Help!! Breaking out after shaving

[Ryano305]

Hey, I'm new to the forum as far as posting, but I have read many of the posts on this forum over the past week.  I have been shaving my head for around 3 years now.  I have not had a whole lot of issue, always get a little razor burn redness and a few white heads, but it has gotten way worse in the last 6 months.  I haven't changed anything in my routine, but now when I shave my head, the next morning I wake up with a lot of whiteheads on the sides and back of my head.  Even a few on top although I do not have much hair up there.  I'm talking like 20+ its crazy.  My head does not look smooth and has a bumpy look all around the sides and back.  I wanted to give you guys my routine, and see if you can help me find the issue or solutions for my routine.

I shave every other day in the shower

-First thing I do is use Headblade's Head Shed scrub preshave
-I then use Headblade's head slick to lather
-I shave with a Gillette Fusion Proglide razor against the grain, because I can't stand going with the grain, its just not smooth enough for me.  I shave with as little pressure as possible.  I have trade Headblade's razor but it did not work well for me.
-After I finish I wash my head with a Clean and Clear face wash that I also wash my face with.
-Then after I get out of the shower I use Headblade's Clear Head postshave treatment.
-Throughout the day I will use the Bald Guyz head wipes when my head gets oily.

I do have very oily skin, my head can get oily after wiping it with the Bald Guyz wipes an hour earlier.  I also sweat a lot due to my job as a police officer.  I wear a kevlar vest which can get pretty hot.  Do I need to move to shaving daily? Is shaving in the shower bad?  I don't know what I'm doing wrong to get the whiteheads the next morning, but to me its very unsightly and I would love to have a nice slick beautiful head.  I do not know if I need to add or take something away from my routine, but would love the advice.

[Sir Harry]

Welcome! Nice to have another policeman on board.  Your routine sounds good,but here's some suggestions:

1 Rub your head (and face if you shave that) with an ice cube. It helps to keep your pores from clogging up
2. Invest in some Witch Hazel as a good alternative to after shave.
3. Bump Patrol in a blue bottle usually clears up blackheads/bumps/whiteheads in three days at most.
4. Shave Secret shaving oil  sold at Wal-mart is good to mix with your shaving cream. All you need is five drops per shave.
Feel free to P.M. me if you have any more questions.

[Ryano305]

Would cold water work as well as the ice cube?  When are you using the ice cube, before or after the witch hazel?  The bump patrol is it just for clearing whiteheads up or does it also prevent?  Once I get this cleared up I definitely want to attempt to prevent it.  The head slick is pretty liquidy, will it work well with a shave oil?  And honestly I don't know what a shave oil is for being that I never used one.

[Sir Harry]

Cold water is good if that's what you prefer. I just like ice cubes better because they ease the sting of aftershave. Bump Patrol is good for clearing up and preventing breakouts. I use headslick too, but what I do is mix mine with five drops of shave secret in a shaving scuttle with a shaving brush. You can find the Shaving brush, bump patrol and shave secret all at Walmart. A beginner brush is about ten dollars, and the bump patrol and shave secret shaving oil is about four dollars each. FWIW, I shave with a Double edge safety razor and my shaves have gotten smooth with almost no breakouts. I usually rub the ice cube before the witch hazel and/or aftershave but you should be okay if you do it after.

[Ryano305]

I went and bought some T.N. Dickinson's witch hazel, I'm guessing I replace my head clear after shave with the witch hazel and try that for awhile to see if it clears up my issue.  I'm guessing the witch hazel will clean the pours, kill the bacteria and help close the pours up which should help my whitehead issue.

[greatnessinc]

The ice cube scrub with wash away any lotion or aftershave you put on.
Try using the HeadShed only twice a week and see if that helps. Also consider shaving only with the grain for a few days after the irritation clears up. You should postpone shaving until the irritation clears.

[K5mow]

Welcome to the forum. You could try using a good electric shaver to get the majority of your head shaved. After you have shaved with electric shaver then go on to your fusion. This has helped me tremendously with irritation. Just a thought.

Roger

[Ryano305]

Thanks guys, Im game for all your suggestions.  I'm willing to try different things until I get it right.   I know everyone is different and hope to find what works for me.

[Sir Harry]

One more thing to add: Try to change your pillowcases at least once a week. Or you can sleep with a skullcap on your head to keep the dirt from the pillowcase from getting inside your pores.

[K5mow]

One more thing to add: Try to change your pillowcases at least once a week. Or you can sleep with a skullcap on your head to keep the dirt from the pillowcase from getting inside your pores.

Great advice. Never thought of that.

[Goatee]

My advice would be not to put so much stuff (chemicals etc) on your head! I think you are soaking the skin with too much of these products and with your naturally oily skin it is making things bad.

I would do your normal shave but go with and against the grain and then swill with cold water. Then, only apply one thing to your head. Either Witch Hazel or Bump patrol etc and thats it. Nothing else until your next shave!

If you need to clean your head during the day just use water! 

[AgentBald]

Agree with Goatee and Sir Harry...  Less chemicals and cover head when sleeping.  Also, when I used to get irritations from shaving I'd lay a towell over my pillow for a few days.  It helped to clear up irritations while sleeping.