If you choose to remove the hair from your bikini line, you’ve probably got your routine down pat by now. Whether you prefer to shave, laser or wax your hair, you know best which hair removal method suits your lifestyle and hair type.
Sure, we can arm ourselves with the best razors, bikini trimmers, and IPL devices, but apparently, there are a few very simple things a lot of us get wrong when removing hair from intimate areas. After all, your bikini line is one of the most delicate areas of skin on the body, and behaves very differently from the skin on your legs or underarms. From dry shaving when you’re short on time to picking at ingrown hairs, you might have unwittingly picked up small habits that can accumulate and quietly trigger irritation.
So I spoke to Shireen Forster, founder of Laser Me Out and Monica Ella Botros, Managing Director at Strip Hair Removal Experts, to find out what experts really wish you wouldn’t do to your bikini line: the bad, the avoidable, and the downright painful. Read on for their advice on the most common bikini line mistakes to avoid (and what to do instead).
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7 Things Experts Wish You’d Stop Doing to Your Bikini Line:
1. Dry shaving
We’ve all been there. While you probably know deep down that dry shaving isn’t good for your skin, it’s easy to push this to the back of your mind when you’re in a rush and need a quick hair-removal fix. “In reality”, says Forster, “shaving without water or lubrication can create a lot of friction between the blade and your skin. When the blade drags, it actually scrapes the surface layer of your skin. That causes tiny microcuts you often can’t see.” These small cuts don’t just cause the inevitable sting the next time you hop in the shower, as Forster points out, they often have longer-lasting effects too: “as a result, the skin barrier weakens, and irritation shows up later as razor burn, redness, stinging or small bumps.”
“Dry shaving also cuts the hair at a blunt, sharp angle”, she continues. “When that hair starts growing back, it’s more likely to curl into the skin instead of growing outward, leading to ingrowns”. Essentially, dry shaving is low maintenance now, but it will become high maintenance for a few weeks at the very least. It’s simply not worth it.
If you shave frequently, Forster suggests upgrading to a razor with five in-built hydration strips to reduce friction. Additionally, a fragrance-free shaving gel helps create adequate slip, and using warm water softens the hair and reduces resistance.
2. Picking ingrown hairs
As someone with quite thick body hair, my hair grows back much thinner after waxing, so I’ve come to expect at least one or two ingrown hairs after each hair removal session. While it’s tempting to pick or squeeze them out, Forster says this is one of the worst mistakes you can make when it comes to your bikini line.
“Picking an ingrown hair usually does more harm than the hair itself,” she says. “When you dig into the skin, you create trauma and break the skin barrier’s surface. That gives bacteria an easy way in, and what started as a small, trapped hair can turn into a painful, swollen bump. In some cases, it can even leave behind dark marks or scarring that lasts longer than the ingrown would have. The issue isn’t that the hair is ‘stuck’ under the skin because it’s trapped; it’s that its growth direction has changed. Forcing it out often makes the inflammation worse.”
To help prevent ingrown hairs, Forster recommends you incorporate dry brushing in your routine to prevent dead skin from blocking the follicle. “If you already have an ingrown hair, resist the urge to pick at it and instead, apply a warm compress to calm inflammation and encourage the hair to surface naturally”, advises Forster.
3. Wearing thongs daily
The first couple of points that Forster has brought up are probably quite common knowledge, but this one surprised me. Apparently, thongs are the worst style of underwear for irritating your bikini line. Forster explains: “It’s very common to see irritation exactly where underwear sits and rubs. Tight thongs create constant friction along the bikini line, and every time you walk, sit or exercise, the fabric repeatedly moves against the skin.”
When you think about it, it makes sense. “The bikini line is a naturally warmer area,” explains Forster. “Meaning heat and sweat build up easily. When friction is combined with moisture, irritation becomes far more likely. Switch to breathable, looser-fitting underwear where possible, especially during workouts, after hair removal or on long days out.”
And it’s not just the style of pants you wear that matters, but the material too. “Soft cotton fabrics allow airflow, helping to keep the bikini area cooler and drier,” Forster says. “Reducing constant rubbing is often enough to calm recurring bumps and sensitivity.” So, if you feel you’re doing everything else right when it comes to taking care of your bikini line, it might be as simple as switching your lace thongs to cotton briefs every other day.
4. Using harsh scrubs
While gentle exfoliation can help prevent and loosen ingrown hairs to give you the smoothest shave possible, Forster stresses that “aggressive physical scrubs” can often make things a whole lot worse—especially when used on the sensitive bikini area. “Large, rough particles in sugar or salt scrubs can irritate the thin skin around the bikini line, leaving it sore and more likely to sting after shaving. This extra irritation can then trigger more redness, post-inflammatory pigmentation and even increase the risk of further ingrowns, creating a cycle that’s hard to break.”
