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So I'd like to eliminate the razor burn and ingrown hairs from forming from shaving. Currently, I've been shaving in the shower with typical shaving cream after washing. I do this about once a week and I also have sensitive skin.

Has anyone else experienced razor burn and/or ingrown hairs from shaving their body? Do you have any recommendations to help eliminate or reduce these from happening?

Thanks ahead of time for your advice!
Jason.

Have you considered a depilatory cream or powder?

I've never tried it anywhere but my neck, but I use a product called "Tend Skin" that is amazing at preventing ingrowns. Burns like a mother. Smells awful. Works great. Get it at your local barber or at Sephora ... not that I've ever shopped there or anything....

You could always do like the gurls and get that waxed up.

Get a Manual razor with battery power so that vibrates like a barber's clippers (i.e. Mach 3 Power razor by Gillete)

You could try "Veet" as well.

Go go search search, and just look at waxing as another step that will bring you closer to gay brotherhood lmao

shave with the grain at first. use a moisturising exfoliator about a day or so after, to prevent the ingrowns. make sure to be using a nice sharp razor. if you can stomach the burrrrrrrrrn put some aftershave on straight after. all these things help a lil. you just need to perfect your technique.

My experience is same as Fable's--use a new blade and shave with the grain...I use shaving oil instead of cream when I shave my face and it helps my skin a lot--but I have never tried it anywhere else.

COJock1974 saidI've never tried it anywhere but my neck, but I use a product called "Tend Skin" that is amazing at preventing ingrowns. Burns like a mother. Smells awful. Works great. Get it at your local barber or at Sephora ... not that I've ever shopped there or anything....

LOL yeah, umm...sephora...never heard of the place.Thanks for making me smile COJock...

Fable saidshave with the grain at first. use a moisturising exfoliator about a day or so after, to prevent the ingrowns. make sure to be using a nice sharp razor. if you can stomach the burrrrrrrrrn put some aftershave on straight after. all these things help a lil. you just need to perfect your technique.

Aftershave? With all that alcohol? You crazzzeeeeyyy. A non-greasy post-shave lotion would probably be better.

I've had no luck whatsoever avoiding ingrowns on my body, but I hate the body hair I do have. So, as a compromise I trim my hair on one of the lowest settings. It's not the perfect solution, but it's better than the hair.

or just let it grow.

some of us are really into that.

WOOF!

I'd offer my grooming services.

the Norelco Body Groomer solved a lot of those problems for me.

I use an organic hair removal cream, but my boyfriend uses Nair and it works great for him (and cheaper).

I went through a phase where I wanted to look like a 10 year old boy all the time. So I tried keeping everything shaved.. and learned a lot.

People told me my skin would adjust.. it did NOT! O__O

4 minute Nair is the fucking devil in a bottle.

One thing I've never been clear on, is the whole "if you shave it, it just grows back darker, and fuller." I've heard that a lot, but I'm really not sure if it's just a wives tale, or if that's the way it really works.

If none of the suggestions you got here seem to help, then I'd just give up. I keep all my body hair trimmed pretty close. It's a nice middle ground.

KentuckyTuss said One thing I've never been clear on, is the whole "if you shave it, it just grows back darker, and fuller." I've heard that a lot, but I'm really not sure if it's just a wives tale, or if that's the way it really works.

It's not that it really grows back in darker and fuller. It looks darker and fuller because shaving and trimming severs the hair and cuts off the taper a natural, uncut hair has. Waxing or using a depilatory removes the hair and causes a new one to grow in, with the natural taper.

ok, this may freak some people out. but I shave with dry skin and a dry razor.

I gently run the blade of the razor at a right angle to the hair growth and just lightly scrape it across my skin.

it wont work of there's any moisture. I do my legs, arms and chest/abs this way. I don't do my nuts/pubes this way...the hair is too coarse and the skin too sensitive.

I dont get any cuts or ingrown hairs doing it this way. I'm not sure why.

When I shave my face I make sure to exfoiliate first since it really gets rid of dead skin and really opens up the pores so you can get that deep down shave.

Once that is done, I shave in the direction that my hair is growing and then after that I shave against the grain to get that baby smooth feeling. Once done shaving I wash my face with luke/warm or slightly cold water to help close the pores and wash any excess cream and cut hairs off and then I use an aftershave lotion that is alcohol free with a moisturizuer.

For the rest of my body I use Nair (except the genitals) I use Nair. Nair has recently come out with a cream you can use in the shower. i nair muself like every few months and use a lotion to inhibit the growth of hairs.I haven't tried it myself yet but I hear good things. Make sure before using the product (like any ohter) to read carefully and to do a test patch. I haven't shaved my body in like 3 months now and my chest/stomach has become slighly hairy and it hides my tattoo. You could always by an epilator or just get laser surgury. They came out with a nice take home laser surgury kit for $1000 id you feel like spending that much.

Maybe I'll put a pic up.

