Your Guide for Shaving Pubic Hair

There comes a time when a person looks down at their pubes and decides that it's time for a change. Maybe your partner asked you to ‘neaten’ yourself up a little. Maybe you don’t want it to look like you have a rug hanging out of your bikini. Whatever the reason, male or female, we have the answers to all your pubic hair trimming questions right here.

Things You Should Consider First

Before you reach for that trimmer or those scissors you should take a couple of things into consideration:

1. Your Partner - You may want to tell your mate what you are about to do so you can deal with any issues they may have before the big change.
2. Proper Undergarments - Pubic hair helps dissipate excess moisture by keeping a layer of air between our genitals and our underwear. Removing some or all of the “hair down there” means you will need to make sure you wear only undergarments made from breathable materials like cotton or silk. Failure to let the area breathe can be uncomfortable and irritating. If you’re a woman it also puts you at greater risk of a yeast infection.

Pubic Hair Removal Methods

There are many options available when it comes to trimming your goods. Your tools should be selected based on the end result you desire. If you want clean shaved privates, look into shaving or waxing. If you only desire a trim then maybe scissors or trimmers would be best, followed up with some shaving, tweezing or waxing of the surrounding areas. Follow along as we explain each method and then make the decision for yourself.

How to Trim Your Pubic Hair

If you’re growing a forest down there and all you desire is a trim to neaten up your appearance then there’s two ways you can do it, with scissors or with trimmers. Scissors work, but take a while and require dexterity. A good beard trimmer with an adjustable guard will let you shave all of your pubic hair to a uniform length in seconds, making quick work of the job.

Shaving Pubic Hair

Shaving your pubic hair is a pretty simple process that takes a while to get used to. If you’ve never shaved ‘down there’ before then it’s almost guaranteed that you will experience some irritation. Your skin is not used to coming into direct contact with anything due to the hair that acts as a buffer between you and your clothes. On top of that, a close shave will irritate the skin until it has been conditioned to the practice. In most cases it only takes a month or so to get your skin used to shaving, but depending on your particular physiology it could be less time or more time. Listen to your body and don’t rush – this isn’t a race. You will need: A new razor, hair conditioner or shaving cream / gel, a bowl of steaming hot water, and an unscented moisturizing lotion. Not needed but nice to have: A freestanding or hand mirror for those hard-to-see areas.

1. Take a Long, Hot Bath - Soaking in hot water will soften up both your skin and hair. Gently exfoliate the area you are about to shave using a loofah or exfoliating pad to remove dead skin.
2. Trim - Using either scissors or a trimmer, cut your pubic hair as short as you can. This will make shaving easier, shaving long hair will cause your razor to become clogged in no time flat.
3. Lubricate - Using hair conditioner (shaving creams and gels work, but conditioner works better), lather up the area to be shaved. (Want alternatives for shaving creams, see Top 10 alternatives to shaving cream)
4. Shave - With one hand pull the skin tight, with the other slowly and deliberately shave off your pubic hair moving in the direction of hair growth, not against. Always use a new razor each and every time you do this. Pubic hair is thick and will dull a blade after just one shave, and using a dull blade is a pathway to painville. Clean the razor after every stroke by repeatedly tapping it against the side or bottom of the bowl and then visually inspect it to make sure it's clean before continuing. If you need to go back over an area, first apply a fresh layer of lubricant.
5. Post-Shave - After you’ve finished shaving, lightly rub an ice cube over the skin you shaved to close up your pores and then pat the area dry with a clean towel. Apply a unscented moisturizer to the area to help soothe the freshly shaved skin.

When you are first getting used to shaving you should shave only once every few days – wait for the irritation from the last shave to heal before you shave again. With every successive shave, the irritation should lessen until it stops altogether. After shaving, wear a long shirt or boxer shorts to let the area breathe – only wear loose, breathable fabrics. You will find that a close shave will last anywhere from 1-3 days and will begin to itch as it grows back if you don’t shave it regularly. Not everyone has the skin for shaving, if you find that you have a real problem with irritation or ingrown hairs then you should consider a close trim instead. It will still look and feel clean but without all of the pain.

