Shaving and sensitive skin problems

[Mrs Moc]

I have really sensitive skin and anytine I shave I come out in red itchy painnful lumps, both on my legs and underams and other areas :confused: .

I was wondering has anyone else had this problem and is there anything that can be done?

I have tried waxing but then I get lots of ingrown hairs and the process is so painful anyway.

I have also tried sensitive shaving gels with no luck. It doesnt seem to matter if I use a new razor blade each time either.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

[Cutterby]

I have really sensitive skin and anytine I shave I come out in red itchy painnful lumps, both on my legs and underams and other areas :confused: .

I was wondering has anyone else had this problem and is there anything that can be done?

I have tried waxing but then I get lots of ingrown hairs and the process is so painful anyway.

I have also tried sensitive shaving gels with no luck. It doesnt seem to matter if I use a new razor blade each time either.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.


Hi Mrs Moc - I sometimes get the lumps on my legs too - what I do is when I first get in the shower, wash my legs first and apply conditioner - any hair conditioner, cheaper the better in true money saving style ;).. Leave it to 'soak' in while I do my other stuff then shave - doesn't stop the irritation completely but does reduce it a fair amount. HTH x

[Mrs Moc]

Thanks will be trying this, should have known to try cheap stuff, after spending a fortune on expensive shaving lotions :rolleyes: .

When I asked about this at beauty clinic they sold me a bottle of acne lotion at £27 :eek: , promised this would dry out the rashes within hours.


Needless to say it was money literally down the drain :mad: .

I have been searching for an answer to this for about 19 years.

I wondered was there a special razor or cream maybe that would mean I wouldn't get the rashes, but will be trying the conditioner as anything to even ease it would be great.

[Cutterby]

You're welcome - hope it helps. I've tried loads of stuff too - bizarrely my boyfriend's Nivea for men sensitive shaving gel helps- not the foam cos that irritates me too, yet women's shaving gel does nothing! I had a huge clear out in my bathroom over the weekend, found some of the Johnson's shower and shave stuff - don't know if they still make it cos it was at the bottom of all the hundreds of bottles of lotions and potions :rolleyes: - used it last night and I only got the tiniest irritation :T

[La-Cara]

tea tree oil is good for red lumpy skin caused by shaving, helps it calm down a bit, it doesn't sting either and is one of the few essential oils that can be used neat (so I'm told anyway, but I've never had a reaction to it)

[Savvy_Sue]

You're probably not going to believe this, but there are at least 3 books on Amazon all about shaving.

What is even more fantastic is that not long ago, I saw Sharp Practice: the Real Man's Guide to Shaving (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sharp-Practice-Real-Guide-Shaving/dp/0593057309/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235353729&sr=1-2) in a charity shop and bought it for DS2, who wants a cut-throat razor. :confused:

I read it before I posted it to him. Although it was primarily aimed at men, the advice must hold true for us as well.

You are possibly shaving against the direction of growth. You would think you'd get a closer shave by going against the grain, but you get the irritation instead.

That's all I can really remember. I'd order it from the library rather than attempting to buy it.

[Mrs Moc]

The book sounds good, I had no idea there was books on shaving :rotfl:

Must admit I always shave against the growth, I will try it in the other direction, see if that helps.

I shaved under my arms last night because i really had to, and already I have sore red itchy lumps which are killing me with itchiness. I cant itch but because it will break the skin.

[oystercatcher]

I shave with cheap razors and use moisturising body wash instead of soap , nothing fancy just 'cheap and chereful' dove or something which the children buy me as presents sometimes! This seems to give me far less irritation.
I didn't know that thing about shaving against the grain, will try next time !

OC