How can I shave without the feeling of tearing my face up?

I never did figure out how to fix that feeling, so I stopped shaving 6 months before I got out of the military. I had a Dr. note saying I was not allowed to shave that I had to carry around all the time.

I haven’t shaved more than twice a year in over 15 years.

Make sure the blade is sharp. A dull blade does pull and cut the skin and can allow infection into the follicle more easily. Is your face red? Any chance you are allergic to the shaving cream, or have an infection? If you put on the shave cream and don’t shave are you just as irritated? That would clue you in that it is not the blade but the product you are using.

A couple ideas to try

> Try shaving in the shower, no shaving cream needed, with the hot water right on your face before and after.
> There’s one patch on my throat that will get skinned every time if I try and go the wrong way on it. Have you tried mixing it up on the spots that are bleeding?
> I stopped using foaming shaving cream and that seemed to really help as well, my brother got me some of this and it’s expensive but works like a champ
> I don’t know if it’s possible for you, but giving your face a few days off every now and then helps it heal up
> As @JLeslie said, use a new blade whenever that first stroke is painful

Try using a single edged blade. Back before I quit shaving, I had better results with a single edged blade than multiple bladed razors.

I’ve tried everything, minus the whole changing from shaving cream thing. It’s not the cream though, because I dont use cream, I use an electric razor now. I used to use gillette products (shaving cream and Mach 3 razor), but they hurt and cut me.

@Moegitto And, you are changing the razor frequently? I mean when you used Gillette? Also, do you shave everyday? Or, are you letting a couple of days of hair growth before you shave? Sometimes shaving every day is better, because the longer stubble can be more difficult to shave. Unless you are already very irritated or have an infection, then you might need a break from shaving until the problem resolves.

Also, did the Mach 3 have some sort of moisturizing strip? Women’s razors have that, I don’t know if men’s do. I think I was once allergic to one type of those. I also think I like a double blade better than tripple. I have a triple blade and plan to go back to the double.

@JLeslie The Mach 3’s do have a moisturizing strips. I shave everyday EXCEPT the weekends. I changed my Gillette blades every week. I havent done it in a while, but I used to use the cheap (CHEAP) Bic double bladed razors, they work almost too good. No burning but INTENSE cutting.

@Moegitto Must be so frustrating. The only time I have tearing is when the follicles are infected, folliculitis, which has only happened to me twice in a small area on my leg (I am girl if you didn’t know). My husband however, gets it every couple of years or so, and it is just awful for him, because one it is his face, and two when he gets it he gets pretty badly. Mine is usually like I have goose bumps, but they are red, and the razors catches the skin. Is there any chance this could be the case for you? I had a teenager staying with me one summer and she was red and had bumps under her arms, and she complained about shaving. We told her how to fix it and it worked. She thought it was the shaving, but in actuallity it was more than that.

But, you have not mentioned anything like that, so I am guessing that is not the case.

Have you tried shaving in different directions? Maybe it has to do with the direction of your hair growth? I shave my bikini the direction of the growth, it does not shave as close, but it means I am less likelyotl get ingrown hairs or have irritation.

Are you young, and just started shaving? Or, an adult, and all of a sudden having more trouble?

@JLeslie Definitely an older gent, lol. starting to have more and more problems shaving these days.

I use Neutrogena shaving gel (for sensitive skin) and a Mach 3 Power. Trying to shave with soap or in a shower without it burns and occasionally caused worse problems, often involving blood loss. I also have similar issues if I use a non-power razor or don’t turn mine on (or rather, I let the battery die); the “Power” part makes a huge difference, and puts it miles ahead of my old, manual M3 which sometimes carved me like a pot roast.

Personally, I have always considered shaving cream to be useless for anything other than vandalism. Use gel!