Strange Backwards Devolution With The Neck

[jww]

I have had this weird devolution with my neck after years of no issues whatsoever. The past few times I have shaved, have resulted in bumps and ingrowns on the neck area near my collar line. The weird thing is that the ingrowns and bumps don't show up until a day or two after the shave. It's the strangest thing. I have changed anything -- technique is the same, and the setup is unchanged - my blue-tipped superspeed with Derby extra blades and MWF or DR Harris Lavendar soap. The blades are from a box which I purchased over a year ago - and have had no issues with previously. This only just started a couple of weeks ago and it's really weird.

Any thoughts?

_________________
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?

[gil3591]

let's hope it's not a reaction to lanolin!

_________________
Gil
futur/EJ357/ gillette redtip
iridium ,blue IP
thater, shavemac.anchorset/tgn,sr3226
dirty bird
and a prayer

[jww]

[gsgo]

It might not be the shaving.

Could the irritation be coming from a shirt collar? I like my dress shirts quite loose in the neck as I am prone to irritation if it is the least bit snug regardless of how I shave.

I find Thayers Medicated Superhazel works well to calm down any redness on my neck, a bit of talc around the neck is also good to keep it dry and smooth.

_________________
Good shaving,

Gary

[jww]

Gary -- I hadn't actually though of that -- but it is entirely possible. While I don't wear my dress shirts tight around the neck, they aren't loose by any means either. In fact, now that I think about it, Tuesday night, I had a great shave, and was fine all day Wednesday - having worn a suit, dress shirt and tie all day - but then got casual with a a mock-t neck sweater with a button henley-style opening at the neck. I left the sweater open, and the collar ends could well have been irritating my skin. In fact, I rarely recall if it's been an issue when I go open-collar at work or around town. Certainly something to think about.

I have used Thayers Aloe with Lemon witch hazel over the past year, and it doesn't seem to do anything with this particular issue. A concern I have with talc is that I don't want any strong scents following me around, and the Gold Bond talc which I use elsewhere on my body can have a lingering medicinal odour sometimes.

_________________
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?

[vegaskid74]

[jww]

So -- here is an interesting observation. I switched to my black-handled adjustable on the weekend. I loaded up a brand new Derby Extra blade, and all seemed to go very well. I shaved on Saturday evening (which I do to save some time on Sunday morning before we leave for Church) and no ingrowns, red marks, nada. It is kinda weird -- as I had been using the blue-tipped SS exclusively for at least a year. But since I think I have found a temporary solution, I will soldier on now. Next time this comes up, I'll just change my razor and see whether it's just some hubris which has set in which is dispelled by moving to a new razor and being more attentive to technique.

_________________
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?

[lawcash1]

Wendell,

Although I have nothing to suggest, I just wanted to say that, as someone who has read the posts here on SMF for several years now, it is always heartening to find that I am not alone in experiencing these small challenges that flout my perceived experience. I hate these episodes of minor irritation when they happen, but they do happen from time to time.
Constant Vigilence!

Mason

[jww]

One certainly must always be aware of the risks of hubris.

_________________
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?

[Squire]

We're just getting old Wendell, wait till you start tearing up the office looking for your reading glasses only to be told they are on your face.

_________________
Regards,
Squire

[jww]

Well -- that hasn't happened to me yet, but is has twice to my wife.

_________________
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?

[Bobwhite]

Wendell, do you think some prankster may have swapped out the MWF for some lye soap?

Somebody would earn a one way ticket to hell to do that to the Evangelist!

[Squire]

Umm, not Hell I would think, certainly Purgatory.

_________________
Regards,
Squire

[jww]

Well put, gents. D>

_________________
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?

[brothers]

[mikeny278]

A devolution happened on the neck for me too recently, and after I read this post. I had been using my Merkur HD open comb for quite awhile, and all of a sudden I think I got careless one morning and there were 3 or 4 spots on my neck that got irritated. I was on only the third or fourth use of the blade too, so would not consider myself really pushing it with the blade. I could tell I was getting too comfortable/fast with my open comb and it finally got the best of me.

This event prompted me to switch back to my Merkur Classic and all is well. I wore a shirt and tie and got sweatty last night in a hot Church, and just one minor bump to show for it - I consider it a success!

Makes me think that to keep me honest with my technique it will be good to switch razors around...at least to keep things interesting!

_________________
Mike

[Jonnieboy61]

Wendell

You said that you don't wear your shirts to tight, but your wife hasn't changed your clothes washing powder/liquid recently. This has affected me in the past and in particular around the neck area.

Just a thought...

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John

[scruffy]

I have found Derby blades too be very inconsistent. One blade will be bad out of the box; the next will last 4 shaves; the next just barely 2 shaves, etc. You might want to try a different blade and see what happens.

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Ed