of hair still then lather up and shave again. Don't shave dry or without lather.

http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59

That guy has a lot of videos about shaving and how to get a good facial shave.

I will second the love of the Anna Varney icon.

Anyway, for acne I have been trying Aloe Vera lately. It has helped greatly but seemed to reach a point of effectiveness that it won't pass now. It is not a complete cure but it has made my skin look much better.

I have used Female and Male razors and I much prefer Male. They seem much more durable and I seem to cut myself less with them. As for the shaving less or shaving more I don't really know which is better for my skin. My skin issues seem to independent from shaving but I do know if my face isn't in great condition shaving more

Haha wow, never would have expected one, let alone two people to recognize my avatar! She is great!

Anyway, I used to flat iron my hair all the time, but recently, I have been trying to embrace my natural side to make things easier and more durable.  See, I live in texas... Ironed hair puts up a good fight, but it usually loses :C too humid and hot, so sweat does not help on occasion.  If my hair is in its natural curly/wavy state though, it seems much more resilient as there is nothing to reverse.  It does sometimes get extra fluff to it.  The other day I went to the Harry Potter movie premiere, I got two compliments about my natural hair, it was great! One girl said I had pretty hair, that made me feel happy :]
That was using my old flat iron creme.  I only used the new one once but I had work that day so that may have played a role in it not turning out so good.  Just wanted to know if there are any good cremes for wavy hair or if I should just stick to flat iron creme.

I have only shaved my legs like 3 times in my life x.x the first time I got nicked up, second two times I had no problem with cuts at all! Just the redness and itchiness.  I shave against the hair on my face for a closer shave [I think] but with the hair on my legs.  I would not know which direction to start to shave the other hair!  I also have no problem with arm pits.  I will have to try shaving again soon to see how it turns out, then I will get back to you guys.  Thanks for all the advice so far!

I was certainly surprised about the icon and how someone recognized it right away but then I realized it would make sense for more people here to know about her. Or you know some people here just have really neat taste in music.

Keeping the hair on your head as natural as it can be is the way to go. Ironing your hair is really damaging but I really have no advice on better ways to straighten it because I have straight hair.

Armpits are really easy to shave but home to the most annoying cuts if that happens. I have used shaving with and against the grain almost my whole shaving career. Against the grain certainly gives me a closer shave but it wreaks havoc on my skin.

Quote from: Pharaun on July 17, 2011, 03:54:51 PM
I was certainly surprised about the icon and how someone recognized it right away but then I realized it would make sense for more people here to know about her. Or you know some people here just have really neat taste in music.

I didn't even know who she was when I first got into Sopor Aeternus, back in '97 after The Inexperienced Spiral Traveller was released.   Used to be pretty seriously into the goth scene, which I know you'd never guess from my pics these days.

And Sera, I know all about the pain of the heat and humidity in Texas!   Worst outdoor environment I ever felt in my life was there!  Can't imagine how you'd tame anything with weather like that.  Also, as far as shaving legs, I always go against the hair, up the leg, making sure to only go over once to avoid razor burn (cleaning up any missed spots, of course).  The backs of my upper legs are the only place where I shave downward, as that's against the hair in that spot.

Now for the face, I use a four-blade razor once with the grain, once against the grain, then use the single razor on the back for any hard-to-shave spots or stuff that was missed.  But I've also had a butt-ton of laser and a few electrolysis sessions, so my hair is admittedly MUCH thinner than it once was.

I will have to try all this with the grain stuff I think.  Also where can I find other shaving things besides gel?  All I can find is gel/cream x.x can I just use conditioner?

Yeah I am I guess not a die hard fan of sopor, I found them a year or two ago [but hey, in '97, honestly, I did not even know what music was!  I did not start taking interest in music until 2003! Deprived!].  I had found a band by the name of Die Form, and found Sopor because the two bands were friends on myspace, I think.  I'm not into any particular type of music, just what is good to me, is good to me.  Compare Sopor with Amethystium or Vanessa Carlton is pretty difficult, but I could listen to all three in the same day!

Also, I don't need tips on flight ironing Phararun, so its fine I had been doing it since 4 years ago nearly, I picked up enough neat tricks to help me iron my hair, but yes, I still got a good amount of split ends, and I was always satisfied with my hair, until it started to frizz in the weather, and I could not have my hair like that at work because I sweat and work outside sometimes, so I wanted a new go...

i use wax or fiber paste when i feel a need to tame my wonderfully frizzy wavy hair. i apply it in towel dry/wet hair, if i comb it my hair stays that way, and if i rough up my hair and squeeze it with my hands, it will curl without getting frizzy

for saving sensitive areas on and between my legs i ended up using the same soap i use to wash my body, lots of running water, and of course shaving with the grain no more than twice over the same spot. and i never shave the sensitive parts more than twice a week. if you have trouble with it getting red and itchy, you could try using a mild disinfectant of some sort after shaving