Shaving pubic hair is trickier than shaving your legs–but if you use a razor like this one, you’ll have safer and better results than if you use a cheap one. | Source: ShutterStock

As if your business down there weren’t stressful enough, now shaving pubic hair has been linked to a whole bunch of injuries. Scary!

Emergency rooms have seen a huge rise in pubic hair removal-related injuries, and most of them are from razors. 88 percent of people who hurt themselves removing their pubic hair did so while shaving, with scissor accidents down there coming in at roughly 22 percent of injuries, while hot wax caused 1.4 percent. And think of it this way: These are just emergency room cases that have been reported. Chances are there are a lot more accidents and injuries from shaving pubic hair, trimming or waxing it than people are owning up to, because, well, that’s a sort of embarrassing thing to explain to your doc.

The scariest part? A big chunk of those injuries were in girls under 18. Yikes! To avoid any trips to the ER that you’ll have to awkwardly explain to your doc and your dad, here are tips for shaving pubic hair to avoid getting hurt:

Always use shaving cream or gel.
It’ll help your razor glide more smoothly and prevent ingrown hairs.

Make sure you have a quality razor.
You’ll want one with multiple blades and a pivoting head to prevent nicks and cuts. You know how much those hurt when you get them on your ankles? Think that pain times about a hundred when it’s on your lady bits.

Trim it first if you can.
Some bikini razors will come with a trimmer. Use that or scissors first before shaving to get the hair as short as possible so you’ll have less to do later.

Do it in the shower or bath.
Soaking for about five to 10 minutes in warm water will soften the hair and make it easier to shave off. Soaking in the shower may be easier, because you can prop your legs up and may have more visibility.

Don’t go against the grain.
When shaving your pubic hair, go in the direction the hair grows first to avoid irritation. Only go in the opposite direction if that fails–and don’t go over the same section more than two or three times, or you risk cuts and irritation.

Be sure to rinse your blade in between strokes.
If it’s clogged with hair, it won’t work well!

Don’t shave during your period.
Not only does that sound super messy, but you’re also more sensitive to pain.

Get your hands on some hydrocortisone.
Shaving your pubic hair can make you itchy down there. This’ll prevent it!

Have you ever had a mishap shaving pubic hair? Do you wax or shave pubic hair? Have you ever gotten hurt shaving pubic hair? Tell us in the comments!

Guys are at risk of injuries shaving pubic hair, too!

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