Redness/Rash in moustache area after shaving

I have had the same problem you describe. Every time I take a shower, I use head and shoulders dandruff shampoo to wash my face with. If you use the extra strength it works better. This has helped a great deal, I sometimes go for a couple of weeks without it coming back. I let my beard grow for a week or so, washing it with the dandruff shampoo during my shower, and when I shaved it was gone. It came back a couple of weeks later, maybe because I thought it wasn't going to come back and I quit using the shampoo. I have had the best luck using dandruff shampoo. I most likely don't matter which brand you use.

I, too, have noticed this same thing. I thought that coffee was my problem. I've had red patches on my face, very dry and flaky scalp, dry itchy patches in my eyebrows, and really rough sandpaper-elbows. All of it went away recently after I stopped drinking coffee, but I also went to Haiti for a week. I've been back now for 5 weeks and the red patches on my face came back after I shaved this morning. And, I've noticed the flaky scalp coming back and in my eyebrows. Dang it! Is it really lack of sunlight?

I can tell you that it's certainly not from smoking. I smoked for ten years (16 yrs - 25 yrs) but haven't smoked in 8 years. I started getting these dry patches about 4 years ago on and off. I am leaning towards a lack of exposure to the sun. I know that I don't have this problem in the summers. But, I work inside a windowless office and in the winters, I don't see the sun until the weekends. I used to think that sweating is what cleared up my skin somehow, but now I think that it's definitely the sun.

I have posted a few times when using Daktarin cream. Well I gave up as it never worked.

In the end I followed the advice of another poster:

 

 

""Guest with a solution                                                                                                     

             Hey everyone. I have found a solution to this problem:Clotrimazole cream.Me: 36 year old male, shaves regularly 3 times a week for years then this mysterious 'condition' wildly appears... I started with this skin condition a couple of months ago; my moustache area got red and flaky, especially so after shaving, which lasted a few days. Anyway, you all know what it's like. Horrible, Like a Ribena-tache but not in the middle. Weird.Anyway, the internet (bless it's soul) directed me to the above-mentioned stuff.It worked for me in 3 days.It cost £2.50. (UK) Just walked in to a random pharmacy on the way home from work and asked for a cream with that big word in it. No probs. The ingredient in my cream is called: Clotrimazole BP 1% w/w. (Also contains blah blah normal stuff, no probs)Maker is: Numark.There it is. It works like a charm for me, i put it on once every couple of days or so and the problem hasn't come back at all. All that annoyance and worry for the sake of a bit of knowledge and a couple of quid.For what it's worth, I tried the Selsun shampoo (stinks by the way). it worked on my head, since shaving my head I noticed a similar intermittent rash, that's gone. So the shampoo worked there but not on the face.OK, that's my lot.  I hope this post helps someone.""

 

Well, it works and very fast. All cleared up in a couple of days and it hasn't come back. I use it just after a shave.

If you're are in the UK, Boots the chemist do their own make too.

Thanks for all the input here.  I've been struggling with this issue for a month now.  29 year old male here.  Very embarrassing to say the least.

Fortunately, here are the things you need to do to clear it right up:

1. Buy a natural chapstick. I'm using Burt's Bees now.

2. Do a clean shave of the area.  Too hard to try to clear up with stubble or a mustache in the way.

3. Vaseline the dry areas regularly.  The more the better.

4. Spend a day or two putting on Clotrimazole Cream to get rid of any fungal things that may be going on.  I bought it for cheap at a local drug store (over the counter).

5. Finish with Cortizone-10.  Apply several times a day.

6. Don't lick your lips.  Since I work out hard several times a week, I think this is how mine started (dryness) - along with irritation from shaving.

My redness and irritation is down 90% is only 3 days.  I'll update as needed.  Hope this helps you!

 

Hey guys.  I had a similar issue/symptoms: a reddish rash, almost seeming like bumps and a small amount of flakiness.  It's strange because it's only on my upper lip, but after reading lots of posts, I found that for me it seems to be dandruff related.  Someone else posted how they use Selson Blue (anti-dandruff shampoo) on their upper lip and that their symptoms improved, so I did the same using Head and Shoulders and my symptoms got much better.  I still think it helps to shave frequently and possibly get some sun, but really, the anti-dandruff shampoo has made a world of difference.  I have also suffered from dandruff in the past but never would have guessed it could affect the mustache area.

