Pubic Hair?

I shave mine and use this lotion shaving cream from passion parties called coochy cream. It helps from the red bumps you sometimes get from shaving.

Great advice so far, I'll be trying several tips.
I'll add one more for those with a partner. I leave this task to my husband. We use the beard trimmer and shave. It makes for an entertaining evening and I don't have to worry about getting too close to the sensitive bits I can't see with a razor. Yikes!

Just wanted to say thank you for asking this question. The thought never even entered my mind to ask it here. I shave occasionally, but I get the itchy red bumps, so I tend to "let it go". I've never been comfortable in a normal bathing suit. I wear the shorts and a tankini. I don't want to wax, so if I could eliminate the bumps, I would be elated.

Friends of mine have just had the discussionon a trip to Cleveland. Most of the 12 woman shave, some A LOT. Some get waxed, one gets everything and I mean everything waxed.

I shave sides, top and then "clean up the area close to my bottom. Only because once when I was a teen ager I saw a mom who, when she sat down, she did not have hair poking out the tops or sides of her bikini but when she casually placed her legs up hair stuck out from the way back ( I hope I am explaining this with tact and you understand what I mean) Sheesh is this embarassing.

So, not wanting that to happen to me, ever, I really only have a small area right up front on my pubic bone.

Sarah made me laugh out loud! No I am not trying to show off my privates but eep it neat, clean and pretty for my man and not hanging out for every one to see that I am a real blonde! TEE HEE

I think waxing is the best option (at least for me). As a busy mom, this alternative is good, although a bit painful. The results last the longer than shaving so I only need to worry about it once a month.

For bathing suit season, I shave the sides and keep the rest neatly trimmed.

Keep yourself shaved. If wax is affordable then by all means go for it. It may be a little painful but it's a clean look. You can also do it the old fashion way and use a razor but always shave the area below especially during swimming season. Hope this helps.

I have always trimmed it very short and shaved up just past my swim suit line. The problem is the danger of ingrown hairs. My daughter and several friends wax, this is painful in itself and again you can get ingrown hairs.
Frankly either thing is itchy when the hair starts growing back in.
Amazing that women want to expose so much of themselves and the suits are all cut so high we have to worry about this, isn't it? Wonder who designs them! LOL.

My hubby hates for me to shave any off, but I don't like the hair that shows with my very modest one piece suit, so I shave just that area. I struggle with a lot of ingrown hairs, but I get that when shaving my armpits, too, lol! I don't think I would go for waxing since my skin is super sensitive and I think that would aggravate it more than the shaving. I don't usually keep up with it unless I am going to be in a bathing suit.

Hi T.,
I was going to go have a waxing, that was until a friend of mine went to have it done and told me that they asked her before her waxing if she would like something to bite down on while they were waxing her. She told me she left right away! I cannot imagine doing that since my eyebrows hurt like heck when they get waxed. I personally shave in the summer time, but you have to be consistant with it!!

Kudos for posting this question!

Now days it popular to shave then have waxed less painful..

Shave it! It is just like other parts of you body that have hair, it needs to be groomed! Keep in mind, like other parts, it needs to be kept up. I would even suggest trimming up everywhere else down there, It's cleaner in my opinion, I don't mean bald, but just kept clean. Waxing is painfull, I have had that done as well, although it lasts longer, it is just as easy to shave plus A LOT cheaper.I mean, think about it, if you wear a bathing suit with a skirt, and you skirt comes up, you can see that, yuck!

Just another tip girls~ these are all great but if you use an exfoliator to shave it helps with the bumps!! I use it on my lower region and my under arms and it works awesome!! I love the gingerbread man by philosophy!

Waxing hurts but it is the best!

I start by using a hair trimmer then after I do that I grab some shaving cream and use a razor. You can also try nair and see how that works.
D.

I am 31 and have been married for almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7, and 4.

Maybe S. was blessed with less hair, but there isn't a suit out there that covers the stuff the my leg meets my crotch unless I wear an old-lady suit with a skirt. Modest or not, my pubes hang out the sides.
I shave in the direction that the hair grows instead of against it like on the legs and that cuts down on the bumps and ingrown hairs.

boy short bathing suit bottoms! they are in style, flattering, and require less maintenance!

Well, I can say this is the first time I've seen this question posted...LOL! I shave more than the bikini area then I landscape the remaining with scissors...almost to nothing. I've been doing this for about 10 years now and it is so low maintenance. Go ahead and give it a try!

