Ready to give up shaving (razor bumps)

[blue73]

Hi everyone.  I love the shaved head look, but I just can't seem to win with it.  I've been shaving my head for over 3 months, and the razor bump/ingrown hair problem just will not go away.  I'm particularly frustrated tonight, as after shaving, my head was absolutely covered in red bumps, moreso than ever before.  I've tried multiple shaving gels, razors, aftershave treatments, exfoliants, acne medications, the works...  Nothing helps it one bit.

As much as I hate the MPB look, I'm thinking of just giving up at this point.  Before I do, here is my routine... Maybe there's somebody out there who can help me.

Wash my head with shampoo
Exfoliate with St. Ives Apricot Scrub + brush
Apply Neutrogena sensitive skin shaving gel
Let gel sit for 5 minutes while I'm showering
Shave head with double blade razor with the grain only(I've tried a single blade, but it did just as poorly)
Use short, even strokes
Rinse head with cold water for 30 seconds when done
Apply Tend Skin to head(after shaving and before bed)

My head looks hideous right now.  I'm going to have to wear a ballcap where ever I go the next few days.  This is so frustrating.  I was just beginning to get comfortable with the bald look, but the bumps just won't go away.  For the record, I am caucasian, but I have coarse, wavy hair, which is probably why I have such a problem with this.

Would electric razors help?  Any recommendations?  Thank you for any help you can give.

[omegapd]

I think an electric would help. I've tried a foil type electric and the rotary type with circular blades. The rotary worked better for my head with less irritation than the foil type. Again, though, it depends on the person- some folks say that electrics can cause more irritation- for me, that wasn't the case. Maybe try out a Conair CleanHead? It seems to get good reviews here. I hadn't tried one- just stuck with your typical "face shaving" electric razors.

 One reason for razor bumps is putting too much pressure on the blade. How hard are you pushing down when shaving?

[blue73]

Hey, thanks for responding.

I've been trying to keep the pressure as light as possible, going out of my way not to press down. 

I'm probably going to try an electric eventually, but it's hard to settle on one.  I do understand that it can cause irritation comparable to razors with some people.

Reading through this forum, the remedies I've found are exfoliating, witch hazel, benzoyl peroxide, hydrocortizone, salicylic acid, and a couple of others.  Nothing seems to work.  I've tried Tend Skin(which many people seem to swear by), applying it twice a day for the last couple of weeks, and it hasn't helped at all.

I think I'm going to find a beautician to see what she thinks, and to see if she can help me with a couple of these ingrowns that aren't going away-- I've read that some of them know how to lance these things out.  There's one on the very crown of my head that's been there for weeks, and the bump is starting to get bigger.  It's really worrying me.  I would go to a doctor, but from what I've read on here it seems most guys don't get much help from them, other than a prescription that doesn't work.

[pdxtodd]

I know that everyone's skin is different but I was using headslick and then decided to try Bald Guyz gel and had the same problem that you're talking about with the gel.  For me it was simply a matter of switching away from a gel and back to headslick.   Everyone's skin reacts differently to things -- I would try other products before throwing in the towel.

[parksie]

I agree with pdxtodd try using a bottle of headslick. Also with leaving the gel on for 5 minutes like you are now it could be breaking down and causing drag on the razor.

[texanron]

I had the same issues with red bumps all over the back of my head. They were so bad that I would wear a hat wherever I could. Fortunately for me though I finally found a routine that has kept them from coming back. I do the following in the shower with the water as hot as I can stand , I scrub my face and head with St. Ives Apricot Scrub then lather up with HeadSlick using a lathering brush. Shave with light pressure using a HeadBlade razor. I change the blades after every 7 uses. Old razor blades can cause irritation. I then rinse with the water as cold as I can stand. Apply Bald Guyz Moisture Gel after drying. It took about a 10 days but I haven't any problems with the red bumps since. It has been about 3 1/2 weeks since I started this routine.

Good luck Bro! 

[MikeM]

I have sensitive acne-prone skin with a tendency for ingrown hairs, and I'll share what has worked for me.

I now shave against the grain, every other day. I lather my face and head, and shave my face first, allowing the cream to soften the hair on my head. I can live with being sly one day and stubble boy the next, if it means no red bumps. I use a razor no more than twice.

Don't use anything abrasive. Ever. Apricot bits are the worst. I've tried many anti-bump products and found them all too irritating. HeadSlick has never worked for me.

I shave with gobs and gobs of Trader Joe's Honey and Mango shaving cream. The scent is fairly sweet and fruity and obnoxious, but it doesn't linger. I wash with the Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser. Wash after shaving.

Other than sunscreen, that's it. For me, the fewer products, the better. It could easily take two weeks of this minimal product combo to allow the red bumps to heal and go away. If you have a seriously ingrown hair, professional help might be your best bet.

