How to Shave Pubic Hair for Men and Women – Without Razor Bumps

Whether you are male or female, shaving is probably part of your daily ritual – at least for certain areas. But what about that “more discreet” hair growth? Let’s take a look at how to shave your pubic hair properly, for both women and men.

Alternative hair removal resources for you to consider:

• How To Do Your Own Brazilian Wax At Home
• Home Laser Hair Removal Devices Reviewed
• Top 4 Best Home Electrolysis Machine Reviews

Pubic Hair – Love it or Hate it!

Humans are self-conscious, and some topics can make us a bit more squeamish than others. Pubic hair is one of them. Left to its own devices, pubic hair often grows in size and directions which can be appalling. For women, a naturally growing strip running from the pelvis area up to the belly button isn’t exactly going to look enticing during bikini season. For men, a wild “hedge” can be unattractive to lovers, while also occasionally getting caught up in a pants zipper.

There was a time when societal standards for pubic hair were simple: let it do what comes naturally. However, the modern trend is to tidy things up a bit. Let’s look at the best way to shave your pubes without getting razor bumps, beginning with the fairer sex.

Pubic Area Shaving For Women

A 2013 study of over 3,000 American women revealed that 83% chose to groom their pubic hair. Factors including opinions on hygiene and sexual preferences influenced decisions to trim, or remove pubic hair altogether. And while some older women still groom regularly, the practice was found to be most common among women under 45.

If you decide that you want to proceed, then let’s walk you through how to shave your pubic area (vulva which includes the mons pubis) in the safest and most effective way possible, without getting bumps.

Choose a Style That Is Right for You

For any woman (or man) considering shaving her pubic area, the first step is to stop and think about the desired final result. There are three general classifications:

1. Hollywood: All hair removed – smooth as a baby’s butt.
2. Stencil: The remaining hair forms a design of some sort.
3. Strip: A strip of hair runs from the top of the vulva to the bikini line.

Of these styles, the Hollywood is the easiest to achieve, followed by the strip and then the stencil. With the stencil approach, it is best to simply cut out a cardboard outline of the design you have in mind and then trim and shave around it. In any case, you can only get to where you’re going – if you know where you want to go.

Never start a shave without knowing your final destination.

Trim First to Pave the Way for the Blade

Once you’ve selected a style, it is time to get to work. The first tool you will need is not a razor – it’s a set of scissors. A razor is only effective at removing hairs less than a quarter of an inch long. Pubic hair is typically going to be much longer than that, so trimming your pubes first will speed things up considerably, and efficiency is important because the skin around the vaginal area is tender.

Repeatedly dragging a cutting blade across this skin will aggravate it, so it’s important to take time to trim the hair as much as possible. Trim and then trim some more.  You could also utilise a bikini trimmer for a more consistent effect.

Shower/Bath To Soften Pubic Hair

Now that the pubic hair is cut down to size, it is time to hop in a hot bath or take a hot shower for 15 minutes. Pubic hair is surprisingly coarse. Heating it up with steam or hot water and humidity will soften the hair, making it easier to remove. Your skin will thank you.

Exfoliate – Maybe Not the First Few Times Your Decide to Shave

Should you exfoliate at this point? In theory, the act of exfoliating will remove any dead skin cells in the pubic area and allow for a closer shave. While this notion is true, it is important to remember that we are talking about very tender skin and exfoliating is going to expose even more tender skin cells.

For this reason, you probably want to avoid exfoliating, for at least the first few shaving sessions, until your skin gets used to the process.  When you are ready to start exfoliating you would want to use something that is natural and gentle like the Konjac Sponge.

Getting Down to Business – The Shave

You are finally ready to actually shave. Once the skin around the vagina is clean and the hair is trimmed to less than a quarter of an inch, the next step is to apply shaving cream to the area. There are many different types of shaving cream, but only one will suffice when it comes to your pubic area.

You need a gel with lubricant. This is critical because if you’re reading this article, this is probably the first time a razor has touched the skin around your genitals.

A lubricating gel is going to allow the razor blades to effectively remove hair while minimizing irritation to “virgin” hair and skin. If you are going to spend a few extra dollars at any point of this process, spend it on a quality lubricating gel designed specifically for the task.  A product similar to the one linked below would be a worthwhile investment.