Waxing Pubic Hair

Many people prefer waxing over shaving because it lasts much longer. Waxed pubic hair can take anywhere from two to four weeks before it starts re-growing, meaning there’s much less time spent maintaining it. The trade off is pain. Waxing hurts, but the pain can be controlled by pulling more or less hair out at one time. Continued waxing will also cause hair growth to diminish over time. You can perform this at home, or go to a professional to have it done. Professionals are fast and have the best tools but can be expensive and embarrassing. The ultimate choice is really up to you. If you choose to perform the waxing yourself, supplies can be purchased at any drug store, or even made at home. Below is a simple recipe for a sugar solution that can be used instead of wax along with instructions for its use.
Ingredients:

• 2 cups white sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Prepare a one square foot area on a clean counter top or large glass cutting board by coating its surface with olive oil (For other uses of olive oil, see 13 practical uses for olive oil).
2. Mix all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.
3. Simmer until the sugar solution reaches approximately 250F (the mixture will take on a light, caramel color, approx 10 minutes - do not overcook).
4. Immediately turn off the stove and pour the solution onto the oiled surface. Be careful not to get any on yourself or you will get burned!
5. Once it’s cooled enough to handle and before it hardens, work it into a ball with a spatula or spoon and place it into an airtight container inside the fridge for storage.

When it’s time for use, break off about a tablespoon sized chunk and heat it up in the microwave until it’s warm and soft, then work it in your hands until it’s nice and pliable. Be careful not to burn yourself, it only needs about 20-30 seconds to warm up.
Instructions for use:

1. Spread a small quantity over the hair to be removed (start small!).
2. Press a strip of porous fabric firmly over it (cotton, muslin, whatever you’ve got).
3. Yank the strip off in the exact opposite direction of hair growth (pull it back, not up).
4. Continue using the same cloth strip and sugar until it fails to pick up more hair.
5. Start again at step 1 until all you’ve completed the job.

After you’ve removed all the unwanted hair, apply an unscented moisturizing lotion. There are many people who swear by sugaring as an easier and cheaper alternative to waxing. If smooth is your thing, give it a try!

Chemical Depilatories

Chemical depilatories are usually some sort of liquid or cream that are applied directly to the skin over unwanted hair, allowed to sit for a specified time during which they dissolve the hair, and then are washed off along with the unwanted hair. These products work by dissolving the keratin in each hair so it can easily be wiped away, the drawback is that your skin also contains keratin so it’s imperative to keep it on only long enough to remove the hair and not damage the skin. There’s no exact science to these, they work fantastically for some people, while they irritate the heck out of others. If you choose this route – try it out on a less sensitive area and wait 48 hours to make sure you don’t have any adverse reactions to it. When using to remove pubic hair, make sure the product states that it is safe for the bikini area and never apply it directly to your genitals. These are best used to neaten up the area around your goods, folks.

Pubic Hair Styles

So you know how to remove your pubic hair… now what? Do you shave it all off, or just trim it? Shave some of it and trim the rest? Dye it another color entirely? The choice is yours. Here are some common styles to get you started.

Pubic Hair Styles for Men

• Natural - Just what the name implies, and what you probably have now.
• Brazilian - All bare, no hair.
• Uniform Trim - All of the pubic hair trimmed to a uniform length. This is best done with a beard trimmer.
• The Patch - Completely shaved except for a uniform tuft of hair above the penis and over the pubic bone.
• Custom Designs - Completely shaved except for a custom shaped patch above the penis and over the pubic bone. Shapes can be anything; triangles, arrows, half-circles, etc..

Pubic Hair Styles for Women

• Natural - Just what the name implies, and what you probably have now.
• Brazilian - Again just what the name implies, all bare, no hair.
• Uniform Trim - All of the pubic hair trimmed to a uniform length. This is best done with a beard trimmer.
• Bikini Line - Hair is removed from around the sides and above of the vulva so that it cannot be seen while wearing a bikini. This gives the appearance of an upside-down triangle.
• Landing Strip - Completely bare except for a vertical strip of hair 1/2-1/4” long centered directly above the vulva.
• G-Wax - Completely bare except for a tiny tuft of short hair centered directly above the vulva.
• Custom Designs - Completely shaved except for a custom shaped patch centered above the vulva. Shapes can be anything including triangles, arrows, hearts, etc..

Feel free to add your tips to this page using the form below. Happy styling! If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy reading about how to bikini wax and how to get rid of pubic hairs for men and women.