So, how to find the balance between smooth results and a safe execution? Forster advises switching to gentler methods: “Dry brushing uses soft to moderately firm bristles to lightly sweep away dead skin cells without dragging or scratching the surface. It improves surface circulation and helps guide hairs to grow outward instead of curling back into the skin. Done once or twice a week, it supports smoother texture and reduces ingrowns far more effectively than harsh, physical scrubs.”
ESPA
Skin Stimulating Body Brush
Kiehl’s
Post Shave Repair Gel
5. Waxing too frequently
If waxing is your preferred method of hair removal, it might be tempting to do it more frequently during the warmer months when you’ll probably want to be hair-free for longer stretches of time. But leaving enough time for healthy regrowth between wax appointments is crucial, as Forster points out. “Waxing forcibly removes the entire hair from the root, which traumatises the follicle and surrounding skin every single time. The hair then has to regrow through the surface, increasing the likelihood of curling back in and becoming ingrown, particularly in coarse bikini hair. If you don’t allow enough time between appointments, the skin doesn’t fully recover, and regrowth becomes harder to time properly.”
How long should we be leaving between bikini wax appointments? Monica Ella Botros, Managing Director at Strip Hair Removal Experts, advises around three to four weeks. “This allows the hair to grow to the optimal length (around ¼ inch, roughly the size of a grain of rice) so the wax can grip it properly and remove it cleanly.”
Waxing too frequently won’t just cause trauma to the skin, but you probably won’t get the ultra-smooth results you’re after, either. “If you wax too soon, the hair can be too short for the wax to adhere to properly, and the results won’t be as smooth,” says Botros. “Leaving it too long can mean thicker regrowth and slightly more discomfort during the appointment. Keeping a consistent waxing schedule also helps regulate the hair growth cycle, meaning the hair often grows back finer and sparser over time, making future waxes quicker and more comfortable.”
If you’re after longer stretches of hair-free skin than waxing can offer, Forster recommends laser hair removal as an alternative: “It uses controlled light energy to progressively weaken the hair follicle, rather than forcibly removing the hair from the root as waxing does. Each session typically targets around 10-15% of active hair growth, and over time, the hair grows back finer, sparser and slower. For best results, most people require a course of six to eight sessions.”
6. Heat exposure
“Exposing your bikini line to excessive heat is a common mistake, especially after hair removal,” says Forster. “When you step into a hot bath, sauna or strong sunshine, your blood vessels dilate, making the skin more prone to redness, swelling and inflammation. In an area that is already sensitive and friction-prone, this can quickly worsen irritation.”
She continues, “Temperature control is so important during hair removal treatments. At Laser Me Out, we use Soprano Titanium, which incorporates built-in ICE Plus cooling to protect the surface of the skin while targeting the follicle beneath. Keeping the outer layer cool helps minimise inflammation and reduce post-treatment sensitivity.”
What about after waxing? Botros says it’s completely normal for the skin to feel a little red, warm or sensitive for up to 48 hours after waxing, as the hair has been removed from the follicle. She advises you to focus on “cooling, calming and protecting the skin barrier. Applying a cool compress or aloe vera can help reduce redness, and wearing loose, breathable clothing will prevent unnecessary friction.”
Both experts agree: for the first 24 hours after any type of hair removal, it’s best to avoid hot baths or showers, saunas, heavy workouts, tight clothing and fragranced products, allow your skin time to calm down and recover, using gentle, fragrance-free products to soothe any redness or irritation.
7. Switching hair removal methods constantly
Finally, Forster highlights the importance of sticking to a single method of hair removal: “Each method affects the follicle differently. Shaving cuts the hair at the surface, waxing pulls it from the root, whereas laser hair removal targets the pigment inside the follicle during its growth phase. When you keep switching, the follicle never settles into a predictable cycle. This can lead to uneven regrowth and inconsistent results, especially with professional treatments like laser hair removal, which rely on structured growth phases to work properly. Commit to one approach and follow it correctly rather than jumping between methods whenever regrowth appears.”
What are the best products to soothe the bikini line area?
You’ve done everything possible to avoid irritating your bikini line, but you’re still experiencing some sensitivity. Not to worry, there are plenty of soothing products that can help. Botros advises you to “keep products simple, gentle and fragrance-free—ingredients like aloe vera and chamomile are great for calming redness and soothing irritation, while lightweight moisturisers help restore hydration and support the skin barrier.” She also recommends using products containing tea tree or mild exfoliating acids between hair removal sessions, which can help prevent ingrown hairs and keep the area smooth.
LED face masks are popular for calming irritation and inflammation on the face, but that same technology works well elsewhere on the body, too.
Oyo
Skincare No Burn Balm
Project E Beauty
Lumalux Dome Face & Body Led Red Light Therapy Device