Guide to Genital Shaving

by POWERotics Foundation

Part III of III

Besides razor shaving there are of course other options. So here we go.

Hair removal creams

Not all hair removal products are suitable for use in the genital area. Most of them are simply too aggressive. A mild form, like Veet Mild, may do the trick but not all women can handle that and will show allergic reactions in the genital area. If you have no problem with hair removal creams in other areas, you may want to give it a try. The main advantage is that it requires less intensive maintenance.

Always test hair removal products on a harmless spot, to check for possible allergic reactions. The inside of the elbow is a good spot to test. If your skin turns red or if the spot stays itchy longer than it should (most hair removal products will cause an itchy feeling for ten to twenty minutes when used in a tender area), don't use it in the genital area.

After using a hair removal cream in the genital area, wash generously, using lots and lots of warm water and apply aftercare products or baby oil. Again, you'll need to care for the now soft skin daily.

Other hair removal products, such as waxing, are not suitable unless you're a real pain freak. Some women have had good experiences with a new product called Epil Stop, but again, the results are determined individually. Epil Stop is a semi-permanent hair removal cream. The effect will last longer than other hair removal products and eventually the hair is supposed to stop growing entirely, but that will not always be true for everybody.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is a permanent form of hair removal through - very mild - electric shocks,. The method itself is totally safe but has various disadvantages.

First of all, there are different methods: one - done in salons only - is to use a needle shaped device that is put into the follicle and will kill the hair root there. The other is a pincer that grabs an individual hair and sends a very mild shock through it. The effectiveness of the method is individually determined but there is a huge price difference. A professional salon treatment (done in a series of treatments) is expensive and may have to be repeated several times. Buying a personal device yourself is a lot cheaper and if you're looking for (semi) permanent removal you may want to opt for the latter first, simply for financial reasons.

It's hard to give a good cost estimate when it comes to salon electrolysis, simply because different salons have different prices. However, don't be surprised if the entire treatment costs well over a thousand dollars. The advantage of course is that you can do it in sessions, hence you do not have to come up with the entire amount up front. Good advice if you're planning electrolysis is first of all check out a few different salons, and second, start with the bikini line first and work downward. This way you won't be stuck with a rather awkward half-bald mons.

Both methods are not completely painless (in fact the professional methods are frequently painful) and some women may need several repeat treatments before the hair growth is stopped. Also, it may lead to red irritation spots that will last for a long time.

Electrolysis requires pre- and aftercare. If you're planning to opt for a salon treatment, ask about creams that help reduce the pain and that will make the hair softer, hence easier to remove. Good aftercare after each treatment will help the healing process of the skin. Ask the salon about aftercare. It's important.

Pulling

If you have a patient dominant, pulling the hair out one by one certainly is an option, but be aware that it will take several sessions and that it's not exactly painless.

Fun designs

Especially if this is your first time, you may want to think about trying a "design shave," i.e. not a full genital shave but instead just something creative, such as leaving a single top to bottom streak or a small triangle. It really isn't that difficult to do and can be a lot of fun.

Male genitals - shaving differences

As we said, what applies to women largely applies to men as well. That goes for methods too, although very few men will opt for electrolysis, mainly due to the sensitivity of the scrotum (the penis doesn't really care). It's not impossible, just a bit more painful and the process takes a lot longer, hence will be more expensive too.

Razor shaving male genitals

Shaving the male genital area is a LOT more work and difficult, especially if you've never done it before. It might take you up to an hour to do it the first time. You need a special razor (the male version of the Wilkinson Sword again is your best bet) and either a female or very mild shaving cream. Don't be unnecessarily "macho" and make sure you invest in aftercare. And no, don't try using your electric razor. It won't work and it WILL hurt.

The easiest way to shave your scrotum is to start at the bottom. Pull up everything with one hand and start shaving from in between your legs upward. Be very careful around the center of the scrotum, since your skin is exceptionally tender there. Next do both sides and finally concentrate on the top of your scrotum, preferably before working on and above your penis. By doing it this way you'll have the most difficult parts done first. (Note: men, same as women, will be wise to make the shaving process a daily task, which will keep maintenance a lot simpler.)

Worth considering: most men - as opposed to women - will have a lot less trouble using a mild hair removal product such as Veet Mild.

Two more hints for everyone

DON'T try coloring your pubic hair. Most of the time it won't work very well anyway and it can also be unhealthy. If you want a 'color-for-the-night,' try using hair mascara or glitter instead.

You can make your pubic hair softer by using conditioner in the same way you would use a conditioner for your head hair. This is worth doing for at least a week or two before your first shave.

This article concludes here. You can use this link - Genital Shaving ~ Part I - to start at the beginning.

Based on materials from the POWERotics Foundation © 1996-2000;