Shaving Down for the Playa

Hoopes · Post by **Hoopes** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 10:44 pm

Thinking I might want to dangle in the playa breezes and wanting to avoid looking like another middle-aged "nudie man" with lots of unappealing body hair, I shaved completely from the neck down. Even though I did it two weeks before the event, expressly for the purpose of healing any razor burn before exposing my tender flesh to the desert air, my pubes broke out in horrible zits and have stayed that way!

I kept covered up, which was probably for the best anyway. (At least I managed to avoid the DPW's pants cannon!) As Benjamin Franklin said, "Experience keeps a dear school, but a fool will learn in no other".

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

alixmoon · Post by **alixmoon** » Tue Sep 02, 2003 11:32 pm

Silver · Post by **Silver** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 9:33 am

Try Nair, I did this on a bet several years ago and had no problems.

VirginBurner · Post by **VirginBurner** » Wed Sep 03, 2003 9:56 am

I both wax and shave --- and since I began this program, red bumps (ingrown hairs) are a thing of the past.

1. EXFOLIATE -- after you wax or shave rub down w/ an exfoliating puff/gloves every time you shower. If you don't do anything else, do this. Rub hard enough that your skin is pink when you're finished.

2. TENDSKIN -- used by the professionals.... ask any esthetician. You'll find it at beauty supply stores.

This will keep your ass and other tender spots as smooth as a baby's butt..... guarenteed.

If you still have the red bumps, you need to get the ingrown hairs out. Ask a friend to help.... they need to be popped and the hair needs to be pulled to the surface.

Cheese Daddy · Post by **Cheese Daddy** » Sat Sep 06, 2003 1:04 pm

This isn't a 'special event' thing. You need to maintain it. Unless you have very fine hair down there combined with thick skin, you will need to get your body used to the process of shaving and exfoliating months before you go.

I've been shaving / trimming that area for five years, and haven't had an ingrown since the first week I started.

My ex-marine buddy swears by desinex, because the irritation is a sign of infection. I guess marines get the bumps and irritation from the amount of marching they do.

TazGrl · Post by **TazGrl** » Sun Sep 07, 2003 12:54 am

What I've used for those nasty little ingrown hairs is Sally Hansen's Bikini Plus - it's got a mild antibiotic along with an antihistimine that works like a charm for me. Being a woman, I've been shaving my bikini area for a very long time and I've never been able develop a resistance to skin problems after shaving in that area. Especially when it's hot outside and sweat only makes the problem worse. Having sensitive skin along with deep-rooted folicles doesn't help, either.

I have tried Nair twice - first time was fine, second (just in time for BM) was a complete disaster...it literally started to burn my skin so badly it left raised welts.

And that wasn't even from leaving it on too long, since it never really got rid of the hair completely, and it even grew back in the normal amount of time (I know that I don't grow *that* much underarm hair in one week!). I mean, look at the ingredients - it contains sodium hydroxide, the same stuff they use in the *serious* drain clog formulas to dissolve the hair clogs. Not in the same quantities albeit, but all the same you're exposing a vital organ to a toxic, corrosive chemical when that organ plays a crucial part in your survival on the playa...it protects you from the sun and provides your cooling system. I'm sure Nair works great for most people, but if your skin is erupting for this long from simply shaving, chances are it might be too sensitive for Nair. I would definitely try the skin patch test before you go slathering Nair around your family jewels. But to get rid of the problem at hand, definitely try the Bikini Plus. It stings a tiny bit very briefly the first time for a half a minute or so (nothing like alcohol, though), but I think you'll notice a difference within a few days. My skin is highly sensitive, and even coming back to the "humid" NW heat has made me break out again on my face, but I don't have any trouble at all with the Bikini Plus on my skin. Next time you might try just clipping your body hair very close without actually taking a razor to it.

nymphgonebad · Post by **nymphgonebad** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 2:37 am

there's a fantastic new razor called intuition. it's got solid shaving cream built in so you don't have to use anything with it. didn't remember to bring it to brc this year.

clandyone · Post by **clandyone** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 4:30 pm

princess strych-9 wrote:there's a fantastic new razor called intuition. it's got solid shaving cream built in so you don't have to use anything with it. didn't remember to bring it to brc this year.

Really. I saw the ads and thought "Jeebus, that looks like it wouldn't work AT ALL." How do you rinse the thing when it gets clogged?

nymphgonebad · Post by **nymphgonebad** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 4:35 pm

clandyone wrote:
princess strych-9 wrote:there's a fantastic new razor called intuition. it's got solid shaving cream built in so you don't have to use anything with it. didn't remember to bring it to brc this year.
Really. I saw the ads and thought "Jeebus, that looks like it wouldn't work AT ALL." How do you rinse the thing when it gets clogged?

under running water.

yeah, i thought the same thing when i first saw it advertised. the mechanism is pretty loose and easy to rinse.