I hope this helps others, and if you've never had dandruff, it may be something else such as exzema or sensitive skin.  If there's flakiness, I would surely try the anti-dandruff solution, as it's really cheap to try.  It may take a couple days, but it's very easy to apply while in shower.  Thanks to those who helped me solve this issue, and good luck to everyone else!  p.s. My dermatologist was unable to help with this issue, so these posts were a life-saver.

Hi.  The same thing happens to me only after I haven't shaved for several days...has happened tonight...big ugly red blotches; fortunately, they go away after several days but I put on Polysporin andti-bacteria as well as that white prescribed cream.

But there is smething you can do if you can get over "it's only a girl thing".  I've been told by cosmeticians that many men wear make-up..and believe me no one knows you have it on.  I ask best friends and they would never have known.  Buy Rimmel liquid foundation as it isn't very expensive but a good product; get the right shade for your skin type, then dab spots all over face and rub it all in with your hands.  It masks the redness.  After that put on the Rimmel Bronzer powder with a brush then rub it all in with your hands; again get advice from cosmetician.  It gives your face a healthy glow almost tan like.  I use a number 200 foundation liquid and a number 027 powdered bronzer.  Believe me it will hide all red blotches as well as other unsightly things..."only your cosmetician knows for sure" :o).

Try it ..let me know how it worked.

Just mentioning what works for me... Tanning bed and moisturizer!

*Note* I do not condone using a tanning bed.

I have experienced this issue since high school and have seen dermatologists since then. From acceptance, I have learned to live with this issue throughout the winter months mostly. Personally, I noticed that going to the tanning bed rids my condition. It is a reptitive cycle for me to start tanning during later winter/early spring months and the redness usually goes away within 2-3 weeks. Along with the use of a moisturizer during my tanning for 3-4 months, I do not see any signs of red-rash on my mustache area. For the past 6 years or so, my routine has been to tan about February-May. My face will be clear up until October/November (a month or two after school/work starts back and starts to get cold) depending on how active I am outside. So basically, I just use moisturizers and grow "scruff" for Nov/Dec/Jan until I start back up my regiment. 

In the long run, this process is probably more harmful to my body. Simply, I had a bad high school experience with unsuccessful attempts of ointments/creams prescribed by dermatologists. By chance, when I started working out/tanning the results aforementioned came about. This "quick fix" is not something I am promoting. It's just something that worked for me.

Best of luck to everyone!

I came across an all natural product, that has many, if not most, of the properties of healing. I have used it on ringworm, when I went camping for a few weeks with lack of water to shower, but a lot of rain and moist, cold nights trying to get some sleep.

The product I used was Grapfruit Seed Extract, or GSE.

It is good for dandruff, as an antifungal, and many other, including mixing with water to help stomach problems.

If you go online, you can find many things this all natural product can help with.

Right now, I am trying it, as many have you with the above problem of rash in moustach area, to see if it works as well as every other place I have tried it.

Here is one link that talks about this product:

On a side note, the bottle said it expired in 2012, but it has not lost, in my opinion, its helpfulness or ability.

I wouldn't put it straught on your sore. A mixture of olive oil and it is what I;d recommend for those first using it. It will sting, for a very long time.

No steroids or 'side effects'...Just thought others here might be interested.

 ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** web addresses not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use

PROBLEM: rashes on face that are worse when dry or havent shaved for a couple days, locations are outsides of mustache, chin, cheekbone by nose, insides of eyebrows and just above hairline on forehead. also, clear plasma type liquid from ears, that i beleive drys and flakes off, or maybe it is actually skin flaking off from inside ears.

DIET: non-smoker, non-drinker, non-drug user, no carbonated soda, no vitamin supplaments, lots of coffee w/sugar, eat 2 times per day 75% subway footlong ham, 25% fast food unhealthy.

RAZOR: tripple edge using soap instead of shaving cream.

HEALTH HISTORY:

not allergic to anything but have seasonal allergies (hayfever)

4yrs old- exposed to TB (teburculosis or however its spelled) the test shot given just under your forearm skin yeilds a red area for a week after injection, the area is not raised or rash-like.  doctors claim this is normal for someone exposed but not actually diagnosed.

8yrs old-current-warts started under foot, burned or frozen but just causes them to move within a year of removal, currently one on my finger.

