I did a search on this, but most of the discussions hinged on women shaving or shaving of the legs or arms. I'd like to know if anyone here can shave a part of their body that has KP and not break out in redness. This should help to resolve the issue for future forum goers, I hope!

In my own life I have KP on my arms, face (rubra faceii) and upper back. My ears are also often red without aggravation, and are easily made red when they're calm. It's always noticeable on my arms, and if I rub anything against my arms, they become a very splotchy, unsightly red. However, my face behaves itself unless I workout a lot, encounter temperature severities, or shave.

Does anyone else have KP that is almost negligible but can flare up severely? It's a bit mystifying. My face can be almost normal, but after I shave it gets to be about a 7 out of 10 (10 being the reddest) for 30-60 minutes. I would expect it to flare up less, since it's usually relatively well behaved.

Shaving is probably flaring it up, but what are you using when you shave. It may be something in the soap, cream or lotion that is irritating your skin as well. Aveeno has a shaving cream for men. I don't know if there is added fragrance to it, but you may want to try it and see if it aggravates your face. Also, what do you shave your face with? I've heard that regular razors irritate the skin and that some men find electric razors much more forgiving as well as better.

Shaving is definitely flaring it up for me; it's not a question. I use an electric shaver, and have tried two different brands and models. There isn't an appreciable difference between either of the electric shavers, or electric shaving and shaving with a normal blade. There also isn't a noticeable difference if I wash my face first (with or without soup). Using water or shaving cream as a lubricant both give similar results if I'm using a traditional razor.

One thing that does impact irritation, in my experience, is the pressure applied, as well as the times an individual area is gone over. Obviously, the harder I press and the more times I go over a KP area, the more aggravated it gets. However, as mentioned, other factors generally seem to have a minimal impact.

Really, though, I wasn't directing the thread at myself. I was wondering if anyone can shave (face or elsewhere) and not flare up their KP.

As much as I hate and avoid shaving, I think my KP is actually best right after I shave my legs. It doesn't help for the bumps that have turned into whiteheads, but it smooths out the rest of my skin.

Hey! Shaving usually causes bumps for me too. I started using the Aloe Vera Venus Shaving Gel for sensitive skin and it helps alot!

wow, i was just thinking about this topic before i signed on...weird.

anyways, i too need help with shaving. it really makes my lips and chin area kinda of flared up. But if i let my beard grow out, it gets really white flakey. so its the smoothest but its also flared and redish.

I really hate that and am wondering if this is lifelong... :-(

will there ever be a cure?

only shave following showering so the pores are all open, shave only in a 90 degree angle from the hair and never shave upwards or repeat a spot. following shaving with gel i also then make sure to rinse off my face with cold water as it supposedly cures much of the initial irritation of shaving and then put on a benign aftershave for sensitive skin. i do not get flare-ups following shaving anymore. if i do not shave soon enough i do get flare-ups. must have to do with hair regrowth without the removal of the dead skin cells or something along those lines.

hey to sad but true:
I have kp on my arms and a mild case on my thighs, and when I shave my legs, my legs brake out really bad, and I get this red rash that burns if anything touchs my legs. But now when I shave I use an intuition razor, and that has like this lotion type soap around the razor, and all you have to do is get that wet with some warm water, and then shave, and my legs don't brake out. In fact I think it kinda helps my kp on my legs. Maybe you should try using a regular razor, instead of an electric one, and just put some cream on your face, and shave then, and then after dry your face and put some lotion or just alittle bit of baby oil on your face. Try not to put some lotion that has a lot of alcohol in it, because that has a tendency to dry out our type of skin and irritate it. And sometimes make the kp worse, by making it more noticeable! I hope that helps!

same here ... my face is all red for the next 12 hours after shaving . Might even last for 24 hours ...

I do shave upwards however, perhaps that's why . problem is if i shave downwards the hair is not removed entirely. Any suggestion ?

I don't know because I don't shave my face because I'm a girl, but when I do shave my legs I do go up, but you're right about going down! If I don't go down then all of the hair isn't removed, so I just go upwards, but I use the razor that is suppose to be good for sensitive skin. I know you're a guy and all, but it sounds like you have a sensitive face, so I would recommend you using a girl razor!!! You don't have to, but usually girl razors are a little bit more gentle than guy razors!!! If you do try the girl razor, use intuition plus, it's a great razor, and you can get it from walmart or any store like that!! And get the refillable razors, they just snap right onto the old razor holder thing!!! It has like this moisture stuff around the razor and it's great, it really does leave my legs feeling really smooth, and I'm sure it will leave your face really smooth!!!! But you have to be careful because the razor is really sharp, i've cut myself several times on accident!!!!!! I hope that helps!!!

I appreciate your suggestion ashlee125. I'll check about that intuition plus razor and see if it can be used on the face.

Oh, no prob!!! Glad to help!!! Tell me if you use it and if it works!!!!