Skitzy · Post by **Skitzy** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 8:54 pm

There is another solution to avioding the ingrown hairs, and that is to trim down to about 1/8 inche or clipperblade legnth. Be sure to use some caution around areas of skin that are loose, like a ball sack, make the skin taut so it doesn't get caught in the clippers. Ingrown hairs only happen if you shave the hair completely, not if it's trimmed down very short. Clipper blade length to 1/8" is short enough that it's almost like shaving without the irritaion, ingrown hairs, or the itchys from the hair growing back out.

If you are going to shave, like someone said earlier, you need to get the area used to shaving for a time first, which calls for shaving very frequently, and you usually will do this anyhow just to avoid the week long itch session when the hairs do start growing back out.

The last tidbit, which works magical wonders for the ingrown hairs, chaffing, and irritation down in that area is... believe it or not, Baby Powder. Baby Powder works wonders, even faster wonders than Gold Bond medicated powder. For chaffing and ingrown hairs, Baby powder is a must, it get's rid of the chaffing fast, & drys up the irritation.

Hope some of this helped.

angelface · Post by **angelface** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 9:08 pm

I second the nair opinion.. only thing that has never given me trouble.. a little baby powder or corn starch after is good too

TazGrl · Post by **TazGrl** » Wed Sep 24, 2003 12:04 am

I definitely agree with keeping the shaved area dry, if you absolutely have to shave with a razor. It's sweat that seems to cause the most problems, because then the bacteria have a prime growing area. Sometimes I wonder if it's because in some people (like me) shaving causes the skin's healing process to kick in too well and the skin, as it's healing from razor burn, will actually grow over the follicle, causing it to become backed up with sweat. I'm not a dermatologist, so I don't know if this is actually what happens. The bacteria that naturally occurs on our skin and in the follicles themselves become trapped and then pus forms. If there's no air to evaporate the sweat, it's like a miniature petri dish. I do know that nasty B.O. is caused by certain kinds of bacteria that feeds on human sweat, so this makes sense, imo.

solar131413 · Post by **solar131413** » Sun Oct 05, 2003 9:44 pm

..from a man who knows how to shave pubes and chest...get a beard trimmer and take off the attachment if it has one or trim down with the smallest setting...that works out best...forget razors unless for legs, pits, or face.

THE ORIGINAL DIGIMAN · Post by **THE ORIGINAL DIGIMAN** » Sun Oct 05, 2003 9:52 pm

thank you guys for this thread. i'm gonna take all of it to heart. i have a girlfriend that has problems .....well anyway she's gonna love this info and me. we've been looking for a shaving solution for a year now.

woohoo.

thanks.

Kinetic · Post by **Kinetic** » Sun Oct 05, 2003 10:50 pm

Two areas I don't see covered but need to be: If your a guy with back hair, what is the best way to remove it? You can't exactly reach back there to get it very easily.

As for the rest of the body, Nair never seemed to do anything for me. Wax sounds like it would hurt like hell. I don't want to have to take Hydrocodone or Vicodin just to exfoliate. And I can't afford laser exfoliation either, I have a generator and playa art to make that's more important. Anyone else have this problem and find a way to deal with it?

I tried Solar's idea in the past and it left me feeling like 40 grit sandpaper, and the hair seemed to grow back darker. It's so bad I won't even work outside without a shirt...finding an answer to this would be wonderful and a real self-esteem booster.

angelface · Post by **angelface** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 11:28 am

Kinetik - the best thing is to have your back professionally waxed about 3-4 days before you head to the playa. It'll hurt some, but isn't that bad, and is way cheaper than lazering.. it will take 2 or 3 weeks to start to grow back in, and may grow in thinner, especially if you have it waxed regularly.

Nair might work better if you leave it on the maximum time allowed, and then use a wash cloth to wipe it (and the hair) off.. this would probably require help (unless you're real fexilbe), and be sure to do a test area first to make sure it works, and doesn't trash your skin..

good luck

KristieEB · Post by **KristieEB** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 4:05 pm

Hmmm.

I object.

I like men who are non-hairy and I like men who are HAIRY. Why does everyone think the hairless idea is so great? I didn't shave "down there" for a week or so before BM and only the bikini line while I was there. I knew that would be asking for trouble. Trimming or shaving the scrotum is cool and I have enjoyed that on men ... but on the playa?? with all that sweat and dust and walking around? That is just asking for red bumpiness and chafing.

Personally, I think the stubble is a LOT less sexy on a man who is normally hairy. EMBRACE your hairyness ... because I would rather pet you than you have stubble or red bumpies all over.

Hair is manly and yummy and needs to be petted.
*prrrrrrrrrrr*

THE ORIGINAL DIGIMAN · Post by **THE ORIGINAL DIGIMAN** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 4:09 pm

KristieEB wrote:Hmmm.

EMBRACE your hairyness ... because I would rather pet you than you have stubble or red bumpies all over.

Hair is manly and yummy and needs to be petted.
*prrrrrrrrrrr*

right on right on right on

rpw · Post by **rpw** » Mon Oct 13, 2003 1:55 pm

Don't do anything. Millions of years of evolution can't be wrong. If somebody doesn't like the way your body looks, thats thier problem.

awibs · Post by **awibs** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 3:48 pm

Here's my beauty-school qualified response, allthough this knowledge really comes from trial and error starting in the sixth grade.

