Shaving, waxing, lasering, perfuming, even
freakin' bedazzling: Many of us go to startling
lengths to artificially style the thatch (or the lack
thereof) between our legs. But the skin there is
the most delicate on the body, and if we're not
careful we can put ourselves at risk for bacterial
infections, chronic burning and itching, or
worse. Some women avoid extreme hair
removal altogether: In certain circles, fuller
styles are being embraced. (Gwyneth Paltrow
and Cameron Diaz reportedly prefer it.) Read
on to learn the right ways to landscape your
nether regions.
Waxing or Shaving
Almost half of women ages 25 to 29 sometimes
or often removed all of their pubic hair,
according to recent research by Indiana
University. If this denuding is done with wax,
the vulvar area can become red, swollen, and
tender afterward (as many of you no doubt
know—and dread). Waxing actually causes tiny
tears in the skin, says Paul Summers, M.D., a
gynecology professor at the University of Utah.
These mini wounds create openings for bacteria
to enter the body and increase the risk for
infections and STDs such as herpes and genital
warts .
A regular waxing habit can cause other kinds of
wear and tear over time too. "One of the biggest
issues I see is that when women have been
removing hair from their labia for years, they
can develop an eczema-like condition," says
Jennifer Gunter, M.D., an ob-gyn and director of
pelvic pain and vulvovaginal disorders at Kaiser
Permanente San Francisco.
Shaving in a hurry has its own risks. Women
are prone to nicks and cuts because they can't
see the contours of their private area while
they're attempting to shear off their pubic hair.
"A lot of women grab a razor and soap in the
shower instead of using an appropriate shaving
product," says Gunter. A 2012 study from the
University of California at San Francisco found
that the number of women who visited the
emergency room for vaginal lacerations, rashes,
or skin infections rose fivefold over an eight-
year period, and razors were to blame for 80
percent of the injuries.
LESSEN THE RISK
❯ Consider not going completely bare. "We have
pubic hair for a reason," says Gunter. "It forms
a protective barrier for the skin."
❯ Make sure your aesthetician inserts a fresh
stick into new wax for each application, as
opposed to "double dipping" and using the same
stick and batch for multiple clients.
❯ Instead of removing the hair over your labia,
consider one of the personal hair trimmers on
the market, which leave the root of the hair
intact.
❯ If you're prone to ingrown hairs, prevent
clogged pores by gently scrubbing your labia
with a washcloth whenever you shower, or try
an acne-fighting pad, which contains salicylic
acid, says Gunter.
❯ Soothe damaged skin with coconut oil, vitamin
A and D ointment, or zinc oxide. "They don't
support the growth of bacteria and won't cause
an infection," says Summers.
Laser-Hair Removal
Zapping off hair with a laser used to be a niche
procedure, but it's now gone mainstream.
Nearly half a million procedures overall were
performed by dermatologists in 2011, according
to the American Society for Dermatologic
Surgery. In fact, the growing popularity has
pushed more people to offer it, including at
laser centers known as medi-spas, where the
technicians may not be licensed doctors.
If you go under the wand in the wrong hands,
you risk getting burned--literally. A recent study
found that lawsuits over bad results from laser
treatments administered by non-doctor
operators increased to 78 percent in 2011 from
36 percent in 2008. Women with darker skin are
more vulnerable to laser mishaps (lasers are
designed to target the pigment in hair and can
cause unintended damage to dark skin) and
should be especially wary of inexperienced
technicians.
LESSEN THE RISK
❯ Don't be lured by deals at laser spas; see a
licensed dermatologist. Expect each treatment to
cost several hundred dollars.
❯ Ask if the technician has experience with your
type of skin and hair pigmentation.
❯ Avoid tanning the skin around your bikini
area; darker skin increases the likelihood that
the laser won't be able to pinpoint the hair and
may burn the skin.
❯ Don't get it done when you're menstruating—
having your period can make your skin more
sensitive.
Perfuming or Douching
There are dozens of "intimate hygiene"
deodorant sprays, powders, washes, douches,
suppositories, and cleansing wipes on the
market, but doctors say it's not necessary to
deodorize or douche at all—and it can actually
be bad for you. "Like a self-cleaning oven, the
vagina and vulva maintain themselves," says
Gunter. "If you overcleanse the skin on the
vulva, you may strip the natural oils, and your
body may compensate by making more." This
means the area can become more fragrant, not
less. Worse than that: Douching in particular
can disrupt the balance of healthy bacteria in
your body and put you at risk for vaginal
infection. Mists or wipes also might cause an
allergic reaction.
LESSEN THE RISK
❯ A vagina should smell like a vagina, but a
strong odor may be a sign of an infection. See a
doctor.
❯ If you want to wash the area, avoid wipes
(they leave behind a chemical residue) and
cleanse with an unscented, mild soap.
❯ The consensus among doctors is that
douching is best avoided.
Product Overload
Even if your personal grooming habits win the
gynecological seal of approval, there's still a
drugstore aisle of products that can aggravate
your pubic area. Contraceptive gels, personal
lubricants, coated condoms, and Vajazzling
body-art kits may contain chemicals that can
cause burning, itching, or inflammation. In a
recent review of 90 patients who were
diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis of the
vulva, Mayo Clinic researchers concluded that
nearly 40 percent of cases were caused by
exposure to fragrances and salves. Products
containing the preservative propylene glycol, as
many personal lubricants do, are the worst
offenders.
LESSEN THE RISK
❯ It can be hard to tell which product is causing
the irritation. Stop cold turkey until your skin
has healed, and reintroduce products one by
one, separated by at least two weeks, to help
you identify the culprit.
❯ If the burning and itching continue, you may
need a prescription topical steroid.
❯ To get relief immediately, apply a cold
compress or take oral antihistamines, such as
Claritin or Zyrtec, adds Gunter.
❯ Don't assume the symptoms are signs of a
yeast infection and self-treat, since concentrated
single-day dosages of some antifungal
medications can make your crotch feel as if it's
on fire.
❯ Wait a few days after waxing to apply any
product, including glued-on crystals (if you
must!), since the adhesive can be irritating.
THE PLUS SIDE
One bright spot in all of this grooming, say
experts: Doctors worldwide are finding that
pubic lice (the STD known as "crabs") is on its
way to extinction. One Australian health clinic
has reported zero cases of it since 2008, and
U.S. doctors have anecdotal evidence of similar
dramatic drops in the STD, which used to infest
2 to 10 percent of the worldwide population, per
a 2009 study from the National Center for
Biotechnology Information.
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