NAIR!

Just rub on the lotion, leave it on for 5-10 minutes, and wipe off with the hair. No pain! I swear by that stuff!

Hi T.,
I have sensitive skin and shaving always has given me trouble. I use Veet Rasera Bladeless Kit for the bikini line area- here's a coupon :)
http://www.veet.us/offers.shtml

I use my husbands beard trimmer to cut everything down close and then shave and then put which hazel on to help prevent the little red bumps. My sister goes and gets everything waxed off. According to her the first few times it HURTS but then the hairs grow back thinner and weaker so it doesn't hurt any more.

Hi T.,
I know women all have their own ways of dealing with this but I have always just trimmed all of it then shaved the sides or just shaved all together. I found it a lot at first and I hated the way it itched when it starts to grow in but now I am so used to doing it, its pretty much second nature now. I have learned to do it quickly and I stay on top of it. It works for me and I gotta admit, it works for hubby too ;) good luck!

I personally wax because I get severe razor burn when I shave. I have been waxing for quite awhile and it is painful but the results last for weeks. A friend of mine got laser hair removal done and her hair has never came back.

Hi T.! Whatever you do, don't shave with a razor!! You'll be miserable!!!!!!!! I would shave to a point and just trim down the rest. Wear a dark bathing suit that won't show too much. I've never tried waxing and wouldn't want to!!! I do know that an electric shaver seems to keep my sensitive skin from getting irritated in the bikini line area, but I don't know about any further than that. Good Luck! N. L.

T.....Well, I shave. It is not painful is you use shaving cream first. It doesn't take long. You only have to do around the leg openings not the whole thing. Put on your suit and see how much needs to be done. Good luch and enjoy your summer!

M. B.

Even though waxing is supposed to last long, it hurts!!! A Lot!! I shave and have found the gillette fusion to be the best. Its a little more expensive but it has given me the best shave with out so much of the razor burn that I got from the others.

I use the Nair that is okay to use on that area. Works great and I never have any bumps or rashes.

shave shave shave... gotta keep up with that. i think i probably shave every 4-5 days. it's so nice not to have that hair down there. my hubby loves that i change it up a bit, completely bare down there, or a strip down the middle.... get creative.
sorry about that comment that says to just cover up and not show off the privates. i have to laugh at that. gimme a break. that's too funny.

I shave everything down there. I use the venus shaver that has the shaving strips on it. You need to shave it everyday to keep it smooth.

lol. i shave it all...it's as clean down there as the day i was born. shaving every 3-4 days keeps it short enough from getting to the 'itchy' stage...but if you do start to itch, throw a little lotion or baby powder on and it'll stop. it is especially cleaner in the hot summer months and when aunt flo comes to visit.
on a side note, i asked my midwife a few years ago how many people she thought were bare down there and she said 'almost all of the under 30 crowd' and about 1/4 of every one else.

I hate shaving, especially "down there". So, here it is...I trim and then shave (with a shave gel)around the area my swim suit doesn't cover. It itches when it comes back in, so I use a lotion after I shave and it helps some.

wax! Short term pain for weeks of no hair! It's not as embarrassing as you would think. You can keep your panties on and just do the sides where it shows out of your suit. It really doesn't hurt all that much and the more often you do it the less coarse the hair grows back! Also if you find someone good that helps lessen the pain. Really IT'S NOT THAT BAD! I actually hate razor burn and the itchiness that comes with hair that grows back after shaving. Plus the bumps. I really recommend waxing.

I shave... and dh loves it! ;-)

Hi T.,
Well you're definetly right about the hair being a big no no!
I keep mine shaved and have never had an issue. I usually do it in my morning shower, not right before you swim. If your hair is extremly coarse put some of your conditioner on it to soften it before you shave! Also in case your wondering, I don't shave it completely off, just anything that would show if you found yourself in a compromising position. And lets face it if you're swimming with kids anythings possible! I hope this was helpful. Happy Swimming!

T.

T.,
Let me start by saying that I am ABSOLUTELY not answering this to promote Pure Romance...I am answering this because I never was happy with anything to "address this issue" until I became a consultant. I won a tube of Coochy rash-free shaving cream at one of the first meetings I attended and I LOVE the stuff! It truly is "rash-free"-I don't get any red bumps, etc. in my bikini area so I can shave instead of wax and I love the way my legs feel after shaving. The nice thing is that men and women can both use it. Anyway, if you want to give it a try, I actually have it on sale through tonight at 10pm (so I can place an order by midnight) for $13...that's $3.50 off. Feel free to give me a call ###-###-#### or email me at ____@____.com Again, I'm not trying to make a sale-just letting you know that I find this to be the best option.

