First-time waxing... erm... down there

[ElleDubloo]

I have an appointment tomorrow for a wax. Never had one before. Been doing some reading about it beforehand and decided I'd like a normal bikini wax, but when I mentioned it to my husband, he revealed that he'd quite like me to have it all off (i.e. I believe it's called Hollywood or Brazilian?)

Is it going to hurt awfully to have it all removed in one go? How should I prepare? Should I shave/trim beforehand? (I'm completely au naturale at the moment)

Quite embarrassed to be asking, but thanks in advance

[KristinaM]

The bit I don't understand is -if waxing and bleaching is so much more hygienic and improves your sex life so much -why aren't both partners doing it ? If you've been to all the trouble to be " hygienic " , don't you want the same level of hygiene from your male partner ?

Is it a big thing with lesbians ? Are they " grossed out " by adult female genitals too ? Or is being " hygienic " only something that men expect of women ?

I'm struggling to get my head around these explanations given ( that's it's all about hygiene and great sex and nothing to do with porn )

[ElleDubloo]

I think it's to do with porn, to be honest. My OH was celibate before we got married (as was I) but he did watch porn in the past. So how else would he even know that he prefers it bare?

After seeing the state of me though, he sees the error of his ways, and he won't let me wax again. So we're drawing a line under this unfortunate episode, as far as I'm concerned.

[KristinaM]

It's been very instructive , thank you very much for being willing to share it with us

I hope you have a happy and healthy pregnancy

[lucidlady]

OP you poor thing. Late pregnancy is uncomfortable enough without this sort of palaver to deal with. If it's any consolation you have put this 38.5 week pregnant lady off getting anything waxed. I'll just stick to my ladyshave trimmer thing. Hope you feel better soon.

[SinglePringle]

I don't do it for hygiene reasons - I shower every day, sometimes twice and am as clean with hair as without. I do it because I like the look / feel.

[ElleDubloo]

Thank you both :) I'm glad this has been an interesting thread and I'm glad to have learnt something myself! I've been using gentle facial cleansers and exfoliants 3 times a day, trying to keep it clean, and this morning it feels a lot better. Going to go to the high street later to get some Dermol cream, and hopefully it'll settle before my appointment on Tuesday and won't require antibiotics.

[FrankSpencer]

Each to a person's own. I won't ever pooh pooh a women's choice of anything including her choice of hair removal.

[LadyFairfaxSake]

Blue,
I've seen an American bleaching product, it's called, I shit you not, "My Pink Wink"...

[Hakluyt]

Jesus- it's true!

[Hakluyt]

"I won't ever pooh pooh a women's choice of anything including her choice of hair removal." A choice
Isn't a good choice just because a
woman makes it......

[LaLaLeni]

Much as every man I've been with has angled for me to have it all off, I had one Brazilian just once, and after leaving with such bad bruising I could barely sit down and clearly just snapped off hairs that grew back within a week, I will categorically never have it done again. I also find that lying on one's back with your knees drawn up is the perfect position for allowing those 'bodily noises' to slip out.

I am very hairy so I trim and occasionally shave, but it gets really really annoying getting infected follicles so I'm doing it much less now. I do remember noticing my mum had visible hair in a swimming costume as a child, so I shave enough not to have that look, but personally I'd rather not have to shave anything.

[FrankSpencer]

Okey dokey.

[FlossieTreadlight]

Crying with laughter at My Pink Wink

[treaclesoda]

That link to Amazon USA has some frightening products. As well as the anal bleach there is vaginal bleach, for unsightly fanjos. How thoroughly depressing . Is there no end to the way that women are encouraged to feel that their bodies are 'wrong'?

[PurpleWithRed]

I remove hair from my eyebrows, upper lip, chin, armpits and legs as a matter of course. I also dye out my grey hair and wear makeup. I do all these things to conform to social norms: if I don't do them I am in danger of being judged as an outsider, unattractive, unhygienic by those who know me as well as by strangers.

Personally I think this is far more of an issue than my extremely personal and private choice over how my pubes look. I've got some control over that.

[Kablooger]

every man?

REALLY?

[pinkflaming0]

No man I've ever been with has angled for me to 'have it all off' but I imagine it depends on the demographic of the 'men' in question. If I were to take a lover in his 20's I expect I might find he was repelled by my greying pubic hair.

I've never tried it (only had a bikini wax) but think that between the sore and possibly spotty stage and the regrowth stage there must be quite a small window when hairless perfection is experienced. I know the regrowth would be softer than shaving though. Shaving it off seems even more pointless - shorter window of hairlessness followed by stubble.

Each to their own but the pressures this 'fashion' puts on young women and girls to be hairless is in my opinion deeply unhealthy.

[maybemyrtle]

ygritte yes, quite normal ime!

OP don't panic, it'll calm down of it's own accord. Hair has been ripped out of the follicle, of course the skin is a bit upset. I'd be genuinely shocked if you needed antibiotics. Stop popping them though.

FWIW, I know you're pg but ime where I have threading/waxing done in my cycle affects how well or badly my skin reacts. Last time I had threading done a week before I came on and it was a sight for weeks. First half of cycle only from now on.

[Albadross]

The men were all in their 20s, apart from OH now who is just 30.