Help- how to shave!

[helpmeplease567]

Sorry to post such an embarrassing topic but really hoping for advice here. Not a troll (long time poster, MN can verify)

i need to shave (bikini and pubic area) but I ALWAYS end up with awful razor burn, like always🙃 I get horrible red spots and ingrown hair and it’s so uncomfortable. I get like one day of smoothness and then after that it’s stubbly, itchy and red and angry. I’ve tried sensitive razors and using shaving foam for sensitive skin but it made no difference at all. I also tried hair removal cream which didn’t help either, I think the hair was too thick and course and the hair removal cream was a huge waste of time.

does anyone have any advice or recommendations? TYSM in advance!

waxing
I'm the same with itching, redness etc so I get waxed

Get it waxed, it is the only method

So I to get this all the time. This is what I find helps reduce razor rash and ingrown hairs.

Trim hair short with bikini clippers/carefully with scissors. Then exfoliate with hot water.
Spread a thin layer of hair conditioner on the hair you want to shave, hold the razor (with a fresh new blade) under hot water to heat it up a bit. Then using short strokes start shaving. Rinsing the razor very frequently.
Exfoliate again after, and when you can see the hair starting to regrow.

Personally I've found using an IPL hair removal thing has thinned and slowed my growth down there, and stopped ingrown hairs, which I used.to get frequently.

You can get an inexpensive waxing pot online. Throw in a wax every month or two and it dramatically reduces the redness and doesn't have to cost a fortune

I’ve probably left it too late to book in for a wax but I’ve seen wax kits in the shops, do you think I could do it myself and be ok for my first attempt? Or realistically is it too difficult and I’m likely to mess it up without getting practice etc?

that doesn't result in itching and a rash, ask for hot wax, it isn't that sore. You'll be a bit red and looked like a plucked chicken for about 12 hours but afterwards it will be smooth

So long as you can pull it off you'll be fine I have the world's lowest pain threshold and have done my own bikini line

Pretty much everyone gets that shaving, it’s very sensitive skin to shave and the regrowth just gets that irritated. Moisturising well can reduce it a small bit.

Think I might give waxing a go. Should I cut the hair before waxing? I haven’t shaved in a while so it’s definitely not too short but not sure if being too long would be a problem and I should cut it first? I’ll try a small area first and go back to shaving if it doesn’t work. Does anyone have any favours waxing products that would be good for a first time? And should I do it before or after bathing? I was planning on having an bath and exfoliating like I usually do before shaving but wasn’t sure if waxing was different.

Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate.

Not just before shaving but after for the next few days. The skin can take a while to get accustomed but after a couple of weeks you should stop having problems.

I would definitely go to a salon for this if I was you. Most places will have appointments as it's a quick treatment.

Don't cut the hair, if they need too, they will.

No hot baths before or after. 12 hours , or you will overheat the skin.

Don't exfoliate either as the dead skin will be taken off with the wax. A few days after start exfoliating to reduce ingrown hairs.

If this is for a special occasion I wouldn't risk waxing for the first time. It can cause even worse ingrown hairs and irritation than shaving for some people

Alternatively, you could stop causing all
this irritation and damage to a sensitive area and simply keep the perfectly normal
hair that nature has put there for a reason!
Maybe a little trimming of the ends if it’s particularly wild and ragged, but I have never understood why young women do this nowadays, and suspect it’s a trend driven by online porn. In the 70s, no feminist would have dreamed of pandering to men like this.

FFS Friction Free Shaving.
Theyre the smoothest not irritating bleeds I’ve ever used.

If mine wasn’t shaved it would be several inches down my legs and poking out of shorts! Some women are hairier than others.

It’s nothing to do with pandering to men or online porn! It’s everything to do with my own personal preferences thanks. I compete in a sport anyway where I feel more comfortable if I don’t have any hair on show and I have a big competition coming up. And I also have vaginal psoriasis so try to keep the area hair free because when it flares up I can’t put anything on it if there’s hair in the way and I can’t shave or get rid of the hair during a flare up. So I make the most of my skin being good and try to keep up the shaving routine when it’s not flared up so that when it does it’s easier to manage. Not everything is about men!

I use to get bumps really bad, I got told mine was folliculitis. Ive managed to get rid of them, the best thing if you can do it is laser hair removal, I would really recommend the sk:n clinics. I’ll attach a before and after photo, that’s really helped, I would get ingrown hairs really badly. I found using Superdrug’s me+ saylic acid cleanser really helped. I did have to stop shaving till it cleared up. I do have to shave between laser and if I even use a razor once, I’ve got bumps the next day. I’ve switched to this and it’s honestly really good, best close shave for an electric razor https://www.johnlewis.com/philips-satinshave-brl176-00-electric-shaver-white/p109410262?s_ppc=2dx92700069417307707_mixed_technology_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CjwKCAjwgqejBhBAEiwAuWHioOCAeHpTkhDTRANBtqDB8ZAdzNqHrR_tm38pgtqVeE87c8tDXXvczBoC5-cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I’d say it’s more the laser than anything that’s helped. I’ve had 5 sessions so far, I still get hair but much finer and slower, I have 5 sessions left. I get a legs and Brazilian laser. They do high bikini, Brazilian, Hollywood etc. It feels like a rubber band being snapped on your skin but bikini area is over within 5-10 mins and legs I don’t find painful at all x

@Mimiandme that's fantastic results. I would have laser if my hairs weren't so blonde!

Ahhh yes you are right, I should say that it’s not suitable for everyone it does depend on your hair colour / skin tone. I am very pale with very dark hair which I think works well for laser. I stumbled across it as I have pcos so I started with lasering my face / jawline / neck and I had fantastic results so I ended up getting more done. It can be pricey but I know that chain of groups always have deals on, I’ve had a mix of 50% - 70% off. It’s been really good x