Spring is a time of year that most Canadians enjoy because they know they’re just one step closer to summer! Trips to the pool or a local beach – depending on where you live – is commonplace when the warm and sunny weather hits. As a result, getting our bikini lines in order is also a popular getting-ready-for-summertime practice.
Bikini line maintenance can be tricky.
That’s putting it mildly! As many Canadian women are well aware, shaving can produce the smooth results needed to wear bikinis without any concern for exposing pubic hair. As it has become more popular over the years, a bikini line free of hair is generally the desirable look. Then again, “desirable” isn’t usually the word people use to describe rashes, razor burn and ingrown hairs. However, these are often the results of shaving.
“Shaving is likely your go-to for smooth skin,” write Jenn Sinrich, Kristin Canning and Mara Santilli of Women’s Health Magazine, “The only problem is that bumps, ingrown hair, and angry red skin seem like they’re just part of the package when it comes to shaving – down there. Shaving your bikini area is a lot of work, and can definitely irritate your skin if not done safely, so there are some things you should know before the razor is in your hand.”
How can you minimize skin irritations after shaving?
Sinrich, Canning and Santilli recommend no less than eight expert-approved shaving tips. They involve investing in high-quality razors, shaving creams and moisturizers. They also include holding a cold compress to the shaved area for approximately ten minutes post-shave. The objective is to minimize redness, razor bumps and ingrown hairs.
One particularly important piece of advice, given by the trio, is to pay attention to your shaving direction. “Going in a ton of different directions with your razor makes cuts and subsequent ingrown hairs more likely,” they inform, “Shave in one direction—with the hair growth. Going against the grain of your hair makes irritation much more likely. While gliding your razor gently along the bikini line, keep the blade downward without adding too much pressure.”
Amy Kwarteng of Cosmopolitan offers similar tips, pointing out that shaving the bikini line requires sharp and clean razors and transparent shaving gel. “You want to make sure you have a razor with a very, very sharp blade,” she writes, “A dull one will drag against your skin and lead to ingrowns and razor burn (the most annoying)…Most importantly, your razor needs to be clean—otherwise you risk irritation, or even worse, infection.”
Do away with shaving forever!
At Aurora Skin & Vein, we firmly believe that the best way to prepare your bikini line for summer is to opt for laser hair removal. We would highly recommend that, if you are new to laser hair removal, you come in for a consultation before booking. It’s important to ensure that your skin and hair colour make you a good candidate for the treatments. For more information or if you wish to book an appointment, please don’t hesitate to call us at 403-358-5818. You may also fill out the form on our Contact Us page!