Shaving Can Lead to Darker Intimate Areas Shaving can cause hyperpigmentation, i.e. the darkening of the intimate area. Frequent hair removal irritates the skin when new growth comes in, which can cause color changes. Chemicals in shaving cream and lotions can also aggravate the problem.
Your hair does not come back darker or thicker. It is biologically impossible for it to change in color or thickness because of shaving. Think of the hair on your head. When you go for a hair cut, does your hair grow back thicker or darker? No! Shaving is just like that, you are cutting your hair.
Melanocytes naturally increase in the genital areas with age and/or states of increases in or vacillating estrogen levels. (A perfect example is pregnancy.) In addition, excessive friction or rubbing of tissues can also result in an increase of melanocytes and darkening of the genital areas.
Here are three practical strategies to help prevent and reduce shaving-induced skin darkening: Preparation is Key: For Razor/Wet Shaving: Begin with a thorough face wash using warm water to soften the skin and hair. Apply a rich, Moisturizing Shave Cream designed to shield your skin from the razor's edge.
Long story short, there is nothing dirty or unclean about pubic hair. There is no medical reason to remove it. And yet, many people feel pressured to shave or wax because of our society's long-standing ideas of gender, beauty, and purity.
Pubic hair grooming, described as partial or complete removal of pubic hair, is considered a prevalent practice in both men and women [1]. Notably, The prevalence of this practice is reportedly high in groomers with more than 80% of women actively engaging in it, as evidenced by multiple studies [1,2,3,4,5].
shaving, waxing wins the battle for the longer-lasting hair removal method. While your hair will start to grow back just a few days after shaving, waxing lasts several weeks before you're ready to head back for another appointment. And your hair will be less noticeable than it was before you started waxing.
Use skin lightening cream
The most effective lightening ingredients you should look out for in creams are vitamin C, mulberry, liquorice and hydroquinone, which all help to brighten skin with dark patches and promote an even skin tone.
Its moisturizing properties can help soothe the skin and reduce redness and irritation. It can also help create a barrier that protects the skin from further irritation. To use Vaseline for razor bumps, apply a thin layer to the affected area after shaving and as needed throughout the day.
It is normal for the color of your private area to be darker than the rest of your skin. In fact, many fair-skinned women have purplish or brownish labia (vaginal lips), while those with darker skin tones have a lighter vulva (external part of the genitals).
Does shaving pubic hair reduce odor? Grow it long or cut it off — it's completely your choice whether to shave your pubic hair — but shaving isn't proven to reduce vulval smells. “Removing pubic hair can increase the risk of sweating, which can lead to odor from the sweat glands,” explains Dr. White.
Practices such as waxing, threading, and shaving, though ostensibly benign, can engender irritation, culminating in upper lip darkness. These methods of hair removal can cause micro-abrasions, inflammation, and subsequent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
In between shaving your pubic hair, you'll likely notice tiny black spots that are actually hair follicles beneath your skin. When you shave, you trim the hair above the skin, but the hair follicle is just beneath the surface. If your skin is pale and your hair color is dark, you're more likely to notice it.
An over-the-counter vitamin C serum can help lighten dark spots from hyperpigmentation. First, wash your skin, then rub a small amount of the serum in before putting on sunscreen. Try a licorice root extract to lighten dark areas. Licorice root can help address dark spots from hyperpigmentation as well.
Weekly exfoliation
The granules in a good scrub will remove dead skin cells and wear down any stubble present, so to speak, making it feel softer. Always use a natural, plastic-free scrub, though. This is palpably better for your skin and the environment.
Just be sure to use shaving cream and a sharp razor. Shaving doesn't make hair thicker or darker, though it might look that way. If you want to avoid the stubbly look you can get from shaving, you can use depilatories or wax. A depilatory is a cream or liquid that removes hair from the skin's surface.
From the gynecologist's perspective, shaving regularly to eliminate pubic hair has drawbacks. Razors harbor bacteria and cause some abrasion of the skin; especially in a moist environment. This creates a setup for a bacterial skin infection.
In comparing hair removal creams vs. waxing, hair removal creams remove hair without pain while waxing can cause some discomfort. But when it comes to long-lasting results, waxing takes the lead.
In fact, of the men polled, 50% say they have no preference whatsoever when it comes to pubic or bum hair – their partner could have all of it, none of it, some of it, whatever.
Japan: Women in Japan have preferred to shave only their legs and underarms, leaving the bikini and pubic area untouched. It is also quite common to remove facial hair and peach fuzz for a smooth, glass-like appearance.
There's no set time for girls to begin shaving.