first-time shaving help

[empressofstars.livejournal.com]

So i really need to shave my pubic hair, not even a lot of it just some of it so it doesnt come out of my underwear and wahtnot because i have to wear udnerwear on stage. and i have really sensitive skin and really a lot of long hair and whatnot. and im at college, so theres no privacy and no bathtub, only standing showers. and i need to shave only a little bit, like, the stuff thats on my thighs but i never have before and i am freaking out. and i took a warm shower and started to try adn trim but my scissors got dull really quickly and i dont have any others and i feel really scraed and alone and really stupid because this is freaking me out so much and i'm crying and i dont know what to do or how to do this and i'm sorry i sound so panicked and this is so run-on but im really upset. please help me.

Comments

[laurenoid.livejournal.com]

Take a deep breath! Why do you feel so scared? It's just hair; it doesn't hurt to cut it off and it always grows back. Shaving cream (or even a nice thick hair conditioner, provided it doesn't get into your more sensitive bits) and a fresh razor blade really helps to cut down on shaving irritation, for me. Check out www.pubicshave.com for tons of great shaving advice; they are really helpful.

[wilfulcait.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest skipping the whole shower approach. Get a couple or three towels, a basin of warm water and a washcloth, a nice new safety razor, and a thing of shaving cream. Hole up in your dorm room with the door locked. Apply nice warm water to the area with the washcloth, let it soak a bit so that the hair is soft. Then apply shaving cream and shave in, very easy and slow, from the outside to where you need the edge to be. Just take your time and remember that in 20 years this will be a funny story.

[cahier-vide.livejournal.com]

Shave in a warm shower (if possible) and whatever you do, don't shave against the grain. I shave in the opposite direction to my thighs, starting with the outer edges where my tights end -- so, I shave sideways, kinda. If trimming helps you, maybe do that in a bathroom stall for more privacy. Use plenty of shaving gel and let it sit for a while. After you're done, put some deodarant on the area you shaved -- for some reason people have never really heard about it, but it works really well to prevent irritation, etc.

Oh, also, don't go over a single area more than twice with a razor blade, as you can really irritate it.

[cahier-vide.livejournal.com]

thighs* not tights, heh.

I don't recommend doing it outside the shower, as it's a great deal more tedious that way; but to each his own.

[she-obliterated.livejournal.com]

Okay, easy.

This can absolutely be done in a shower. You just need to stand with your knees pointing outwards, like ballet second position (http://media.wiley.com/assets/194/59/0-7645-2568-9_000300.jpg). I've even done it on the toilet sitting down, with a little glass of hot water to rinse my razor in.

If your scissors are dull you can do it with just a razor. I have. You just have to go really slowly and make sure you rinse your razor well every time. Half an inch at a time and then rinse. Make sure to use plenty of shaving cream.

Stay calm and go slow. A knick there won't be the end of the world, but no one wants to knick themselves shaving.

Also possible, you can run out to the store and grab some nair. DO NOT USE THIS ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR VULVA. If some gets on there it's not an emergency but you should rinse it off immediately so your sensitive skin there doesn't get irritated.

If you are just doing your bikini line, that's okay. You just put that on and leave it for a few minutes (the bottle will say for how long). The hair will get all gummy and then your rinse it off with a washcloth.

[cahier-vide.livejournal.com]

No! Absolutely NEVER use Nair! That stuff has given me minor chemical burn on countless occasions (thankfully, I had only used it on my legs.) Trust me, chemical burn sucks SO much more than razor burn.

[bronwe.livejournal.com]

I agree. Shaving is much, much safer than Nair, and the risks with Nair are just too high. That stuff can really mess your skin up.

[cahier-vide.livejournal.com]

Icon love!

[she-obliterated.livejournal.com]

I've never had an issue with Nair or Veet and my skin is really sensitive.

Mind me asking what happened to you?

[she-obliterated.livejournal.com]

Does it really? I've never had a problem with Nair or Veet at all, and my skin is ridiculously sensitive. To the point where most things will at least cause me to break out in hives, if not get serious chemical burns.

What happened to you?

[cahier-vide.livejournal.com]

My skin got burned -- it was really sore and itchy. I had these small red bumps (not hives, just irritation.)

[mangofandango.livejournal.com]

Don't panic! How soon do you need to have this taken care of? My next question...does it matter what *kind* of underwear you wear on stage? I'm thinking this whole issue might be avoided with boyshorts, but if that's not an option, you're still going to be okay.

