The Joys of Womanhood: Bikini Line Hair Removal

June 27, 2008 3:30 pm     Posted in Body  Jill - University of Wisconsin g+ page

bikini.jpgOh how I love the summer. Between walks outside, iced coffee and sundresses, there really isn’t a more perfect time of year. But alas, every summer I am faced with the same debacle: bathing suit = dealing with the ‘ol bikini line.


By Jill

We all know we don’t want hair down there, but red bumps; not really the look I am going for. Not to mention the in-grown hairs, the itchiness, or all the other problems that come with taking care of the situation. As if getting our bodies bikini-ready wasn’t challenging enough – now we are stuck with what is often times a force to be reckoned with: Bikini Hair Removal.

So in efforts to prepare you to grin and bare it this summer (hey, you didn’t spend all that time doing extra crunches for nothing, lady!) here are some pro/cons on the latest – as well as the tried and true – hair removal tips for your bikini line.

Shaving:

Pros: This method is great if you are in a pinch. It’s quick, easy and cheap.

Cons: Shaving only removes the hair above the surface, so hair can show up again the very same day (thank your foreign, hairy grandmother for inheriting her genes). Shaving often times leads to in-growns and those icky razor bumps. If you choose to go this route: hold skin taught while shaving, change the razor often, and trim before shaving, if needed. Also, shave in the direction that hair grows and wait to shave until after the shower when your skin has been softened by the warm water.

Waxing: While I personally do not recommend do-it-yourself waxing, there are people (crazy bitches) who do it. Waxing is best accomplished by a professional.

Pros: Since waxing removes hair from the root, it should last anywhere from 4-8 weeks, and the more often you do it, the slower the hair grows back.

Cons: No one ever said pain was cheap (though I constantly wonder why I spend so much to be abused)… bikini waxes can run from $30-100 dollars per wax, depending on how much you take off. Waxing can also cause in-growns, so it’s important to exfoliate. Other things to consider: Not only is it painful (take a pain reliever an hour before you go and avoid waxing a week before your period when you are the most sensitive, due to heightened levels of estrogen), it can be nerve wracking if you are a first-timer and relatively modest. What I tell my friends: your waxer has seen more vagina’s than she can even remember. So just put your dignity aside and (try to) relax.

Depilatory Creams: Depilatories use chemicals that react with the protein structure of the hair to literally melt the hair away. I am sure everyone remembers those lovely commercials, “Nair wears short shorts!”

Pros: Hair removal creams (like Nair) are inexpensive, easily accessible, quick and painless (you leave them on for 3-15 minutes and then wash off).

Cons: The awful smell. Seriously, it is like rotton eggs on your hoohah. Not sure it is worth the misery. Also, many people find that their skin becomes irritated from Depilatories, so make sure to do a skin test before using it.

Laser: How it works: the laser targets melanin, which is found in the hair, and breaks the follicle preventing further hair growth. Laser is said to work best on light skin/dark hair combination and is not recommended for those with darker skin tones.

Pros: An effective way to completely remove bikini hair once and for all. Relatively pain free (it’s said to feel like a small rubber band snapping your skin), and sessions are usually pretty quick.

Cons: Very expensive. Laser costs around $400 a session – and the average woman requires 5 sessions, plus once a year maintenance. You also can’t shave or be exposed to the sun in between sessions, which totally ruins your summer plans of sitting poolside. This would be a good option to consider starting in the winter, so that, come bikini season, you are already swimsuit ready.

Interested in laser? Visit the hair removal forum to get all the information you need before you go. Seriously, you don’t want any surprises. They even have a full list of local providers so you can find someone now and get that business taken care of.

Whatever option you choose, there is one must-have product for bikini zone happiness: Tend Skin. When that hair starts making a comeback, this is the best product for reducing and preventing those infamous in-grown hairs.

Got any other bikini zone tips to share? We can use all the help we can get…

[Photo courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald]

27 Comments on "The Joys of Womanhood: Bikini Line Hair Removal"

  1. Molly says:
    Fri, 27th Jun 20084:53 pm 

    Sugaring is a process similar to waxing, except it uses super sticky substances like sugar, honey, or molasses (or a combination) to remove the hair. It’s said to be less painful than waxing because it only sticks to the hair.

    I’ve only tried it once (because I have no boyfriend, hate swimsuit season, and don’t usually have any money) and didn’t think it was that bad. Once she was done with the process, I was fine. No lasting pain or irritation. I’d definitely sign up for it opposed to waxing any day.

