Has anyone managed to achieve the delicate balance between shaving off facial hair and keeping acne at bay? I feel like I can't use hair minimizing moisturizers because they'll make me break out, and anti-acne moisturizers just irritate the heck out of my freshly-shaved skin. I hate shaving over a breakout. It's a vicious cycle that I need out of! Anyone have any tips to offer?
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
"A woman may develop wrinkles and cellulite, lose her waistline, her bustline, her ability to bear a child, even her sense of humor, but none of that implies a loss of her sexuality, her femininity”
-Barbara Gordon
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Can u give more details on what kind of acne you have? How often do you shave? what shaving method and products u r currently using?
I use Cetaphil to shave- I was battling with the acne and shaving but my acne was tamed with medicated benzoyl- retin a and pills. Yes, it was bad- I was really stress...
The meds help me... Let us know.
__________________
"The hardest battle you're ever going to fight is the battle to be just you.”
LEO BUSCAGLIA
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Shaving every morning in the shower with Kiss My Face unscented shave cream for sensitive skin. I wait until the very end of my shower so my skin is adequately hydrated and moisturized. Using Neutrogena skin ID face wash, salicylic acid spot treatment, and benzoyl peroxide moisturizer. Not seeing results at all. I just figure the shaving is irritating my skin faster than the treatments can heal it. I've tried waxing, which just snapped the hairs off instead of pulling them out by the root. It grew back the next day. Can someone maybe offer a better waxing product? I tried facial hair remover (like Nair) but that stuff smelled terrible and irritated my delicate skin. Maybe a suggestion for a moisturizer that doesn't burn like benzoyl does, especially after shaving? How's Proactive working for acne while having to shave and actively irritate skin? Does that burn too?
There has to be a better way!
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
"A woman may develop wrinkles and cellulite, lose her waistline, her bustline, her ability to bear a child, even her sense of humor, but none of that implies a loss of her sexuality, her femininity”
-Barbara Gordon
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
"A woman may develop wrinkles and cellulite, lose her waistline, her bustline, her ability to bear a child, even her sense of humor, but none of that implies a loss of her sexuality, her femininity”
-Barbara Gordon
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Last edited by DeviousFink; 08-05-2009 at 03:43 AM.
Reason: double-post
Well I have never tried any of those products. But, can you check the derm office maybe he can put you on some oral medication and topical med. I have never wax the face because they are jsut too short. I have to shave everyday using a 3 blade razor, try to shave once a day If time and place permits, that way u can give your skin some rest moisturize the area daily. I also use ESTEE LAUDER serum at nigh to just try to keep it healthy. I do have few bumps but nothing like cyst type.Is that the kind you have?
I shave with Cetaphil to help with my skin and also works with the shaving. Use warm water on your skin a few times and run the razor under thw warm water and do no let the razor touch any bathrooom surface, as bacterias lay there. If so you may need other things other than topical.
Have you try tend skin? it might burn a little but is good for ingrown hairs.
This is the only information I can provide at the moment... sooorryyy.
Last edited by SUGA'RICAN; 08-07-2009 at 05:34 AM.
Thanks for the advice I did go to the derm once a while back, and they gave me some topical stuff, but that stuff burned like hell! I generally get lots of red spotting everywhere and a few small raised white zits (that get shaved off ><). I just need to figure something out that won't irritate my skin after shaving, and minimizes how much I irritate my skin while I'm shaving.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
"A woman may develop wrinkles and cellulite, lose her waistline, her bustline, her ability to bear a child, even her sense of humor, but none of that implies a loss of her sexuality, her femininity”
-Barbara Gordon
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I have the same problem. Dunno which is worse - acne or facial hair. To treat them topically, I wash with cleanser for sensitive skin (olay or neutrogena) and then shave only with a sensitive skin moisturizer that is oil-free (try olay). This will reduce redness and irritation that comes with shaving. Dont wash your face after shaving as it irritates skin. Then I apply clearasil because it is the only thing that works for me and finish with Olay oil-free moisturizer + SPF for sensitive skin. I repeat this routine at night without shaving. Because of my sensitive skin, proactiv actually made my acne worse by drying it out and causing more irritation.
When I have time before bed, I apply honey + green tea to reduce redness and irritation. Baking soda mask also helps. I read somewhere that aspirin mask helps with acne but it didn't work for me.
Other things you can try
Have you considered laser hair removal? I couldn't do this because of sensitive skin. It is also expensive. To reduce acne & hair you can also take some meds. or supplements internally. Some people on this forum had success (reducing facial hair) with saw palmetto and wild yam. There is a separate thread on that topic. Many people have responded well to birth control pills, spironolactone, or metformin for acne and hair. Other supplements are vit. b3 (I think?), cinnamon, chromium, and zinc (many people on on acne forums report moderate success with these supplements).
I've been taking zinc for the last week and it seems to be helping a lot. Money's an issue, so I can't do laser treatments. For the time being, things are going well though. I've also been taking saw palmetto and yam, and I'll keep ya posted on that. But the zinc I think is definitely making a huge difference.
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
"A woman may develop wrinkles and cellulite, lose her waistline, her bustline, her ability to bear a child, even her sense of humor, but none of that implies a loss of her sexuality, her femininity”
-Barbara Gordon
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Acne/Facial Hair... Delicate balance! 
