How to Shave Pubic Hair Near Your Vagina Before Sex

Last Updated: November 3, 2022 References

Are you ready to take charge of your personal grooming? The good news is you don't have to head to the salon for hair removal. It's completely safe and really easy to get a perfectly smooth shave around your vagina all from the comfort of your home. Make it a spa night and get the self-care you deserve! Just remember that you should never feel pressured to shave your vagina—it's totally a personal decision. Ready to get started? We'll walk you through the process with lots of helpful tricks so it's as smooth and safe as possible.

1

Trim your pubic hair so it's more manageable.

If the hair around your vagina is long, it will clog your razor quickly. Take a pair of clean, sharp scissors and trim the hair close to your skin. You may want to use blunt-nosed scissors designed for grooming your pubic area so you don't accidentally poke yourself.^{[1]
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- Sometimes, partners may want to trim or shave each other, but this isn't a very safe idea since you're more likely to accidentally cause injury.^{[2]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  American Academy of Dermatology
  Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
  Go to source}

2

Soak in a bath or hot shower for at least 3 minutes.

The hot water softens your hair and skin so shaving is easier.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Mohiba Tareen, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} Working with hydrated, smooth skin can also prevent irritation and ingrown hairs so don't skip this step.^{[4]
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- It's fine to use hot water before you begin shaving, but you'll want to use warm water after you've finished since your skin will be super sensitive to heat.

3

Exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin cells.

Rub a loofah or exfoliating body scrub around your pubic area. Then, rinse off while you're still in the bath or shower. Exfoliating might not seem like a big deal, but it really helps your razor from getting clogged when you shave. Plus, it minimizes your chances of getting those dreaded ingrown hairs!^{[5]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- It's totally fine to use a homemade scrub, too! Try a body scrub or simple sugar scrub.

4

Get into a comfortable standing position.

Don't try to shave while you're sitting or laying down. Research actually showed that more serious trimming injuries happened when the person was laying down. Instead, stand in the shower so you can lean forward slightly with your legs spread apart. This way you can see what you're doing.^{[6]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- It may help to place a mirror on the ground below you so you can see your vagina better.

5

Apply shaving cream to your skin and let it sit for a few minutes.

Spread a generous amount of shaving cream near your vagina. Try to use a fragrance-free or sensitive shaving cream since these are less likely to irritate your skin. Then, wait a minute or two so the shaving cream can soften your skin and hair.^{[7]
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- You've probably heard that you can use baby oil instead of shaving cream. You can use this in a pinch, but the fragrance might bother your skin.
- Never use just soap to prepare your skin for shaving—it's not moisturizing and it won't protect your skin from irritation.

6

Shave down in the direction your hair grows.

Use your free hand to pull your skin taut and shave with downward strokes.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Mohiba Tareen, MD
Board Certified Dermatologist
Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} After every 1 or 2 strokes, rinse the razor so it doesn't get clogged. Go slowly and apply more shaving cream if you feel like you need it. Keep shaving until you've removed as much of the hair as you want.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- You can use any type of razor as long as it's new and sharp.^{[10]
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  Expert Source
  
  Mohiba Tareen, MD
  Board Certified Dermatologist
  Expert Interview. 26 March 2020.} Dull blades make it harder to shave and you're more likely to nick yourself. Splurge on a quality razor—you can find razors with multiple blades or moisturizing strips for instance.
- While you can shave all the hair off or leave a strip, you can also play around with fun styles. Buy grooming stencils at most beauty supply stores. Just press the adhesive stencil to your pubic area and shave the hair around it. When you remove the stencil, you'll see a design like a heart, triangle, or lightning bolt.

7

Rinse your skin with warm water.

Let the water rinse away the tiny hairs and shaving cream. Keep the water temperature comfortably warm—you may be more sensitive to heat right now.^{[11]
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- Avoid rubbing or scrubbing your vagina since it probably feels pretty sensitive!

8

Wash your vagina if you used baby oil when shaving.

Mineral oil like baby oil can weaken condoms. So, if you're planning on getting some action after shaving, it's really important that you wash your vagina with soapy water to remove traces of the oil.^{[12]
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- A study showed that even 60 seconds of exposure to mineral oil reduced the strength of the condoms by 90%!^{[13]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source}

9

Moisturize immediately after shaving.

Massage lotion around your vagina to lock in moisture and soothe your skin. Get out of the bath or shower and pat your skin dry. Then, reach for a lotion that won't clog your pores to minimize your risk of getting ingrown hairs. These are labeled "Non-comedogenic" or "Won't clog pores." You might want a fragrance-free moisturizer or one that contains aloe vera gel since these are gentler on your skin.^{[14]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source} Try shopping for a moisturizer that's got the eczema seal approval—these are the best on sensitive skin.^{[15]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- Again, skip moisturizing your skin with baby oil if you plan on using condoms for protection since the oil will weaken the latex.
- Don't apply aftershave or perfume to your vagina after you shave since it will really sting!

10

Wear loose clothes after shaving.

Skip tight panties and clothing since they'll rub against your sensitive skin. Friction can also cause bumps and you don't want that! Instead, wear soft fabric like cotton that's gentle against your skin.^{[16]
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- Natural fabrics also let your skin breathe rather than trap moisture.

11

Avoid scratching or picking the skin.

It's completely normal for your vagina to be a little red or bumpy after you shave. This is another reason why it's a good idea to shave the day before you plan on having sex. Give your skin time to calm down and resist the urge to scratch if it feels itchy. Sometimes, applying aloe vera gel or 1% hydrocortisone lotion can help.^{[17]
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- If you notice ingrown hairs, don't reach for the tweezers to pull the hair out. Instead, leave it alone so you don't introduce bacteria that could lead to an infection. Ingrown hairs will heal on their own.^{[18]
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Expert Q&A

Question

How do you stop ingrown pubic hairs when shaving?

Mohiba Tareen, MD
FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist
Mohiba Tareen is a board certified Dermatologist and the founder of Tareen Dermatology located in Roseville, Maplewood and Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Tareen completed medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. While a dermatology resident at Columbia University in New York City, she won the Conrad Stritzler award of the New York Dermatologic Society and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Tareen then completed a procedural fellowship which focused on dermatologic surgery, laser, and cosmetic dermatology.

Mohiba Tareen, MD

FAAD Board Certified Dermatologist

Expert Answer

The main reason you get ingrown hairs is that the hair curves back upon itself and makes an inflammatory reaction that then gets infected. Here are a few tips to prevent ingrown hairs, apply warm compresses to the area or even a warm shower before you treat the area to help stimulate blood flow. Massaging the area in a circular action with either soap or cleanser before you do your waxing or hair removal, helps bring the hair out of the follicle so it doesn't curve back upon itself. Choose a sharp single blade razor, not a dull overused razor because the sharper it is, the cleaner it lifts the hair. Remove your hair in the direction of hair growth making sure your skin is wet and lubricated.
Question

What brand do we use?

DespairBear

Community Answer

Any brand is okay depending on your preference. Check the reviews of a product before using.

Warnings

Always use clean grooming tools and never share them with others since you can share germs.^{[19]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}

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If your skin reacts to shaving and you get a severe rash, bleeding, discharge, or fever, call your doctor right away.^{[20]
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