Getting ingrowns on jawline

enlightenment · Post by **enlightenment** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:31 am

Hi. I've been wetshaving for over a year now and for the past few months I've developed ingrowns or acne on the edge of my jawline. It is mainly right below my ear on the back of my jaw.

I use a feather artist club most of the time and am only doing one pass. I use little to no pressure and always try to be careful shaving my jawline. I don't feel that i am nicking myself there either. So i don't really know why i am getting these.

I always shave after a shower. In the shower i do put conditioner on my stubble after i gently wash my face. I do not dry my face when i get out of the shower.

Proceeding to lathering... While i am showering i leave my brush in steaming hot water with some baking soda to soften the water. then fill up the sink with tap hot water and re-wet my face. I rotate between soaps and creams. Soaps are QED and L'Occitane. Creams are T&H, C&E, Aqcua di Parma, and Nancy Boy. I lather in the bowl that i let my brush soak in while i'm in the shower and then let that float in the sink to keep any lather warm if i need more. I work the lather on my face for about 1.5 minutes and then proceed with the shave.

After shaving i then apply Thayers Super Hazel to cleanse the my face and rub that in a circular motion over the freshly shaven area to help alleviate any possible ingrowns. That dries and then i apply L'Occitane CADE shave balm in much the same manner as the witch hazel.

I don't get ingrowns on my cheeks or my neck. I'm only getting them on my jawline.

Any advice?

Thanks,

Vincent

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:52 am

Vincent, it sounds like you have a good prep and you seem pretty knowledgeable (and you are using a Feather AC!). Since you are doing one pass have you tried doing the pass on a different angle? How about trying a thicker more protective lather (dryer lather)?

Seanholio · Post by **Seanholio** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:34 pm

I've heard that these can sometimes be lessened by using an alum block after shaving. It tightens up the pores and functions as an antiseptic, so that irritation should be minimized.

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 3:42 pm

Ingrowing hairs happen when we shave too closely. You will have to try shaving with or across the grain in that area and with very little pressure as well.

Chris

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:10 pm

Vincent, Well, this is a tough one. I think the main clue is that you're not having this problem anywhere else on your face, only in this one small specific area. To me, that suggests that there's something subtly different or 'off' in the the way that you're doing the stroke there. I don't know exactly what that 'difference' might be; perhaps a slight shift in the blade to skin angle, or a difference in the pressure applied? Or, as Chris suggested, that the grain is different there, and because of that, the way you're doing the stroke winds up being more against the grain then elsewhere on your face? Dunno. It is especially odd that, whatever it is, it didn't crop up for a number of months, rather then having always been an issue.
Regards,
Gordon

enlightenment · Post by **enlightenment** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:14 am

yeah i think it has something to do with the change in direction. Going over the curve of the jawline is very difficult. maybe i'm having trouble with the transition.

Any suggestions for technique for the transition?

rustyblade · Post by **rustyblade** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:19 am

enlightenment wrote:yeah i think it has something to do with the change in direction. Going over the curve of the jawline is very difficult. maybe i'm having trouble with the transition.

Any suggestions for technique for the transition?

Lower the angle of the feather (so you are cutting more, scraping less), and I still stand by my suggestion of making a really thick lather. It protects the skin more from the blade.

dasein_geist · Post by **dasein_geist** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:44 am

Vincent,

As one who also shaves with the Feather AC; from personal experience, I might suggest, along with all of the excellent suggestions so far, you experiment with stretching the skin in various directions in the area. I have found that, because of the sharpness of the Feather Blades, and the relative shape of the Feather AC, stretching is a critical exercise with the AC. I find different stretching techniques allows me to maintain proper blade angle, even on those "tricky" curved areas of my face (essentially, I avoid shaving on the curves, as much as possible, by moving the skin to a flatter area of my face).

Give it a try, and let us know how it works for you,

enlightenment · Post by **enlightenment** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:53 am

Thanks for all of the advice.

I think i'm just having trouble working the feather around my jawline and am somehow nicking myself over there. I think i'm going to just use my Vision in those area's but use the feather for the rest of my face until the ingrowns subdue. Then once the area is healthy again i'll reintroduce the feather.

I'll update this thread with any progress as it occurs.

Crag · Post by **Crag** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:01 am

rustyblade wrote:
enlightenment wrote:yeah i think it has something to do with the change in direction. Going over the curve of the jawline is very difficult. maybe i'm having trouble with the transition.

Any suggestions for technique for the transition?

What worked for me was to use a small bit of preshave oil on my cheek and jawline. The oil lubricates the surface and makes the beard swell a bit for a cleaner cut. Give that a whirl and see what happens...

Also mapping your growth on those areas will help to know which way is WTG, Across TG, or Against TG.

Send me a PM if you need a preshave oil sample...I bought WAY more than I could ever use, and would be glad to send a sample to you...A lil dab'll do ya!

SMF

Getting ingrowns on jawline

Getting ingrowns on jawline

Have you tried alum?