Hair down THERE??

[zoompastmykids]

OK I've been dying to talk to female cyclists about this so I'm just gonna go ahead and do it here.

Since riding long distances I've had several problems down there. Bumps and boils in the band of my underwear. So I made the move to cycling shorts and going underwear-less. OK! I didn't want to do it. My but is unattractive but I decided my comfort was more important than whether I felt I looked good on my bike.

Recently I had other issues. An ingrown hair and boil where my pubic hair is. So.... I just shaved everything. The boil and ingrown hair healed almost overnight. It's definitely much better. A dream compared to the trouble I was having. Now I'm just having to get use to shaving a new area every day (because it seems once you make the jump to shaving you have to be committed: re-growth is uncomfortable) and the occasional razor burn in such a sensitive area.

I've never gone so drastic as a shave before, scissors and close cuts but never shaving.

I'm curious about how common it is for female riders to shave everything.... or am I just the most odd woman on this board. Maybe I should have been smarter and started with depilatory creams

Other women I know shave their privates but it's usually for their husbands and not for biking! Just curious if shorn pubis are common in biking.

Is there a method someone uses that works without discomfort?

[Biciclista]

I've never had hair issues but a lot of women trim with scissors, you're the first one I've heard about that actually is shaving every day. I wouldn't like that one bit.

[zoompastmykids]

.... you're the first one I've heard about that actually is shaving every day.....

Well now... that certainly makes me feel comfortable.

[ny biker]

I can't shave anything every day -- it would cause irritation, even on relatively unsensitive areas on my legs. I shave in the creases once a week, keep things short with scissors otherwise.

Another thing that's important -- wear clean shorts for every ride, change out of them as soon as possible after the ride is done (into clean, dry clothes even if it will be a while before you can shower). I also shower before every long ride. And although I use generally use Dove, I find that real soap is better for the sweaty parts, because it just gets you cleaner.

[zoompastmykids]

everyday. If I didn't shave my legs everyday I wouldn't be able to sleep between the sheets at night. Stubble drives me crazy.

I've been shaving almost a week and it's almost perfectly normal now. All initial abrasion is almost gone tonight.

I do the change shorts, showers, soap bit. I've been getting lots of info from other riders and reading. I just haven't heard or read anything about shaving. I just thought it was the big secret no one talked about because it's an indelicate topic.

I still would like to hear if anyone else out there shaves. Anyone? Anybody? Surely I'm not the only one.

[Grog]

Sorry, I'm part of the "a lot of women" Biciclista refers to. I trim with scissors.

[lph]

Ingrown hairs and boils are very common, so you're certainly not alone there. We've all had our anguished moments on a bike saddle... I find shaving irritates the skin, and I don't have the diligence to do it every day, so I avoid it. But whatever makes you comfortable and works for you!

[nscrbug]

I shave down there, but I don't ride everyday so I can usually get away with doing it every 2 days or so. Most of the time, I'll just do it the day before the weekend because those are my big riding days...and I'm good for those few days.

[Reesha]

Oh man, I could never shave down there regularly. It's just so uncomfortable with all the razor burn and ingrowns and scratchiness. I do however get a full brazilian wax 2-3 times during the summer (totally bare) because it's HOT in St. Louis and they do help me feel a lot 'fresher' down there.

They don't come cheap though. In St. Louis they are between 40-60 bucks. I usually need it once a month. Then you have to take care of the area by gently exfoliating with your fingers, etc. I don't know... I feel like it's worthwhile. I love the way it feels during the hot sticky summer months.

[OakLeaf]

Shaving guarantees me ingrown hairs, bike or no bike. Tweezing and waxing no different. I'm another one who trims with scissors.

[Reesha]

I only tend to get a few with waxing and they usually aren't very painful. Needless to say, I don't worry about it if it's not June, July, or August.

[Crankin]

I go with the waxing, but even that, gives me bumps and irritation, despite going to a very reputable (and expensive) spa to get this done. And, I have to make sure I am not wearing underwear or bike shorts for at least 24 hours after I have it done. This time, it seems my long ride this weekend irritated the area, more in the crease of my legs, and I now am full of irritation.
Good thing is, the waxing lasts at least a month.

[westtexas]

I'm definitely another shave in the creases and trim short with scissors. Shaving is what gives me ingrown hairs and irritation, but the hair in the creases is too hard to trim and it gets caught up otherwise - plus you still have that bikini line for swimwear. I once had a boyfriend I shaved for everywhere and it was the most uncomfortable 6 months of my life.

[jessmarimba]

I've waxed enough over time that the hair is much thinner now than it originally was - I don't generally have a lot of problems. But I don't generally ride much more than 30ish miles at a time, so I can't say what might happen after that.

I'd also suggest that you be very careful about perfumed anything - soaps, powders, whatever. That plus pressure plus sweat can be irritating rather quickly.

[alexis_the_tiny]

The hair nightmare. Good grief. Trimming irritates the hell out of my skin. Shaving is out because I'm clumsy and nicks there hurt. Plus, stubble, omg. Sugaring and tweezing are only marginally better but regrowth is nuts.

If stubble drives you insane, maybe try sugaring and tweezing. And then exfoliate regularly with a scrub. I use the St Ives apricot facial scrub with alpha hydroxy. Its...gentle enough. Maybe you might luck out and the regrowth will get finer each time. The scrub helps regrowth not be so darned itchy and horrible, something about skin hardening over waxed/sugared areas and pushing new hair inwards. I've heard loads of people rave about Tend Skin Solutions to deal with razor burns, ingrown hairs and whatnot. Can't hurt to give it a shot.