10yo-19yo-acne started before anyone in my class and pretty bad in jr high and high school.

13-20yo- blister/rash on foot.  5-10 little bubbles full of a thick clear fluid grouped together to be about the size of a dime.  popping (non-painful) or just letting it dry out would then let the dryed skin just flake off. would occur after a couple days of not washing feet.

21yo-current- cold sores. first few were every few years, currently about 2 per year.

24yo rash similar to razor burn on neck. had for about 4 months about the size of 2 quarters and itchy.  got it just after returning home from iraq. prior to or during deployment was exposed to anthrax shot, small pox shot, half a dozen others, daily maleria pills, daily exposure to DEET for about a month.

28-30 same as foot blister/rash but now on hand. was on the computer alot for school and would form where my mouse hand would drag over mousepads or desks. without the moisture of shoes, these would go straight to skin cracking and flaking off, with occational clear filled blisters same as prior foot issue. hand lotion helped.

31 new type rash on hand lasted 6 months. wearing wet mechanic gloves all day (wet from water in tire dunk tank). rash didnt go away till i quit that job and hasnt come back. a little painful, skin red, dry and peeling off, neosporin helped it go away. 

31 face rash. started 6 weeks after i stopped shaving daily and  hand rash went away. 

HEREDITARY?: i just learned my cousin has the same thing going on so...possibly.

CURRENT ROUTINE:  i use selsum blue on hair and face, scrubbing with fingernail brush (lightly on face because it hurts). shave with soap. apply any type of moistureizer to my trouble spots(curently using regular hand lotion). my rashes seem to be gone when i do this daily but as a truck driver, sometimes i go 2-4 days. i go ahead and pick up the routine where i left off (minus the shaving) and then add in the shaving after 3-4 days and once shaved, very minor visible rashes.  this is what i call keeping it under control, I want it GONE not just under control.

it took me several hours to read all the posts so far, i will try everything listed (minus doctor visits) and will update this when/if i find something that makes it go away.  to me this means that i would be able to stop scrubbing my face and head with a fingernail brush and go several days without shaving, then shave it off without dark rashes. 

sorry for the long post, please comment if any part of this is helpful, irrelevant or similar to your situation.

I too suffer from this and am very interested to hear some solid results from more than one or two people. The last poster sounds like he will be trying to regiment and let us know, hopefully!

Funny, you mentioned smoking. It didn't start until I quit smoking 3 months ago

I know it's an old topic but as people have said, it's the only one online that seems to accurately describe our problem.

I usually shave once a week and sometimes leave it longer, the redness under the stubble/moustache area goes but I noticed the skin is dry and flakey. Obviously I've got thick, long stubble after the week or more so when I shave, first with a trimmer, then an electric razor, it's shaved off the flakes but it's glowing red. As others have said this is a small patch just one side of the moustache area. It's annoying as I have a date coming up soon and I'm in my early 30's so won't get a chance of stealing a kiss from her if I'm all either looking like a herpes carrier (I know they're coldsores and not like this) and also if I've got more than a days stubble, it's like razor wire, so no kissy either!

I'm going to try using a cut throat razor/straight razor as they can take off any length of stubble and also if you hone the blade with a leather strop, only one stroke of the blade is needed so much less irritation, then a load of cremes and stuff, see what happens.

Something I'm a bit dubious about mentioning was that I do regularly perform oral sex on women (who I'm in a relationship with, not sleeping around just have had two in a short period of time) and it wouldn't matter if they're on periods or any given moment so may not be bath fresh.. Ahem, but wondered if this was a factor you guys could also relate to?

Did you ever find a solution? I have like the same exact thing. Was given Hydrocortisone Valerate - it doesn't work.

Hey... I am 26 and have had this problem for a long time. It was hard to deal with seeing as I perform on stage and have personality to protect. But after a few years of embarrassment I finally found a doctor who directed me to SELSUN GOLD (medically proven treatment)... I apply it to my whole face where I'd be shaving and let it dry for about 10-15 minutes... The hardest part about this is I wash it off in the shower and very carefully with a sensitive 5 blade razor shave in the shower. Instead of using shaving cream I use Head and Shoulders Conditioner. So for 2 years I have been doing this and not once have I got the gross red rash of flakey skin... Everybody is different but here's something if you can't bare it no more...