  2. lee says:
    Sat, 28th Jun 20084:22 am 

    You're right about the sun and laser, thats why it should have been done in the winter. Take my advice. This winter get laser done. Its the best. Shop around. You can find a place that doesnt cost 400 a session. Mine turned out to be 180 a session and I needed 5 plus the 6 came free. then the maintenence is $100.My gyno's office does it. When you add up the cost of waxing and pain for the next 30 years (at least) the $1000 is a bargin.

  3. california says:
    Sat, 28th Jun 200810:11 pm 

    In response to Molly's comment:

    Sugaring is generally a mixture composed of sugar, honey, water and lemon juice and really does hurt a LOT less than waxing. There's a woman who I go to for sugaring like a 15-20 min drive from school. Unfortunately I am home for the summer and cannot find a sugarist out here.

    Sugaring is actually cheaper and more hygienic than waxing, and hurts a whole lot less too. Only downside is that not many people are certified to do sugaring, so it is hard to find one! I really wish they had sugarists at all spas.

  4. kay says:
    Sun, 29th Jun 20084:36 pm 

    Use 'bikini zone' cream or gel, you can find it in any drugstore, it works WONDERS on bikini-line irritation, I have super sensitive skin and nothing else (not even tendskin) works this well on redness, itchiness and irritation.

  5. tatton says:
    Sat, 5th Jul 20081:42 am 

    Molly, I will be your boyfriend.

  6. SusanB says:
    Mon, 30th Mar 200912:16 pm 

    There are now two home laser systems approved by the FDA, Silkn and Tria. This offer the possibilty of laser hair removal at a fraction of the cost of having it done at a salon

    http://www.squidoo.com/silkn

  7. coco says:
    Mon, 27th Apr 20099:35 am 

    I've had full Brazilian laser hair removal and it was literally the most pain I've experienced in my entire life. Pain levels vary depending on the amount/thickness/color of an individual's hair, (mine was thick and black), though. One of the technicians who has been through the process before said that for her, childbirth was less painful than having laser hair removal. Still, for me, anyway, it was definitely worth the pain and the price!

  8. Jessica says:
    Mon, 27th Apr 20094:29 pm 

    I can't believe you didn't mention epilating. It's my go-to for hair removal, and I highly recommend it over shaving.

  9. sayed says:
    Thu, 30th Apr 20096:28 am 

    In response to jessica's comment:

    Hey Jess, what is epilating baby..?

  10. aj says:
    Sun, 3rd May 20098:01 pm 

    The first time I got it done it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be, (I've been going to my waxer for a long time and she knows my pain threshold..so she did it step by step..over a period of 3 days)..after that I got lazy, and so the second time I got it done it hurt like a bitch. After that I decided not to do it again…But I did do it again, after a year maybe…and I've stuck to it. My waxer showed me how to wax myself and I'm pretty good at it now. I expected it to hurt a lot since I'm not a professional waxer..but if you do it at the right time (don't wait too long) and the right way it actually hurts less! I wouldn't recommend using the bikini wax, use the honey wax since it doesn't dry up too fast!

  11. Ouch says:
    Fri, 15th Jan 20106:26 pm 

    Electrolysis?

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  13. Veronica says:
    Mon, 24th May 20109:51 am 

    I absolutely hate waxing and I don't think anyone by me does the sugating thing so I just shave. Its fast, convenient , and if you use the right products the results can be amazing! Personally I use Tame..it's an organic shaving system that helped me get rid of the bumps and irritation that comes along with shaving. Here's the link to their site tamedcwi.com. It this helps!

  14. Laser Hair Removal S says:
    Sun, 13th Jun 20106:58 pm 

    Don't believe everything you hear. Laser hair removal is an excellent way of removing unwanted hair and it is fairly safe when all safety protocol is followed and the treatment is done by a trained and licensed professional. However, laser hair removal is not a permanent hair removal treatment but a permanent hair reduction treatment. Many individuals post comments after only couple of sessions that their hair has disappeared. By far this is not enough time to judge the treatment as with many cases the hair can grow back after a few month – although much less and not as thick. You can get more information at laserhairremoval-sideeffects.com about risk, side effects and how to prevent them.

  15. CK says:
    Wed, 26th Oct 20112:52 pm 

    Thank goodness for other options besides shaving! To learn more about grooming alternatives to shaving, check out my article on TOOTIT.com about the different ways to get your bikini line (and whatever else…) in tip-top shape! http://tootit.com/2011/10/for-your-vagina-when-sh… Thanks!

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  17. Japie says:
    Wed, 25th Apr 201210:32 am 

    Get your boyfriend to shave you while he sucks and play’s with you. My girl go apeshit when we do it. I cant wait for that mussel hair to come out again

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