I know there have been other posts about this but I wanted to be sure I'm not overlooking anything because I am still annoyed by irritated skin when I am shaving. I can shave my face and arm pits with little to no irritation. The only area I have problems with is the region between my stomach and penis. It seems that I can only go "with the grain" or sideways when I shave to avoid the most irritation but it still leaves sharp hairs sticking up. I'm using a Gillette Fusion Pro-Glide (5 blades) and it works fine but doesn't give me the results I'm looking for. I can't go "against the grain" without it resulting in a scene fitting in a horror movie. I've looked over a few posts here regarding this subject and found many suggestions and I've tried a few including the Gillette Fusion Shave Gel but still I am not getting the good result I want. Am I doomed to have these sharp bristles? :dry: or is my only choice after this waxing (which I am not looking forward to if it is)
How about plucking? Or might that be to painful? XD, hmm it sounds like waxing may be your only solution to this problem since I think razors may always leave a bit of hair(not that I would know but I'm guessing).
OWWWWWW! :eek: Yea, waxing can sting, but it goes away after a second. That'd be like waxing every single hair individually. I don't know about you, but, uh, there's not an insignificant amount of hair in that region. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As far as getting it the area smooth, it sounds like you need to go to the next step and wax it. If you're prone to ingrown hair or razor burn there (which I assume is what you mean when by the horror movie), there really isn't going to be a way to get it smooth without shaving against the grain, and no good way to shave with the grain and not leave a little left. You could also try hair removal creams (very carefully), though chemicals in that area are hit and miss for both removing the hair and doing so without pain. Only other option is to try and avoid what's causing the iritation from shaving against the grain. I only shave down there about once a month since it's just too time consuming and that's the point where I start getting annoyed with the hair again. I just take my time in a hot shower, no gels or anything, and make sure to scrub the area with soap afterwards and each time the next couple days and don't usually get any iritation other than the day or two of bristle since I don't maintain it.
the more frequently you shave an area, the more accoustomed to shaving the skin becomes. I used to have huge problems with ingrone hair and razor bumps on my chest. I now have only minor issues with ingrown hairs. as long as you do it every few weeks, and be sure to mostiourize after you wash, shave, and wash the area again, you can help your skin get used to shaving, and in time, most people can limit any and all side effects.
Razors tend to do better than wax in therms of taking the hair away..if you are using a good razor tough. ------------------- @topic I'll give you the hints i know baseed on personal experiences...not that i am more experienced than you, i'll just tell you what i know. well..i am very careful with that "sensitive" area you mentioned (belly-bottom, near penis) What do is kindly "hold" my skin to keep it in a horizontal and slowly (but not very slowly) pass the razor by, against the grain, always. I've done it and got a little bit irritated (supportable pain ) but after a few times it is like your skin got "used" to shaving... ya, lol
How long is the hair before you go in with the razor? If it is longer than perhaps 3mm then I suggest trimming it down with an electric trimmer, then using the razor afterwards. Razors + long hair do not mix.
I'll give it a shot. I'd rather look for a solution that involves shaving before I look into waxing. I usually shave about once every week at least. But I always go with the grain.. not against so my skin is not necessarily used to it. I never let it grow too long so "catching" the hair isn't an issue for me.
By some freak of nature I basically have very little body hair, but I do shave my face. All I can say is you never go against the grain or you will get ingrown hairs. Wax and pluck and nair still give you ingrown hairs. The only real options is epilation or laser, or use a trimmer and dont trim that short. I'm totally getting certain hairs on my beard lasered because they always get ingrown when I shave.
You never need to against the grain. An trim the hair as short as possible before you shave it. It will get better over time.
I don't typically get ingrown hairs so that isn't a big issue. I'm just trying to find something that may work better than the others and having to shave once every couple of days is kinda annoying. No I haven't. I actually went to WalMart yesterday and looked at all of their products whether it was waxing strips or hair removal cream and they all say that they aren't for use in the genital area which annoyed me. Should I still look into using them even though they state that they aren't for use in that area? And if so the only two brands I saw that I recognized were Veet and Nair.. any preferences/suggestions?
i always use a old style double edge safety razor, as there a lot better for irritation, and give a far cleaner shave (im slightly obsessed with them, managed to convert a couple of friends to using them) i use it everywhere too, under arms etc, just have to be careful as there very sharp, have only nicked myself once, still need practice to get it totally smooth tho *perfectionist i do still have issues with my chest though, I'm unfortunate (in my opinion) enough to be REALLY hairy.. like Austin powers style medallion man chest rug, its curly so i often get lots of ingrown hairs (single blade shavers are a lot better for this too), so tend to not shave to close, which doesn't have the desired effect sadly I tried veet hair removal cream with mixed results, if you have any spots etc don't use it as it dissolves the skin too it seems, might give it another go soon, it does smell horrific though.
ok, I do full body waxing on both men and woman, and let me tell you, waxing yourself down there for the first time, without help, will probably be a very bad experience, but if you feel brave, beauty supply stores (like sally's) do sell a sensitive wax that works well, the problem is really in the angle when it comes down to it. I recommend just trimming it short, but if not, ask at the beauty supply store for a product called "no bump" it comes in a little green bottle and is worth every single cent, make sure to use it for a couple days before and after shaving
I tried waxing last summer. For smooth, it beats shaving hands down. And lasts a lot longer, too. But yeah, spend the money to get it professionally done. It's worth it.
I shave as well and it comes out ok. I sometimes get razor bumps as well. Kind of sucks. I would love to try waxing, but it may be too hard to do it by myself.
lulu165, I'm so glad you mentioned something about Nair! I was thinking of trying it, but now I think I'll steer clear! Since I started shaving my bikini area, it's been mostly alright, with the big issue being mostly the awkward places to reach. I have had awesome results shaving my armpits & love not having any hair there as it's just so much more clean! I have never in my life had chest hair because as soon as I hit puberty I started shaving my chest & have never looked back. Luckily, I've never had to deal with ingrown hairs, but the downside to all this shaving is that it's time-consuming & a pain in the butt. Just to keep looking feminine I have to keep up with it every morning & even then, I have stubble by the end of the day! From what I've read, electrolysis is the best option. It can be painful & expensive, but apparently it also gets the best results!
One of the main sources of razor burn/bump/blisters is bacteria remaining on the skin's surface after shaving or that re-inhabits the area within the day or two following having shaved. Bacteria grow quickest in a damp/humid environment; therefore, key to preventing razor burn/bumps/blisters is keeping the area dry. That being said, it is important to keep that area dry. A nifty trick I've learned is to apply Ladies' Speed Stick to the area (you may need to wait 20 to 30 minutes if you have cut yourself while shaving). Women's antiperspirant is specially designed for application to shaven and sensitive skin. It will do several things: reduce and control itching, reduce burning, prevent sweating, and limit the growth of bacteria in the area. Ladies' Speed Stick also contains Lanolin to help moisturize the skin.
Yep, I mentioned this in another thread. A friend of mine called it her "stripper trick." Something about the zinc in it. It works! And all I used was a garden variety men's anti-perspirant....