Do you have some shaving cream? A nice new razor? If not, and if you can, get those things. Then get some warm water (it can be in a cup, really) and a washcloth and a towel. Then hold a nice warm washcloth over the area you want to shave for a minute or two. Rub some shaving cream on (think of it as relaxing!), and shave the area you need to shave carefully, but firmly. Rinse the razor in the water frequently, and know that you may need to go over the same area more than once. When you're done, wipe off with some of the water and a washcloth and dry yourself with the towel. Apply some gentle, preferably unscented moisturizer (If you have any kind of sensitive skin lotion, that's probably fine.)

Above all, know that nothing truly horrible will happen. It might seem awful and upsetting at the moment, but it'll all be over with soon!

[empressofstars.livejournal.com]

see the thing is, i am wearing boyshorts...they actually cover LESS than regular underwear, oddly enough. i might actually switch to regular underwear because it covers more.

also, how do i do that? do i sit? or stand? logistically i just dont get it...

[she-obliterated.livejournal.com]

You can do either. You can stand like in the picture I linked or you can sit with your legs spread apart.

I don't suggest sitting directly on the floor of a dorm shower, however. If you are going to sit get a basin of water and do it sitting on a towel on the floor in your room.

[swiggett.livejournal.com]

Would it be an option to wear nude/skin tone pantyhose [think: reg. underwear, then hose, then 'stage underwear'] to sort of help camoflogue [sp?] anything that might get left behind?

All the shaving advise thus far has been good... so follow that, and it should be good. my tip: the areas you will be shaving, trim them first, so the razor has less hair with which to contend.

[bronwe.livejournal.com]

Get a single-blade razor. They get the closest shave. And if you have vitamin e oil or pure shea butter or any other natural moisturizers, put some of that on when you're done. Good luck!

[aechei.livejournal.com]

you are a lot more likely to cut yourself with them, and i a not sure that is true...especially when dealing with thick hair that hasn't been shaved, i think your blade will last longer and get all the hair in fewer passes (less irritation) than a single. plus all your single-blades are going to be disposable, and the easiest to handle ate ones with WIDE handles--which disposables never had. i recommend the basic women's gillette razor--its oval-ish with wavy rubber grippies. i hear they spraypainted them silver and used them as comm units for some movie...star wars maybe. very easy to hold onto, which is BIG when you don't have shaving experience. i have tried several other razors (shick silk effects, intuition, venus, a whole slew of disposables...) and ALL of them were either way slipperier than the gillette, or the handle was so thin that it twisted around too easily in wet hands, or angled itself so it was in serious danger of cutting me...and so on.

(and you really shouldn't put deodorant or antiperspirent down there. i know people say it works wonders, but it says specifically not to put it anywhere but your pits. you don't want those chemicals anywhere where sweat might get them into your bits anyways. your best defense against bumps is to shave with the grain, even though you won't get quite as close a shave. i promise, it will look WAY better to have a little "shadow" than to have a shave rash.)

[bronwe.livejournal.com]

Everybody I know who uses a single-blade razor gets a closer shave with it, and I never have to make more than one pass over an area. It's true that it's easier to cut yourself, but if you're careful, you won't cut yourself. I've never cut myself down there, and I've shaved my vulva a lot.

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

I have scars on my calves, knees, and ankles that suggest that one can be exceptionally careful while shaving and still draw blood with a single blade razor (while still leaving stubble, strangely enough). I'd never dare to try one on my own vulva, but I suspect this may be something that varies by individual. If it works for you, it's fabulous. If not, however, it might be worth trying something different.

Friendly Maintainer Request :)

[asunlitrose.livejournal.com]

Hi there. Could you please edit your post to include a descriptive subject line? This will help other members use your post as a resource in the future. For more information on what we mean, take a look at this part (http://www.vaginapagina.com/index.php?title=VaginaPagina_FAQ#Have_I_typed_out_a_descriptive_subject_header_and.2For_LJ-cut_text_that_lets_readers_know_what_my_post_is_about.3F) of our FAQ (http://www.vaginapagina.com/index.php?title=VaginaPagina_FAQ).

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For the VP Team (http://www.vaginapagina.com/contact.php)
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Re: Friendly Maintainer Request :)

[empressofstars.livejournal.com]

sure, done

Re: Friendly Maintainer Request :)

[asunlitrose.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[arseaboutface.livejournal.com]

All the comments so far have given good advice, but I'll just add my two cents--it'll be ok. :} Don't panic, and remember to breathe. Good luck!

[free-me07.livejournal.com]

You might find some things in VP's Vulvapedia entry on Pubic Hair Care/Removal (http://www.vaginapagina.com/index.php?title=Pubic_Hair_Care/Removal) that could help you.