Hey Gareth, I have the same issue as you and in the same area, but i have a larger adams apple which makes it abit worse for me. I have been doing a few things over the last 2 weeks to help mine. I have noticed that if i just wash my face with hot water then while shaving use cool to warm water, i get a better shave. I try to use almost a neutral temp for the water. Not hot, not cold, almost what you could call "just right". I use that temp for rinse between passes, and after shave rinse then a cold water rinse. It has helped me alot! I use to get many red bumps but now, i get only about 5-8. Another thing, try shaving in the morning after breakfast or coffee. Wait atleast 30 mins after you wake(so ive heard). I shaved once in the morning and had ZERO bumps or ingrowns after. Why? I have no idea but now, i will probably only shave in the morning.
You can try my methods or you can just pass. I just hope you find something like I am beginning too!
The last piece of the puzzle.....
I had found this to be an issue over the years as well -- i.e irritation and wearing ties. I cracked the code for me a couple of years back when I figured out that less than no pressure at all on the neck is what works for me. I know, that sounds kind of impossible --- but that's the best way I can describe it. Coupled with a slightly less aggressive blade angle ... and a stroke which is ever so slow and cautious has sorted out what was an on-going problem which I thought was all up to hubris -- which, I suppose it really was, in the end. ymmv.dosco wrote:I usually get similar irritation in this part of my neck when wearing a tie.
No tie = no irritation.
Also I've noticed that the irritation tends to go away the more I wear a tie but lately I wear a tie maybe once every other week. ...
Gents, since this thread has been 'resurrected', I might as well provide an update.
Thanks to the advice and help from a barber at Trumper, I have pretty much solved this problem that I was having on my neck. During a wetshave earlier in the year, the barber noticed as soon as I was in the chair that I had some irritation issues with the lower part of my neck. We talked in great detail about my regime, most of which he said was perfectly fine. After examining my beard growth pattern, he advised that I should change the direction I shave in to one which was ever so slightly across the grain and apply significantly less pressure. He said that although I was shaving in the direction of growth, the natural contours of my neck made it very difficult to maintain the correct angle. By changing the direction, it would be made a lot easier and cause less stress on the skin.
The barber began the shave with hot towels etc and proceeded to shave my face. Once he got to the trouble zone on my neck, he stopped and very slowly shaved me whilst explaining everything he was doing. Although his advice was quite straight forward, it wasn't until someone else was doing it that I realised quite how wrong I had been getting things. A few days later, any ingrown hairs/irritation had completely cleared up, and I've had hardly any since.
This particular barber went above and beyond his duty to offer me useful advice that has certainly changed my shaves for the better. Their experience and knowledge is seriously impressive, and I am very grateful indeed for his help.
Gareth
Thanks to the advice and help from a barber at Trumper, I have pretty much solved this problem that I was having on my neck. During a wetshave earlier in the year, the barber noticed as soon as I was in the chair that I had some irritation issues with the lower part of my neck. We talked in great detail about my regime, most of which he said was perfectly fine. After examining my beard growth pattern, he advised that I should change the direction I shave in to one which was ever so slightly across the grain and apply significantly less pressure. He said that although I was shaving in the direction of growth, the natural contours of my neck made it very difficult to maintain the correct angle. By changing the direction, it would be made a lot easier and cause less stress on the skin.
The barber began the shave with hot towels etc and proceeded to shave my face. Once he got to the trouble zone on my neck, he stopped and very slowly shaved me whilst explaining everything he was doing. Although his advice was quite straight forward, it wasn't until someone else was doing it that I realised quite how wrong I had been getting things. A few days later, any ingrown hairs/irritation had completely cleared up, and I've had hardly any since.
This particular barber went above and beyond his duty to offer me useful advice that has certainly changed my shaves for the better. Their experience and knowledge is seriously impressive, and I am very grateful indeed for his help.
Gareth