Bikini Area Razor Burn

Hey! Heard this number:

“She was afraid to come out of the locker;

She was as nervous as she could be,

She was afraid to come out of the locker;

She was afraid that somebody would see.

They were those itsy bitsy teenie weenie red rashes around bikini;

That she got for the first time today!”

Er…pardon the poetic license for modifying the lyrics a bit. But the condition depicted is certainly real. Now who’d dare wear yellow polka-dot bikini or, for that matter, any other revealing outfit, if they’ve got this condition that not only afflicts the skin with red rashes, but turns the wearer red in the face too! Yes, we’re talking about the embarrassing bikini razor burn, which causes general skin redness, abrasion and irritation.

Bikini razor burn

Bikini-line razor burn can definitely force you off the beach and spoil your winter vacation meant for soaking the sun. And unfortunately, it’s only you who’re to blame for this condition! Your improper shaving technique gets you nicks and cuts.

In certain cases the hair are cut so short as to get under the skin and when they grow back, some of them pierce the skin causing inflammation and razor burn. Have a look at what all constitutes improper shaving:

a. Lack of sufficient skin lubrication.

b. Using too much pressure while shaving.

c. Shaving against the grain of hair growth.

d. Shaving pubic area too frequently.

d. Using after-shaves and colognes that dry and irritate freshly shaven skin.

So, the key to flaunting your shapely legs and that itsy bitsy bikini is to shave right.

Preparing to shave

You can prepare your skin for shaving as follows:

a. Shave at night rather than in the morning. Since shaving removes the dead skin cells and the superficial layer of the epidermis, a morning shave is more likely to expose this weakened skin to external elements. Shaving at night gives your epidermis the entire night to regain strength and suppleness.

b. Clean your skin thoroughly before shaving to prevent infection or burns. The best way is to shower and then shave. This will not only clean the skin, but increase skin elasticity and soften your hair.

c. Apply shaving cream or gel, whose ingredients, like aloe vera, further soften the hair and help the razor to glide smoothly over the skin, avoiding damage. Lather the cream by back and forth motion and leave it on the skin for two minutes before shaving.

Shaving

Using a sharp blade is your best bet, as a dull blade tends to scrape the skin, resulting in red spots, especially on sensitive bikini area and the underarms. Shave this area using short strokes, no more than an inch. Don’t apply pressure and shave along the grain of the hair growth. Don’t go over an area more than twice. And rinse the blade after every stroke to remove hair and dirt stuck to it.

After Shaving

It’s best to leave the skin alone after shaving by not apply anything. This gives time for the skin pores to close. An hour for this purpose is sufficient. And remember not to expose your skin to direct sunlight or any other possible source of irritation, like sea water, lotion, perfume and the like during this period.

To hydrate and re-moisturize the skin, apply an alcohol-free after shave. This will also soothe the irritation caused by razor burn. If despite this your skin gets razor burn, apply an alcohol-free antiseptic or an aloe vera based cortisone cream twice a day to soothe the area and get rid of the redness.

If you are well informed and well prepared you can avoid bikini area razor burn and enjoy your winter holidays basking under the sun, under the gaze of your friendly beach users!