Exfoliate before shaving.
Wait: Doesn't shaving slough for you? Thing is, not exfoliating pre-shave means "you run the risk of dead cells clogging your razor, so your shave won't be as close," says Marina Peredo, M.D., founder of Marina I. Peredo Dermatology and Spatique Medical Spa. "Exfoliating also helps bring the hair out of the follicle so bumps won't occur."
Spot-treat with lasers.
Welcome news for those with sprigs in odd places: Laser treatments aren't just for legs and bikini lines. You can actually spot-treat a single annoying hair—for a much cheaper rate!—says Melanie Grossman, M.D., a cosmetic and laser dermatologist. The average person will experience significant hair reduction in about three treatments, but yearly or biyearly touch-ups are recommended.
Remove hair when you're pasty.
Don't get a laser treatment if you have any kind of tan. If you're naturally pale and your specialist chooses a laser that's better suited for darker skin, it can increase the risk for nasty side effects, like irritation and blisters, says Grossman. She also warns her clients to avoid hot tubs, swimming pools, and pedicures for at least a week post-treatment. "The laser creates a tiny open wound, and there's a chance you can get an infection."
More From Women's Health
Standard Pelvic Tilts
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:02
/
Duration 0:14
Loaded: 100.00%
0:02
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:12
1x
- Chapters
- Quality
- 1080p
- 720p
- 540p
- 360p
- 270p
- auto, selected
- descriptions off, selected
- captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
- captions off, selected
- English
- default, selected
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
TextColorWhiteTransparencyOpaqueBackgroundColorBlackTransparencyOpaqueWindowColorBlackTransparencyTransparent
Font Size50%Text Edge StyleNoneFont FamilyProportional Sans-Serif
End of dialog window.
"Standard Pelvic Tilts"
Up Next
00:14
Pelvic Tilt Upper Body Support Variation
00:14
00:16
Stability Ball Pelvic Tilt
00:16
00:12
Quadruped Pelvic Tilt
00:12
Watch: Standard Pelvic Tilts
Lube up pre-wax.
Hydrating skin is the secret to a flawless wax job, ^ because softer hairs can be removed more easily, says Noemi Grupenmager, founder and CEO of UNI K Wax Center. "Five to seven days before your wax, start rubbing olive oil on your skin. It seeps in deep and won't clog pores," she says. The day of, drink lots of water and avoid alcohol. "While that glass of wine will relax you, it will also tighten your pores—which will create more of a pull when removing the hair—and can make skin sensitive."
Go old school.
If you wax your upper lip or bikini line every month, consider electrolysis, which destroys hair at the root using an electric current. Each visit will leave skin as smooth as it is from a wax—and after a year or two of treatments, you should be hairless forever, says Danna Homburger, owner of Danna Homburger Expert Electrolysis and Laser Hair Removal.
Try face serum down there (or anywhere).
No need to spring for a separate post-wax soothing formula—any face serum that's meant to reduce redness, irritation, or inflammation works on any body part, says dermatologist Gary Goldfaden, M.D., founder of Goldfaden MD. Check your product's ingredients panel for organic red tea, chamomile, oatmeal, cucumber, or green tea.
Want more tips? Check out Look Better Naked! (Rodale), by WH editor-in-chief Michele Promaulayko. Available at lookbetternakedbook.com.
Faye Brennan
Sex & Relationships Director
Faye Brennan is the Sex & Relationships Director at Cosmopolitan, covering all dating, relationship, sex, and love content for the brand. Follow her on Instagram