I have tried to wax myself and it hurt but I can't stand the razor burn and the itching that comes with shaving when it grows back. I went to a salon and had my legs and bikini area waxed. It wasn't nearly as bad as doing it yourself and SO WORTH IT. The worst part for me is waiting the 2 weeks for my hair to grow long enough to get it waxed again. We are going on vacation again in a few weeks and I will definitely be heading back to the salon. I don't know how Sarah A gets away with it. I'm a pretty modest person too, but she must just be lucky. I hate seeing other people's curly pubes hanging out too!

Don't feel bad! I've had the same problem!! For years, I just trimmed the hair really short and hoped for the best. But, finally I gave in to shaving. I've even looked into laser hair removal, and if I had the money, I'd definately go that route! It does take some care to do the shaving. Use a really good razor and you have to change the blade often. I use it twice for my pubic hair and then use the blade the rest of the time for my legs, etc. Also, use a really good shave gel...I use Aveeno. Since that hair is coarser, you will need to soften it before you shave....wet it really good in the shower and then let the gel set for a minute or two before you start shaving.

Then, you just shave as normal. You can do just the tops of the legs or the whole thing! (Men love the clean shaven look so my husband helped me the first time! lol) Anyway, when you've finished shaving, use a cooling spray or lotion to eliminate red bumps. You can usually find two or three different ones at a drug store.

It's kind of a pain at first because you have to keep up with it during the summer. But, I like being able to wear a swimsuit and not feel self conscious. I have never tried waxing...that just sounded too painful for me! lol Anyway...good luck! Hope this helps!

beard trimmer, nice easy simple. use a razor to clean up the sides

I wear board shorts with a tankini top (that covers up my obviously-had-a-baby belly. lol). I don't think it's fair that guys get to be all covered up and women are just barely covered down there. I feel very uncomfortable with that much exposure. Or maybe that's just the feminist in me...hehehe

Though I do shave it all down there occasionally just because I want to ;)

Hi T.! I just wanted to say, did you laugh your butt off when you read Sarah's response? About being more modest? I'm not trying to be mean, but the first thing I thought of was "man, she must look baaaaaaaaad to be telling us other women that maybe we should cover it up!"Puh-lease!! The smaller the better for bikinis! I guess though, I should atleast say what I do, and that would be I shave, and leave a "landing strip" in the center because I used to shave it all, and always found that right there in the center, it gets very rough when hair first grows back. I didn't want to give my husband a rug burn!!!

From what I hear the stripper secret to avoid getting razor burn after shaving is to use degree deoderant (unscented maybe?) I have never tried it, but thought I would share :D good luck!

I typically shave it ALL - much easier that way! I would do laser hair removal if I could afford it. Maybe one day. :) I would like to try that Raserless Veet thing though.

Buy some nair at walgreens to use on ur bikini line. They have the kind that you put on, wait a few minutes and wipe off. NO PAIN!!!!!

My advice is Laser hair removal. I had it done over five years ago and the hair has yet to come back and it never will. I believe it has become cheaper than it was before. You will need a minimum of three treatments. I am fair compleced with blonde hair, which means the laser can't see the blonde hairs but the light brown are gone for good. I had waxing done years ago and it was painful and I didn't get good results. some people get good results. I used to use dilapatory creams and still do for the blonde hairs. Good luck, call me at home if you have questions: 614/880-1392

If you have sensitive skin stay away from Nair and Veet. I tried Nair once and wound up with chemical burns. Thank goodness it was just on my legs! I shave and leave a little patch that I groom with scissors. Just make it part of your shaving routine. I figure I shave half my body any way, what's a little more! ;)

I agree with most everyone else and shave, if not all at least what will show. Sara was a little harsh in assuming that we want to show ourselves off, you can't help what style bathing suit is being produced each season! I would love to have a suit that covers a little more but if they don't make it, what can I do?

By the way, I love that you got up the nerve to post this question! I've always wondered what other people do and just didn't want to ask :)

I do a combination of things since I tend to get a lot of ingrown hairs.

From my experience, the best way to remove hair and avoid ingrown hairs is waxing. But, it is my least favorite option - too painful and awkward. So, I NAIR everything in the most obvious areas and then use an electric beard trimmer to get everything else as short as possible.