Men, thanks for all your replies and suggestions!

I will have to look into this some more. ;)

I nair my entire body. I still get the occassional ingrown hairs and razor bumps but I use either rubbing alcohol or Tend Skin. When I shave my head, I jump in hte steam room for a bit than I shave my head than jump in the steam room again. Seems to work.

COJock1974 saidor just let it grow.
some of us are really into that.
WOOF!

And I think this is why so many people are ready and willing to shave from neck to toe lol

I had my chest and abs lasered and I highly recommend it. It's been 4 years since my last treatment I have a little bit of regrowth, but nothing like I had before, and nothing that a few strokes of the razor doesn't fix. It is expensive, but the prices are coming down and I hear radio ads for specials all the time.
Otherwise I like the body groom for other body parts. I would agree with those who say to exfoliate before you shave. This helps to loosen any hairs that might be trying to embed in your skin and also raises the other hairs for a closer shave.
I've tried nair and it eats my skin before it removes the hair. If you try it on your legs, trust me, don't let it get on your scrote

I'd recommend the laser removal as well. I've done a few different things; shaving, waxing, I tried Nair once, but it smelled like burning and it actually made my chest bleed a little (hence my never using it again). While the Waxing did work the best and last the longest until this point, the place where I got my waxing done started to offer the laser, with a half off deal, so I decided to try it for my back. I used to be pretty hairy (not Robin Williams level, but up there) but just 2 treatments later I have pretty much no hair there anymore. I still have 8 treatments remaining so I'm probably going to use the remainder on my chest.

The success really depends on your skin type and the contrast between your hair and your skin. (This is one area where my pasty whiteness was a good thing haha) so I'd recommend starting the treatments in the winter, as you're not supposed to have a tan before each session. It's a bit expensive upfront, but when you do the calculations on how much you spend on creams, lotions, razors, etc... the price works out to pretty much the same, and it's good to not have to worry about body stubble or ingrown hairs.

Wax Strips and the pain is Orgasmic!

I live with a professional skin thearapist. I can't spell esthitician.
Get thru this season with shaving. I would sugest using something called post shave. It helps keep your pores from clogging.
Once the shirtless season is over go find an estitican and get waxed. A good one won't burn you. But after a fall and winter of getting waxed every month you will be good to go by next season

are we gonna get pics (before and after) swimmer? its only fair since we're all giving you free advice...

sure. as soon as you post your face pics.

tendskin.com

i actually went through the ludicrous and painful process of an hour long waxing of chest and legs once, put a wetsuit on two days later to surf, vaselined up my body to prevent chafing, and got ingrowns all over.
tendskin weakens the skin around the ingrown to allow it up through the skin with no other side effects. Secondly I learned that exfoliation before and after is key as well...with one of those little pink sruffy things for 99cents at walmart...

After all that...its hairy buddy..trimmed, but hairy.

SAHEM62896 saidthe Norelco Body Groomer solved a lot of those problems for me.

*slams fist down on desk *

I KNEW IT!

You are a hairy bastard in hiding!

I got my back waxed so I could be a testimonial for an acquaintance and her services. It lasted long, but she said it was difficult because of the amount of moles on my body. She said I should get those removed and that would make waxing easier.

Ugh, great, more to feel self-conscious.

I did shave my body but didn't like the smooth look. It looked too fake to me.

LOL! Um, thanks Zoxuss. I don't have any shirtless pics because I'm being modest and shy.

I found myself getting razor burn when I use cheap disposables or old blades. Also, if I try to shave when my body hair is too long, my skin gets irritated. I usually like to trim first then shave.

The marketing company I work for is actually doing a cool promotion for the new Schick Titanium Trimmer. If you sign up at http://www.trimflixx.com/, Schick will send you a free razor/trimmer. You can create a funny video in the process. The trimmer may help with the razor burn. Give it a try and let me know if it works.

swimmer8 saidLOL! Um, thanks Zoxuss. I don't have any shirtless pics because I'm being modest and shy.

I was referring to Adam.

I also find I have no filter on my thoughts. I didn't mean to get graphic.

I have used Nair for Men all over my body, including pubs, sack, crack, legs, arms, chest, nipples etc. I followed directions and left it on all over for seven minutes: no burn, no soreness, no ingrowns, no pain whatsoever, however, my nipples stood up firm & I mean firm for a week afterwards.
I tested out a patch as directed and got no negative reaction. So I forged forward. I am not at all a very hair person, just an average amount of hair, but wanted to get the experience for myself. I must have just been lucky because subsequent treatments have all been unremarkable for problems. I guess my skin is different than many men who might be more hair than I.
I definitely recommend that people follow the directions to the letter as I did and do a patch test first. Best of luck to you wooly bears and hairy guys out there -- I still find you attractive, hairy or not, so don't do it for "anyone else" just do it for YOURSELF. Then you can make a decision as to whether or not the time, energy, investment or unattractive features of being less hairy are really worth it to YOU!