I do have a Conair Head razor (electric) on order, and I'll report my results back once I've given it a try. I've tried a regular rotary on my head years ago and the results were poor -- took a very long time, wasn't very close, and irritated my neckline badly.

[andrew]

Sometimes less is more ...   You're using a lot of products and perhaps you're having a reaction with one of them.

[blue73]

Parksie: Didn't realize that was a possibility.  I do need to give the gel time to soften the hairs though, right?

Texanron: I've been using a fresh razor every time I shave, so I don't think it's a dull blade.  I've been using the St. Ives stuff, and I guess I might try Headslick now, since it works for you and pdxtodd.

MikeM: I don't dare shave against the grain... I'm having so many problems with ingrowns now, I can't imagine how bad it would be if I did that.  Sounds like it works for you, but I'm afraid to try...  Hopefully that electric will be one you can recommend.

Andrew: Yes, I think it's possible I'm using too many different products.  Right now, I'm just using the exfoliant, shaving gel, and Tend Skin, but I have used several other products in the past.

I guess I'll keep trying... maybe it's the shaving gel I'm using.  Thanks for all the help!

[SBG Math Guy]

When I use bald guyz shave gel or headslick I DO NOT give time to soften the hairs.  I believe those two products were designed so that you shave right away.  I have tried
waiting a few minutes but doesn't work with those.  So, put on some headslick and start shaving right away. 

[Magoo]

Make sure you use a good razor , try a few diffrent ones.

Instead off short strokes use long even ones & don't go over the same  area too many times. Go with the grain .

Try not using the head scrubs they can irritate your scalp.

Try using witch hazel  after shaving it is good for irritations.

Leave out the shampooing . Just wet your head real good.

[warhawk]

hey blue:  the sly brothers have given ya some gr8 info.  here's another one.  i don't use this product but i have been told that it's a gr8 product for fighting razor bumps.  good luck.

http://www.bumppatrol.com/

WARHAWK

[hipstersaint]

it may also be an allergic reaction...  you may want to try going 'fragrance free' with yr products

[jr1979]

I had some success switching to a Schick Quattro razor. Don't stay smooth as long but much less irritation which I guess is due to the little wires on the blades which stop them getting too close?

[GB506]

I realize this is an old post, but I have some info that I hope will help the OP.

I had the same problem described by blue73: red bumps on my scalp that looked like razor bumps, but would not go away for significant periods of time. My bumps would not come to a head like a zit, but if you messed with them, they wouldn't heal for several weeks, or longer.

It was a tragedy and I was getting pissed off because I tried everything under the sun to get rid of those things, including most of the tactics offered up by others above.

I let my hair grow out and then shaved it again and BOOM, huge number of red bumps/sores - enough that I finally went to the doctor. My doctor referred me to a dermatologist, who made a diagnosis of rosacea of the scalp and put me on oral antibiotics along with (wildly expensive) topical creams like metronidazole and azelaic acid.

These did not work. Again I let my hair grow out to hide the bumps. But then I ran across a bunch of posts on the net from rosacea sufferers who had figured out that their rosacea might not be rosacea at all, but inflammation caused by - wait for it - demodex mites.

Furthermore, a recent study conducted also points to demodex mites causing rosacea symptoms, including the red bumps we experience.

Demodex mite infestation is common in humans, and almost all humans will have demodex mites colonizing their hair follicles by the time they die. The mites are tiny - too small for the naked eye to see. They burrow down into the hair follicle and only come out to mate. Gross, I know.

Anyway, I took matters into my own hands and began combatting the mites instead of some incurable disease (rosacea) that nobody seems to understand how it is contracted. And guess what? It worked. My head is clearer now than ever, and I finally feel good about my dome!

How did I get rid of them? Well, here's the sketchy part. Your doctor will not want to go down the demodex road becuase they just don't know how to deal with it. But veterinarians have been dealing with this forever - demodex mites are similar to the mites that cause mange in dogs and other animals.

First thing to do is start treating the mites. I use permethrin on my head, face and shoulders about 20 minutes before I get in the shower. You'll need to do this daily for at least a week due to the life cycles of the mites.

After you have a day or two under your belt, throw out your pillows, use the permethrin to treat anything and everything you can't replace. Make sure you get your mattress, and once you're sure you got it, bag it in a mite-resistant mattress bag. Of course, wash your sheets and everything else.

Permethrin is indicated as safe for humans and most other mammals, but NOT cats! For some reason cats croak when they get into permethrin before it dries. Aquatic animals will croak, too.

Anyway, I'd been dealing with this bull crap for many years before I finally connected the dots and started killing the mites. Now my head is clear and I'm pretty sure it will remain that way.

Let me close by warning that I am not a doctor. If you follow my path, you do so at your own risk!