Sick of uncomfortable rashes plaguing your bikini line and looking for irritation-free shaving hacks?

Look no further. We’ve found the 7 best shaving hacks for those who want to achieve the perfect pubic hair finish.

How you style your pubic hair is a personal decision.

Some like to get rid of it all. Others simply neaten up the edges every so often.

Heather Helton is a certified nurse-midwife with 19 years of experience working in sexual health. She has almost 100k followers on TikTok, where she shares informative videos about sexual health, pregnancy and birth.

Last week, she shared her top shaving hacks and the video quickly went viral, racking up over 7 million views in a matter of days.

Do I need shaving hacks if I’m pregnant?

Plenty of pregnant women find dealing with their pubic hair a challenge. Maybe it’s because your belly’s in the way, or because you don’t know whether you should shave your pubic hair or not.

Truth is, you don’t need to shave or remove any of your pubic hair if you choose not to.

Your maternity provider doesn’t care whether you are totally bald, or sporting a full bush.

Although you might worry about how your private parts look, your care provider isn’t even likely to notice whether or not you’ve made any special effort.

Remember, care providers are professionals. They’ve seen a lot of vulvas. They won’t care, or remember, what your pubic hair looks like. They’re far too focused on doing their job.

And when you’re in the middle of giving birth, the last thing on your mind will be the state of your pubic hair.

What causes shaving rash?

Shaving any area of your body can cause a rash known as razor burn. This is simply skin irritation caused by contact with the razor. It shows up as:

Redness
Irritation or itching
Burning or hot sensation
Tenderness.

Usually razor burn shows up minutes after you finish shaving. It’s usually caused by dry shaving or using a blunt razor blade.

Shaving hacks to treat shaving rash

Shaving rash is temporary but it can be pretty irritating while it lasts. The best course of action is to leave it alone and wait until the rash eases.

But if it’s really bothering you, try these tips to help it heal faster:

Use cool compresses
Apply an astringent such as witch hazel extract, apple cider vinegar or cooled black tea. This helps to ‘cool’ down the rash
Use natural oils such as olive, coconut or almond, to moisturise the area
Try aloe vera; it contains enzymes that reduce inflammation of the skin
Oatmeal or baking soda added to your bath calms skin rashes
Lotions for nappy rash can also help
Avoid anything containing alcohol.

Shaving hacks to avoid ingrown hairs

If you’ve shaved your pubic area and woken up to a smattering of angry red bumps, you probably have razor bumps. These are ingrown hairs and are a common complaint of women who shave their pubic area.

Razor bumps or ingrown hairs happen after shaved hair regrows and curls into your skin rather than away from your skin.

Ingrown hairs usually resolve themselves but they can become raised, red and tender. They can also last for some time or even become infected.

If this happens, you might need special treatment, such as antibiotics.

7 of the best shaving hacks for a rash-free shave

Luckily, you can avoid razor burn and ingrown hairs by improving your shaving technique. Try these shaving hacks to get the best bikini line shave you’ve ever had.

Heather Helton has shared step by step shaving hacks to prevent shaving rash and ingrown hair.

In her video, she visits a drug store to point out products people should use when shaving. She also discusses the most effective and safe way to shave.

#1: Use warm water and soap on your skin

Helton says to start by taking a warm shower and washing the area with an unscented soap for sensitive skin. This will remove any bacteria or dirt on the skin that could cause problems for freshly shaved areas.

#2: Exfoliate with a body scrub

Next, Helton suggests exfoliation to remove dead skin cells. Removing dead skin cells will help you get a closer shave and reduce the chance of rashes later.

How you exfoliate is up to you. Some people like to use exfoliating lotions; other choose to use gloves or brushes. Make sure you use a lotion that you trust not to irritate your skin.

#3: Use a brand new men’s razor

A brand new razor guarantees the blade is very sharp. Men’s razors are designed to be sharp enough to deal with wiry bristles and they’re often sharper than razors marketed to women.

#4: Try shaving gel

One of the best shaving hacks to date: use shaving gel on your bikini line to get the closest shave without the rash.

Shaving gel is a lubricant that creates a barrier between your skin and the razor blade. The gel allows the razor to glide across your hair and skin without friction – a big cause of razor burn.

#5: Shave in the direction your hair grows

This might seem like one of those really obvious shaving hacks but you’d be surprised how many people actually shave against the hairs. This is what causes friction and razor burn.

Use short strokes in the direction your hair grows. Rinse the razor after each stroke as a hair clogged razor is less effective.

#6: Use witch hazel

As mentioned earlier, witch hazel extract is an astringent. After your shave, Helton says you should dry your skin gently and dab on witch hazel; it should have less than 14% alcohol, to avoid stinging and irritation.

This will soothe your skin and gently close the pores, so you’re less likely to get a rash or bumps.

#7: Dab on hydrocortisone

Helton’s final shaving hack is to apply a small amount of 1% hydrocortisone cream to the shaved area. This prevents the inflammation and redness that can lead to ingrown hairs.

More shaving hacks

Want to improve your shave even more? Try these extra shaving hacks at home.

Trim your pubic hair before you use the razor. It’s easier to shave off and you won’t clog up your blade
Don’t leave your razor in the shower. Water dulls your blade, so dry it off and put it somewhere where it won’t get wet between shaves
Use lip balm on cuts. It’s perfect for stemming the bleeding if you nick yourself (ideally, don’t do that!)
No shaving gel? Your hair conditioner is perfect to act as a lubricant for shaving
Change blades after 10 uses to avoid using a dull blade on your skin
Shave at the end of your shower, to give your hair follicles maximum time to soften.

Check out Helton’s shaving hacks video.