I lifeguarded and taught swimming lesson for years. So regardless of how modest a bathing suit is made, you can still have little people right at crotch level seeing things that are embarassing. Since you're concerned about it, do what you can to remove the hair, don't try to hide it.

No suggestions. Just cracking up at Dena's response that included "landscaping". You go girl!

Dontchya just love being a woman?

J.

Shave and then use Bikini Zone afterward to keep from getting the painful, ugly bumps. It really does work. It can be found in drug stores. I have found it around the shave gels at Wal-Mart. I have even seen it at the beginning of summers with the sunblocks, but all year long with the shave gels.

My cousin says she used Veet and it worked wonderfully. And it wasnt painful either.

T.,
Okay. I shave it all. I use conditioner anywhere I shave. My mom found that tip in a magazine several years ago and it is awesome. The conditioner raises the hair more and makes it easeier to shave. I have sensitive skin and I don't have any problems using conditioner.

Before you shave, trim down as short as you can, it makes it easier to shave.

When you shave, pull, back your stomach, like press it in to tighten the skin so you have a better shave. Shave in the direction your hair grows, I shave downwards, it doesn't hurt and I don't break out. Sometimes, it is easier to prop up your leg so you can see better and get a closer shave.

**NOTE*** I also use degree deoderant and have no bumps or rashes after I shave.***

I have shaved for several years,all of it, I used to just shave the bikini line, but I love this! Its cleaner, more comfortable and I feel sexier!!

Good luck!!

HI T., just agreeing with most of the posts, I shave every 2-4 days, trim the rest, painless, have been doing this as long as I can remember, I just turned 40, after the first few times, a million years ago, never even got the razor rash. Hubby likes it too:-) I did not read this however, I do it all year so I dont get that razor rash.

sally henson bikini hair remover, you put it on, wait 4-10minutes and rinse it off with a warm wash cloth, then no more worries for about a week or so.

Coochy cream! It's the best stuff I've ever used. No rash or burn! I was at a sex toy party and all the other women were raving about it so I bought a small bottle. Now I'm buying the industrial size. It's made by Classic Erotica and the website is www.classicerotica.net. Good luck.

I shave when im in the shower everyday. It keeps it nice and trim and you don't have to worry about it when its time to go swimming. Just jump in your suit and go!

-I'm too chicken to wax and shaving usually gives me razor bumps. But I have found this great cream to use while shaving instead of shave gel. It's about as embarrassing as asking your question :) --It's called Coochie Cream-- You can buy it at adult novelty stores or websites as well as on Amazon. It's really great- very smooth shave, no bumps so your bikini area looks presentable. I know it sounds a little weird but it really is great stuff!
J.

I use Nair and it works wonders! I tried the wax and it hurt like crazy! I would recommend not shaving thou since it will result in ugly stubble

Not sure if you are still looking for answers... I think waxing is the way to go. It hurts while it is being done and then that is it! I think shaving hurts for so much longer and looks terrible. I wear a bathing suit skirt while I am waiting for the hair to get long enough to wax again. I was skeptical at first since I tried to wax at home and it hurt and didn't work well. Now I go to a salon and pay someone else so that it looks clean and doesn't hurt as bad. Good luck!

Okay, you've probably gotten more responses than you need, but keep it simple, I use my husband's beard trimmer to trim all the hair to a nice short length, then I shave the outer area and top with my regular razor in the shower. I use shaving cream and that usually eliminates any razor burn, just go slow. You'll need to trim every 10 days or so, and shave a day before you know you are going to be in the bathing suit. Good luck.

Hi T.,
I used to work at a spa and did bikini waxes. They are worth the money and discomfort if you will be wearing a swimsuit a lot, as it will last about a month. Have the esthetician use hard wax. It works better on course hair and is less painful, as it does not stick to the skin like the soft wax. You may have some redness and/or a rash, so have it done a couple of days before swimming. Treat it with hydrocortizone cream from the drug store. Your skin will react less if you have the area waxd regularly. When I have had a bikini wax, it did not itch when it grew back, as opposed to shaving, which I find itches when the hair grows back in. Of course, you can always wear the swim shorts or skort style bathing suit. I do recommend not getting a "Brazilian" wax, in which all or most of the hair is removed, but rather just have the bikini line done. You can also ask to have the bushy hair in the middle trimmed with scissors of do it yourself for a more groomed look.