HELP!!! Please! Leg shaving nightmare!!

[greeneyedgirl]

Right, I have very sensitive skin and shaving my legs is a nightmare. I always moisturise before and after and take my time so that I don't get razor burn ect. However. I always get raised pores and ingrown hairs when regrowth starts which makes my legs very sore and itchy!

I have tried waxing and that was appalling...had zillions of ingrown hairs and it took ages for my legs to go back to "normal". I have tried some of the hair removal creams, but I seem to get a reaction, are there any specifically for sensitive skin do you know? Have been to the docs who gave me some steroid cream and just said "don't remove your hair"...yeah whatever!!

Any advice/tips gratefully received, am getting desperate now!

[beautifuldays]

nothing helpful to add i'm afraid, apart from the fact that you're not alone, i too have manky spotty ingrown hair legs lovely isn't it?

have you tried a body brush thing? that helps a bit i find.

[chrissnow]

Shave legs after you've been in a hot bath for a good while so your skin and hairs are nice and soft. Exfoliate skin before and after. Instead of using moisturiser afterwards (it sinks into pores and clogs them leaving you open to ingrown hairs) try using baby talc. I got this tip from a porn star in DH's FHM apparantly they use it on their lady gardens!!! It works too.

[Psychomum5]

I always use those washing gloves (you can get them in body shop), that you can use with soap/shower gel and get the same effect as using a body scrub. makes for lovely smooth skin, and then razors with non-nickle blades.

I always used to have horrid shaving rash on my legs, then I changed blade types (in fact I use the same razors as DH, non disposable ones), and use the gloves with vaseline intensive care body wash, shave, and then smother my legs in loads of moisturising cream.

nice smooth legs that are not rashy/red/itchy at all

[BITCAT]

Well docs can be soooo daft..i mean women need to remove hair..its 1 of those things..makes us feel a little sexier without it and lets face it a jungle on our legs isnt attractive!! Sounds awful dear, i have terrible dry skin and shaving aggravates it, makes my legs scaley, like a fish!! I started using, sensitive shaving gel, and changed my razor to venus!! I also do it in the bath and smother my legs with baby oil after shaving to put moisture back in to my skin!! I use removal cream on my top lip..i have very dark hair almost black..cannot use veet makes me red and very sore..i use nair..i am sure they do a sensitive range and i would ask your local chemist for advice also!! this must be soo frustrating for you..i hope someone can help you out!

[Ambi]

how often do you change the blade? do you use good shaving cream?
Admittedly, I don't change blades as often as I should, but when they get itchy like you described, usually means the blade is blunt. I use loads of different shaving creams, but the one I'm using now is really good, Boots own sensitive cream, it's very moisterising.
hth,

[expatinscotland]

get a body brush and use it before you shave.

dot tea tree oil on ingrowns as soon as they start and keep dabbing it on.

[greeneyedgirl]

I use a new blade each time. Will use body brush/exfoliating idea and the talc thing!!! Porn stars can't be wrong now can they?? Thanks MNetters, you are all soooo much more knowledgeable than idiot male docs!!

[LoveAndSqualor]

I had this for years and years - ever since I started shaving in fact - but now don't have it at all - not an ingrown hair in sight. The secret (divulged to me by my sister, who was told it by her doctor ) is to shave your legs every day.

Previously, I used to allow a bit of regrowth and would exfoliate and so forth, thinking this would be the best thing to allow the ingrowers to grow out, as it were; now I shave in the shower every morning, takes 30 secs, and honestly, it works. A modern-day miracle, in fact .

[meglet]

I have problems too. I gave up shaving in my teens as i used to end up with a blood bath, despite using a new razor for each leg. I have waxed for nearly 20 years now and do keep the ingrowing hair to a minimum if I religiously exfoliate and moisturise most days.