Now it’s time for the second key tool: the razor. New blades are the order of the day. They will be sharp so you’ll need to make fewer runs across the target area. And using fewer strokes means there will be less trauma to the skin, and less chance of your vag getting bumps.

Note: Another valid approach is to use an electric razor (sometimes called a vagina shaver or bikini shaver) to shave your pubes – they do not shave as close as a blade, but there will be less chance of getting razor bumps. Please follow this link for details of the best razor for women’s pubic area.

Let’s get to it:

1. Apply warm water to the area.
2. Firmly apply the lubricating gel until the target area is completely covered.
3. Run the razor under warm, but not hot, water.
4. Pull the razor over the target area in long, slow strokes.
5. Rinse the razor off after every stroke to remove hair, skin cell and gel buildup from the blades.

Importantly, do not push down on your skin with the blade.

You are not shoveling or digging. The blade surface should simply be placed flat against the skin. As you pull the razor horizontally across the surface, the angled cutting blades will pick up and remove the hair. Let the blade do all the work. What about more difficult-to-reach areas such as way between your legs? The best approach to removing hair from this part of the pubic region is to use the “one leg up” approach. Position a stool or some other relatively tall object next to the sink, so you can rest one leg on it. When you do, your thigh will be horizontal to the floor.

Now bend your leg out to the side of your body as far as needed, and lean over to gain access to the area. Some women place a mirror on top of the stool to provide a better view. Is it a dignified position? Not at all, but it is effective.

Once you are positioned, the same rules we’ve already discussed apply to shaving this area. Make sure the lubricating gel fully covers the hair you’re going to shave. Then just run the blade along the surface. You do not need to push the blade into the skin. Just keep it flat on the surface of the skin and the cutting angles of the individual blades will take care of everything.

After shaving your pubes, clean the area and grab a hand-held mirror because it is time for another inspection. Unless you are very lucky, you will have missed a few hairs here and there. Instead of going through the whole shaving process again, grab your tweezers (the third tool) and remove those individual hairs.

Apply a High-Quality Moisturizer

What do you do when finished with any skin treatment? Right – you moisturize. This is still the rule when shaving the pubic region. Apply a quality moisturizer to the area, to help the skin recover from the shock of shaving.  An example of a high-quality moisturizer that can be used on the more intimate areas can be found on Amazon.

How Frequently Can I Shave?

A big problem with hair is that it grows back. That may lead you to try shaving every day. Don’t. Your skin will become irritated and the process intended to make you more beautiful will leave you with distinctly unattractive red skin. At most, you should only shave pubic hair every five days. A full seven-day waiting period is best.

If you are looking for alternatives to “the big shave” then continue reading below.

Hair Growth Inhibitor

Another product you might want to investigate is a hair growth inhibitor.  Apparently, they work by reducing the concentration of nutrients inside the hair follicle.

Note – Men and Woman can use this Product!

Pubic Area Shaving For Men

Why would men want to shave their pubic hair? There are several reasons.

For some men, pubic hair growth can be so prolific that National Geographic might call to ask about a photo shoot.

For others, a trim is necessary to appease a lover or as a requirement for activities like modeling, cycling or swimming. Whatever the reason, shaving pubic hair is not particularly difficult for most men.

“Manscaping” is the act of keeping one’s genital area nicely trimmed. Of course, you need to first decide what “trimmed” actually means to you. For some men, the process simply involves shaving the pubic region in areas where hair might make an unwanted appearance. Hairs poking out above the belt line or peeking from the sides of a bathing suit are not what most guys have in mind when they take off their shirt or go swimming.

Other men want to go all the way, removing all hair including the ones which grow on the scrotum. Either way, the process is not all that different than the one you use to shave your face.

Quick Tip – Taut Skin Is the Order of the Day

The key to a quality shave in the pubic area is taut skin. If you are like most men, your skin in this area is loose. That’s a good thing when you are sweating a lot during a workout or playing sports, but it creates a poor shaving surface. To effectively remove hair, you need a surface that’s as taut as a drum skin. In this regard, the penis is your friend. By lightly pulling it away from the area to be shaved, you should be able to create a firm shaving surface for hair removal.