1.) Take heart and keep trying. I totally second the suggestion of constant upkeep to allow your skin to get used to it. You know those hot 20something women without a body hair - or nick, or missed spot, or razorburned bum - in sight? Do you have any idea what their legs looked like in the seventh grade? All these other points will help you get to your end destination faster... but in truth, i no longer follow any of them regularly. in a rush, it's gotten down to the third use of the cheapest single-bladed razors with no shaving cream with a few handfuls of water from the sink slapped on my legs. that doesn't result in the *best* possible shave, but between knowing instictively how much pressure to apply and my skin being used to it, it's passable and unirritated. some of my male friends are envious of my results... but these are people who have tried shaving twice ever in their lives. i've been doing it every two days since i was eleven years old. i've cut myself obscenely badly in every direction from sunday, but that tapers off after three years or so. so start now and buy lots of band-aids....

2.) scrub the living crap out of your skin, regularly. That's the fancy scientific term for "exfoliate". if you're one of those sensetive sorts, scrubby gloves or a loofah will do... this following method is not reccomended by beauty schools, just like they don't want you to pop pimples, but i'll admit that it works as long as you're not hypersensetive - i find when i suffer from little white bumps or some such thing, i just rip it all off with a pumice stone meant for feet. it leaves the skin a bit raw, but its thoroughly clear and smooth a few days later. it's a bit roughshod and ghetto-tastic, but it produces extremely fast results on skin with any durability at all. that aside, any kind of scrubby thingie will slough off the surface cells that grow closed over the shaved pores and prevent ingrown hairs. also, by scrubbign open the follicles beforehands, you prevent having to cut them open as you pass over them with a razor. scrubbing therefore reduces the little bleeding dots.

3.) take a very very hot, very very long shower before shaving. the steaming opens your pores. *but* it also makes the skin swell a little, so reduce the heat to a normal lukewarm for a minute or two and shave in the lukewarmness. the swelling will go down but the pores wont reclose.

4.) double or triple bladed razor with a moisture strip. new razor every time.

5.) consider this trick - slather on conditioner instead of shaving cream. i kid you not. slippery, but makes your skin *so* soft. be careful.... slipperyness is fine on large areas where you will be using long, straight strokes like the legs but a bad idea around complicated areas like genitalia.

6.) nair never did make hair fall right out for me. but it does make it much easier to shave if you do it right before your shower.

7.) waxing and plucking makes hair grow back thinner and milder. my mother told me that the little girls in thailand pluck their armit hair as soon as they start growing. sisters will help each other do it every day, until by their late teens, they simply do not grow armpit hair anymore. which explains why my mother has no armpit hair, and owns no razors either. she believes firmly in wax/pluck methods, and by this point in her life it's so thoroughly paid off that she never has to do anything anymore (never had for as long as i can remember) and simply has no body hair.

8.) really heavy handcreme as soon as you are towel dried out of the shower. quick, before your skin gets dry. trap that moisture in.

that's all i can think of. hope it helps.

goodvibe · Post by **goodvibe** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:42 am

This is a little off the subject, but ....
My husband was contemplating shaving his chest so he wouldn't look like "a hairy beast" (his words, not mine) when he painted his body. And I guess it would look a little more streamlined if you're silver or something, but... I don't want him to. At all. The stubble is hell and it is scratchy for months. Yep, I mean months. I love chest hair. He is self-conscious about it, but I feel pretty lucky that he is so yummy. And he does trim a bit to keep it from peeking out the neckhole of his shirts. A good move. I hope this gives hairy men a little incentive to stay au naturale.
And as for plucking armpit hair. Ouch. I don't mind girls with armpit hair. I think it's cool. I often let it grow (much to my husband's chagrin). I think it makes a feminist statement. Show it off, I say! What better place than Burning Man to leave the razor at home?

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 11:07 am

Right on, sister...

Sobretta Franjipan · Post by **Sobretta Franjipan** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 6:58 pm

After removing hair use lotion or cream withOUT mineral oil/petroleum products. Go to your health food store (almost all big name products have these pore clogging substances in them). Or use olive, coconut, peanut, jojoba or other natural oil.

III · Post by **III** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 7:27 pm

>>peanut

can i just smear some jif on there?

Sobretta Franjipan · Post by **Sobretta Franjipan** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 7:36 pm

can i just smear some jif on there?

If it's creamy...

III · Post by **III** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:33 pm

very creamy.

juanicoheal · Post by **juanicoheal** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:58 pm

I think I heard an Urban Legend about a Girl, JIF, Her dog, and Her nether parts...

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:16 pm

juanicoheal wrote:I think I heard an Urban Legend about a Girl, JIF, Her dog, and Her nether parts...

Hey hey hey now.....There's a thread. for that!

juanicoheal · Post by **juanicoheal** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:24 pm

Aw man - busted -

(BTW - she was too)

Shaving Down for the Playa

Shaving Down for the Playa

3 letter word

Go Bare~~

hairy chests ... and pits