Hair Removal Dilemma (bikini line)!!!

Hi,
I am really at my wits' end when it comes to hair removal in my bikini line. From the time I was about 14 or 15, I shaved it regularly. I used to get a little itchy for a day and have the occasional ingrown hair, but nothing major.
From the time I was about 20 I started waxing instead as I had started to get some more ingrowns and waxing just worked better for me. I even did brazilian waxes without major problems.

But over the last few years, I have had such dramas. No matter whether I shave, wax or use hair removal cream, I get really nasty bumps the next day. The itchiness iss maddening. I also get some really nasty huge ingrowns and they last for about a month (by which time I am overdue for another shave).

Seriously, this looks much worse than a hairy bikini line. I even considered just letting it grow. But I am quite hairy down there and it makes me really self-conscious.
It probably sounds silly, but I am German, and I really don't want to spread the stereotype that German women don't shave (which is untrue, by the way).

I can't afford laser hair removal.

I shave my underarms and legs without any problems. I do get some slightly ingrown hair there occasionally, but nothing to worry about.

Please share your tips and tricks with me.

I know its not the same area but I used to get ingrown hairs when I waxed my eyebrows and upper lip until I started using nads ingown hair solution...I just got it from the supermarket.
Have you tried anything like that?

Thanks for your reply. I have once used something like that. Not sure what the brand was. Possibly skin doctors something or other? They were moist wipes. But firstly they didn't seem to work and secondly were really quite expensive. I will give this Nads stuff a try if can find it.
Thanks again.

Wax.
Go home, cold shower or bath. And use NOTHING on them for 48 hours - no creams, lotions, soaps, powders, ingrown solutions - nothing.
Just cold showers til the pores close again and the swelling (heat) goes down.

It is the only thing that has worked for me - I am a newly converted waxer - forever shaved and used creams and always the ingrown, red rashy looking stuff - always. The last 2 times been waxed, done the above and NO ingrowns. NO rash. NO itch. Nothing. Even in Perth sweaty heat.

HTH :)

That's what I used to do. But it doesn't work anymore. I have had it waxed professionally and waxed it myself. Used to work well. Didn't even have any swelling or irritation. Until about 4 years ago.

I have to add that my skin has changed quite a bit in the last years. I got pustular psoriasis on my hands and feet about 5 years ago. Quite badly. It has almost disappeared now. But my skin is way more sensitive than it used to be. Suddenly react to wearing earrings. After 15 years of wearing even the cheapest earrings without any problems, suddenly I react to even the medicinal ones and gold and silver ones, too.
I also get dermatitis under my rings. I no idea what's going on and if I go to the doctor, they only ever give me steroid creams. They don't care about figuring out the cause.
I know that it's not easy with skin conditions.

A bit OT: I have seen a dermatologist a few years back about my psoriasis. Not that it did much. Funnily enough, it seemed to get worse in early pregnancy, but during the third trimester it cleared up. I have since been pregnant or breastfeeding and it never came back. Isn't that odd? no idea whether there is a connection...

Wow! I was going to suggest nads also or exfoliator?

Good luck xo

I"m in a similar situation but with the backs of my thighs! When I shave I get SERIOUS red irritated bumps to the point where I have no shaved above my knees for a good 18 months (yuck, I know) The pain and discomfort are just too much!

Mmmmm, I have never shaved above my knees... not that I have much hair there at all anyway, especially not at the back.

I use those exfoliation gloves and they make a tiny bit of a difference. But it's not like they're solving the problem. In fact, they sometimes cause even more irritation.

This is going to seem way out there, but if you've developed skin problems over time that worsen in pregnancy (when your immune system is lowered), I'd say there's another problem at the heart of it.

I'd talk to a naturopath or a doctor about your immune system. The reason I say this, is I developed very bad skin over time. I recently had a hair mineral analysis done and it found I was overloaded with heavy metals like copper and mercury. All of which damage the body. I'm slowly detoxing and my skin is improving. I'd be interested to know if you also have digestive problems, as things like develop with heavy metal poisoning. For example, I'm gluten and dairy intolerant. I may have always been, but it's only recenlty become a noticable problem.

I'd say you're developing extrememly sensitive skin. Get rid of any products full of yukky chemicals - start looking at completely natural, preferably organic products, including household cleaning products.

Otherwise, the thing that stopped ingrown hairs after waxing for me was laser. I know you've already said you can't afford it. I couldn't afford to continue but the 3 sessions I had made a big difference.

Thanks for your input.
And it doesn't seem way out there, what you said. I have considered these things especially when my Psoriasis was at its height.
I developed Psoriasis after moving to Queensland, prompting me to think it could be environmental.
My Psoriasis only worsened during my first pregnancy. Actually it had been getting worse and worse for about a year before that. It has been much better since the 3rd trimester of that first pregnancy. In fact, you could say that late pregnancy healed my psoriasis. I have an incling that the cause for it being so bad was hormonal and that breastfeeding is a good thing for my body. Who knows, maybe prolactin is good against psoriasis?

Also, pustular psoriasis is hereditary in many cases and it does run in my family. I only have a mild case of it, my mother was much worse.

Since developing PP, I already went mostly natural with everything from washing powder and skin care products, cleaning products. I cook mostly everything from scratch, using as much organic produce as I can afford. I even make my own bread and yoghurt and other cultured milk products like kefir.
I certainly don't have any food intolerances.
I'm as healthy as an ox ;-) Even if everyone else in the family gets sick, I barely ever get a sniffle. So I don't think there is anything wrong with my immune system.

Do you mind telling me how much you paid for the 3 sessions of laser hair removal?

Again, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I wish that most doctors would spend this much time trying to figure out the root rather than just treating the symptoms. My current doctor is pretty good, but it took me quite a while to get there.

What kind of nickers are you wearing? Cotton?