Above the Penis

Shaving the area above the penis is simple. First, use scissors, an electric shaver, body groomer like Manscaped Lawn 4.0 or trimmer to reduce the hair down to less than a quarter of an inch in length. Then jump in the shower to clean the area and warm up the skin. Stay in the shower and apply a lubricating gel to the skin (make sure it is designed for sensitive skin like the GiGi shave gel), to prepare it for the shave.

Using a razor with new blades, remove the hair by making downward strokes in the direction of the hair growth, until you feel that you’re “done.” Do not apply aftershave following the procedure because the skin is too sensitive for that. Instead, use a simple moisturizer (once again use one designed for intimate areas like the Bare Intimate Shave Lotion above).

Around and Below

Access is the key to shaving around and below the penis area. To gain access, try placing one leg up on the bathroom sink. If you are not flexible enough to do that, use a chair. Once you have one leg up, you should be able to bend over and gain access to the target areas by bending your leg out from your body.

You will have to get creative by pulling the skin this way and that, in order to create a surface the blade can work on, but stick with it and you’ll get the hang of it.

The Scrotum – for the Adventurous and the Brave

Prefer a smooth scrotum? It should go without saying that introducing a sharp blade to the surface of your scrotum is something that should be undertaken with great care. The process for shaving your scrotum is much different than the rest of your pubic area. The first step is to trim the hairs growing on the testicles with scissors. Do not use an electric device; these hairs are so thin that they can get caught in the device and yanked out of the scrotum. To call that experience “painful” would be a major understatement.

Once the area is trimmed, stack a few pillows on a bed and lie on them, using the pillows to support your head and upper back. Bend your legs out to the side like a woman giving birth. Pull the penis up towards your stomach to tighten the skin. Then slowly and carefully run the razor across any random hairs. Do not push down on the razor – just let the blades do the work. Go slowly…and carefully. A “nick” on the scrotum is unpleasant, to say the least. Once done, consider using a moisturizer to firm things up.

Why no mention of shaving gel for this area? The hairs on the scrotum tend to be placed far apart. Shaving gel makes it difficult to see the hairs and you don’t want to shave an area of the scrotum where there it’s not necessary. It is far simpler to just go after the hairs one by one, and then use moisturizer afterward to treat the skin.

Gents, if you are looking for other ways to impress, read Groom+Style’s fun article 25 Grooming Tips For Men by Women.

Slightly Painful Alternative To Shaving Pubic Hair – Waxing

Is there an alternative to shaving your pubic region? Yes, but you might think twice before giving it a try. The most popular and effective technique is to undergo a wax removal. The process starts with a person spreading hot wax on your pubic hair. A strip of sturdy paper is patted down on top of the wax causing it to adhere to the wax. The wax is then allowed to cool until it hardens completely.

Now comes the fun part.

The technician grabs one end of the paper and then rips it into the air from one end to the other. Up comes the paper and the wax attached to it. As the wax is pulled away from your skin, it yanks out the pubic hair as well. The bad news? This process has to be repeated multiple times – during each session – to remove all the desired hair. There are two primary problems associated with waxing.

First, you are fully exposed to the person doing the waxing. If you are a modest person, this is definitely not for you.

The second problem is, as you might guess, the pain. It is not uncommon for people to cry during waxing. Not only is pubic hair being yanked out of the skin, but waxing causes major trauma to the very sensitive skin in the pubic area. Combine these two factors and it is easy to see how anyone could end up whimpering.

For most people, shaving their own pubic area is a better solution. Not only is there no pain, but it can be done in private.  However, if you are keen to try waxing, which can produce an arguably smoother look, Groom+Style has written a detailed article How To Do Your Own Brazilian Wax At Home.

Less Painful Alternatives to Shaving Pubic Hair

There are three additional options you might want to consider if you decide shaving and waxing/epilation are not for you: electrolysis, laser hair removal and depilatory creams.

Ingrown Hairs – Something to Watch out For

Anytime you shave with a razor there is the chance of getting ingrown hairs.  They are annoying and frustrating, so Groom+Style has written another article which is recommended reading, to further understand how to remove and prevent ingrown hairs.

In Closing

It’s not hard to learn how to shave your pubic area, and the task is relatively easy once you get the hang of it. Follow the guidelines in this article and you should be able to do it without thinking, after a few weeks of practice.