issue with bumps on lower neck

Andrew, I have a good friend who used to suffer from this same issue. Let me consult with him for some tips and I'll post here ASAP. He has almost completely solved his bump problem so he must be doing something right.

I also want to mention that it will take some trial and error to figure out what works for you. Make sure there's a method to the madness. Only change one thing at a time and give the change a full 10 to 14 days before deciding whether it was positive or not. Then move on to the next change and do the same. It took me about 3 months to see real improvement. By 6 months in I had nearly eliminated the problem. Now that I'm a year in, I'm only getting one or two bumps a week and they're usually gone within a couple of days.

Andrew, I have a good friend who used to suffer from this same issue. Let me consult with him for some tips and I'll post here ASAP. He has almost completely solved his bump problem so he must be doing something right.

great!

I also want to mention that it will take some trial and error to figure out what works for you.  Make sure there's a method to the madness.  Only change one thing at a time and give the change a full 10 to 14 days before deciding whether it was positive or not.  Then move on to the next change and do the same.  It took me about 3 months to see real improvement.  By 6 months in I had nearly eliminated the problem.  Now that I'm a year in, I'm only getting one or two bumps a week and they're usually gone within a couple of days.

indeed. I'll stick with my synthetic brush and LPV for a while to see what comes out of it..the only likely changes will be the razor.

I have the same issue and have been trying to figure things out as well, thanks andrewjs18 for posting this, and thanks everyone else for the tips provided so far

You've got tons of great advise already. I would add that for the first pass try to go strictly WTG as much as you can. If your hair grows in 4 different direction then you go in those 4 different directions.
I have swirl patter and I basically go in a circle in outwards motion. Big difference IME.

thanks for the replies so far...keep the ideas rolling in!

Andrew, have you ever tried shaving, every day, just incorporating a gentle one-pass shave, especially, in that area?
I have very similar hair to yours and I find limiting the passes on my neck with my favourite shaver and a good blade works well.

Good luck.

no, and I doubt I'd stick with it.  what I am going to try to do is shave a few times a week though!

Well, good luck to you, then.
I still think my suggestion might alleviate this problem, but you do what is best for you.

thanks for the replies so far...keep the ideas rolling in!

Andrew, have you ever tried shaving, every day, just incorporating a gentle one-pass shave, especially, in that area?
I have very similar hair to yours and I find limiting the passes on my neck with my favourite shaver and a good blade works well.

Good luck.

no, and I doubt I'd stick with it.  what I am going to try to do is shave a few times a week though!

Well, good luck to you, then.
I still think my suggestion might alleviate this problem, but you do what is best for you.  

possibly, although I just don't see myself doing it.

So I had the chance to chat with my friend who suffers from severe shave bump issues. Since updating his routine from cartridges, he has been slowly improving his skin and shave quality. Here is a summary and analysis of his suggestions, not in any particular order of importance:

1. Try using a slant. He started with a DE razor which offered marginal improvement over the cartridge razors. Switching to a slant (the ATT S1) offered him advantages which he believes reduced his bumps because of the cutting effectiveness.

2. Shave more often. He started shaving weekly and then every few days, but each time the bumps would attack his face with a vengeance. Now he shaves daily (after slowly getting his skin accustomed to more frequent shaving) with a two pass shave, which toughened his skin and lessens the opportunity for bumps to develop.

3. Use a good scrub. Apparently using a gentle facial scrub at night after a shave (or every other shave) loosens the hairs, sweeps away dead skin, and ultimately prevents ingrown hairs that lead to bumps.

4. Avoid products with excessive alcohol. From
his research, he claims that this is common knowledge. Still, it makes sense that heavy alcohol products (like aftershave splashes) would dry the skin and lead to ingrown hairs. Switching to balms made a big difference to him.

5. His best luck in terms of software tends to be with high end creams such as Acqua di Parma and Santa Maria Novella. Neither of us understand why, but his bumps simply don't seem to develop in any noticeable way when he uses those specific products along with their matching aftershave balms. With soap, his best luck (in the context of preventing bumps) has been with the new B&M Glissant base. Fortunately for him these creams and soaps are his favorite products, but I guess we have a chicken and egg problem there lol.

6. While lathering, take your time with your neck area. The most important technique aspect with preventing ingrown hairs and enhancing the quality of your shave seems to start in the lathering phase. Really work your neck area with the brush to ensure that the hair is standing up on end instead of laying flat.

7. Consider adding witch hazel to your routine before a balm. He uses Thayer's unscented/alcohol-free which seems to work in providing astringent healing properties, thereby clearing debris, closing pores, and reducing the formation of bumps.

8. Maintain good skincare practices, including using a daily cleanser and moisturizing in the morning and evening. With your moisturizing routine, make sure to apply to a slightly damp face (as Hobbyist just taught me) - this makes a huge difference in the effectiveness of the product. Moisturizing at night in particular is important to lessen the overnight formation of bumps. Night time is great for applying stronger moisturizing products that might be too heavy/shiny for daily use. Ideally, you should wake up with your face still moisturized and ready for the shave.

9. Use sharper blades. Blades that are too mild seem to cut his beard in a ragged fashion, which often leads to ingrowns. He likes using Feathers in his ATT S1, and tosses them after a couple of shaves.

10. Do not shave with ANY pressure. I know this is elementary, but occassionally we all slip up. Shaving with pressure leads the blade imperceptibly under the skin, which is a terrible recipe for shave bumps. Don't do it. In order to ensure that you can shave effectively with no pressure, it's important to use a razor/blade combo that is effecient enough.

11. Remember that one might not be able to completely solve this issue. For him it's partly genetic. He will always suffer from shave bumps, so the above tips are mostly aimed at reducing or eliminating the problem temporarily. Deviating from good practices ensures that his neck is again taken over by the bumps. It's important to keep a routine.

Hopefully these help! As with any routine change, be sure and implement these one at a time and over a period of time. It's best to use identical products with only one change in technique/product in order to see its effect on the bump issue.

great advice, NeoXerxes...I really need to see if I can get an ATT slant.

I shaved earlier tonight...the only variables I changed were my razor (went from a schick injector type L to a gem flying wing) and the fact that I showered before shaving...the shave was pretty rough for me and not as close as I'm used to, even with doing 1 pass as I normally do.

I guess I'll stick with it a few more times and try to shave within a day or two to see how it goes!