Trying to get a better shave...

[Learning2Live]

Hey everyone! This is my first post here but I have lurked for quite a while.

Anyway I started shaving my head around a month ago. Had been planning on doing it for a while (MPB) and had been clipping it shorter and shorter for around a year and then finally shaved it all off! I must say I quite like the look but I am finding a few things that annoy me.

First off is the reason I am actually posting. The last couple of days my head has been itching like crazy! As I said I have been shaving it for about a month and have not really experienced much itching, maybe just a little bit from razor burn. But my head itches pretty much all over but mostly the back and sides. Yesterday I woke up at 4am with my head itching like crazy, after washing my head and moisturising it the itching stopped. Now about 30hrs latter my head is itching again, not quite as bad this time though.

I do get quite a bit of razor burn, which is the other thing I wanted to ask about. But I wouldn't think it responsible for the itching as I have had no more razor burn the last few days then the rest of the month shaving. Anyone experienced anything similar?

Now about the razor burn. I get razor burn most severely in 3 places. First is the back of the neck, kind of in the 'pitted' area where the skull joins to the neck. The other two are on the left and right sides of my head respectively. Around the ear area. I also have trouble getting the sides smooth, even if I go against the grain it doesn't get smooth 

Now you probably want to know my prep:
1) Have a shower, use St Ives scrub on my head
2) Wrap a hot towel around my head while I make some lather. I make my own lather with a brush, I use a DE razor on my face as my mach3 was giving me problems if I shaved more then a couple of times a week.
3) Apply lather to head
4) Take one pass against the grain up top with mach3, this pretty much takes care of up top. I do a little bit of touch up to get anything I missed.
5) I go one pass across the grain on the sides going around to the back of my head
6) Re-lather and go against and across the grain (not quite as harsh as straight against the grain) on the back and sides
7) Cold water rinse with shower. (I give my head and face a good 30 seconds under cold water).
Apply aftershave
9) A bit later (5 or so min) apply moisturiser
10) Be blinded by the brilliant shine of my dome!
[In between 6 and 7 I shave my face]

I have tried going only with the grain, but then it takes off such little hair that I might as well not shave. Also when I do side and particularly the back the razor doesn't travel nearly as smooth as up top. It really feels like it is struggling to cut the hair and that is with a new blade. I have been thinking of changing razors after all the mach3 played havoc with my face. I would like to use a DE for my head too, but haven't got the skills to attempts that.

Basically I was hoping that a few of you might have experienced some similar things and might be able to offer some advice     

[shdouble]

Maybe try more moisturiser. As for the razor burn I have been using shave secret oil with headslick or bald guyz shave gel and I havent had any razor burn.

[parksie]

Give the headblade sport a shot! It's a great razor there is a learning curve to it but once you get used to the results are excellent. You might want to consider trying a different approach with the shaving soap... Pick up a bottle of headslick or baldguys shave gel they work excellent! 

[BaldMark]

How often are you changing your blade??

[The Scottish Ambassador]

Quote - "Now about 30hrs latter my head is itching again, not quite as bad this time though."

I am thinkin that 30 hours may be too long between moisturising. Shaving strips away the natural moisture. You said that you woke up with your head itching. Also remember that your natural oils will dry into your pillows making your head drier also. You do not say what kind of climate you live in. Cold weather also badly affects the moisture levels in the skin.

Dont laugh guys, but when my head has been really dry, I have put lots of moisturiser on and went to bed wearing a beanie hat. The heat helps the moisturiser to soak right in to the skin.

Anyway, I hope all this helps dude 

[Learning2Live]

Thanks for the replies everyone. First off I will try using more moisturiser and will shower morning and night. I have been showering in the morning then shaving. I think I will also shower at night and apply some more moisturiser as I just did so this night and the itching is completely gone, for now.

I am an Aussie and more specifically a Victorian, that means I often get different extremes of weather not too far apart. Less then a week ago it was less then 20 degrees with rain and a lot of wind. Today it was almost 40 degrees so quite hot. The only thing I can think that has been different as my head has been a bit more exposed to the sun the last week then it normally would be, it doesn't look sunburnt but my immediate thoughts were sunburn as I itch like crazy when I get burnt. So perhaps that is all it is. I generally wear a beanie when it is cold 

I usually change the mach3 blade at least once a week. I usually only shave 5 days a week though and break for the weekend. I am still worried the mach3 is causing me problems as it did on my face. So I may end up trying another blade on my head. Anyone else had problems with the mach3 and had more luck with other blades?

I might try some other lubricating products too, but I don't know where to find this stuff in Australia. I do know where to get headlube though so might try that first. I have also considered the headblade but it seems it can be a little difficult and I thought I would at least try to find a blade that does a good job before I got one.

 

[Sly Red]

You might also look into an over-the-counter product called Scalpicin, for itchy scalp.

Red

[skinhead002]

You may be pressing too hard with your razor also' That causes razorburn also.