[laurenann]

i ended up just doing it myself. i've waxed myself a little before, but this time i took off quite a bit more. it looks pretty good, and didn't hurt that much - even on the more sensitive parts that i was worried about. i decided it just wasn't necessary to pay someone to do that to me ...

[p_176]

my first bikini wax, i got after my then-boyfriend waxed his back. i went to lynns day spa in md (www.lynnsdayspa.com), and i actually had to take off pants and underwear. the waxer woman (wearing gloves) talked with me about how much i wanted taken off, then got started. it was weird at first, 'cause i'm thinking, ok, her hands are in between my legs, we must talk about something so it's not weird. so we talked about my then-boyfriend who had gotten waxed, and about movies, so it was not too bad. did not hurt that much, in my opinion, because it happens so quickly (this from a girl who can't make it through a pap smear without advil).

last night i got bored and used nair to remove all hair in that area.

[prophecy_grrl]

like sassy said, just ask for a bikini wax. I would also recommend wearing your own undies or bathing suit rather than using the disposable paper thong that the salon provides. The esthetician will only take off what is exposed outside the panty/bathing suit line and as sassy indicated below, the paper thong leaves a lot exposed. You can expect to pay $30-40 for a basic bikini wax. Take some ibuprofen about an hour before you appointment - the first wax is always the most painful!

[sassy]

I would ask for a basic bikini when you set up your waxing appointment, and then, when you are with the waxer, just tell her exactly how much you want taken off. My binkini was $35 but I'm not sure what the standard rate is.

[laurenann]

i've never went to get a wax before, but i'm thinking about doing it soon. so, uh, what exactly are the options? i want something where they just take a little off the sides. i like having a more natural bush (hah, someone else said that below i think) but i don't want anything sticking out the sides of my undies when i'm sitting down or whatever (or...whatever...). so, what do i ask for? how much should it cost? is this something i could potentially do myself?

thanks, these are the questions i would feel a little embarassed asking offline.

[sassy]

Well, that's good to know! I know she said the first time would be more red/irritated so lets hope the pain decreases, as well. I guess it wasn't too bad...it only lasted about 15 minutes for the entire thing...but still...

[Stefka22]

Just a little advice... Although I personally have never been waxed there, I wax people for a living. I have return clients, and I've noticed that their first wax is BY FAR the most intense. They come back in another 4 or 5 weeks and its like butta. Well then again that might be my own perspective. Nonetheless, they leave with more of a pleasant look on their faces.

[sassy]

I just got a bikini wax this time...although I usually shave everything down there and I would like to get a Brazillian but ouch!! I have a high pain threshold, in my opinion, and I was cringing my teeth. I just graduated college so as soon as I save up some money from a full-time job, I'm getting laser removal!! And what is up with the paper/mesh panties they give you? You might as well be naked....my whole vagina was just hanging out there. Not expecting that. Either I didn't realize how far in a bikini wax goes or the place I went to just takes more hair off than other places. After she was done, she asked if I wanted any taken off the top area...I declined and said I would just shave it...haha.

[prophecy_grrl]

Probably a little late now, mouse, but I had my last wax towards the end of my period; I just do the most basic bikini wax, though (mostly to help with the excruciating in-grown hairs I get) so I keep my undies on. I did feel a little strange about it, but it ended up being no big deal. Even if you're fully disrobed, I'd like to think that they're focused more on removing the hair than examining your vagina , but I guess you never know. I always take a few ibuprofen before a wax and I've never noticed a difference in the pain at different times of the month.

sassy - did you just opt for the bikini wax the first time, or did you go ahead with the Brazilian? I've never had a Brazilian, but I've heard horror stories from people who have had them. If you really want to do it, look for a place that does "speed waxing" - the whole process is done in a few minutes as opposed to a 30-45 minute torture session.

Personally, you couldn't pay me to do it, both for aesthetic and pain reasons. It's funny, though, the esthetician I see says I'm one of her only clients that gets a basic bikini wax; nearly everyone she sees gets a Brazilian or French (I guess this is a new thing - takes off more than a bikini, but less than a Brazilian). I guess I just like a more "natural" bush - I know it's quibbling, but "bikini line" does not count as bush to me .

[sassy]

Hey guys...I recently got my legs and bikini area waxed to test it out so I would know how I react before I get it done before my wedding. The legs were nothing but I got my bikini done on Friday and ow...

[zoya]

mouse -

I went on my period once, I use "instead", that disposable menstrual cup, and it sits WAY up there, so there was no evidence I was on my period. (I don't konw where the divacup sits, or if you could posisbly see it) Granted, it was the last day of my period, and I have a really light flow anyway, so there was really no chance of anyone seeing anything. I, personally, was ok with that, but I don't think I'd have felt real comfortable if I had some string hanging out of me, or any chance of leakage. That's when I think it might be a bit much...

that said, I DID find out the reason they say not to go when you're on your period. I never bruise when I get waxed, and I bruised that time. She also drew some blood out of the hair follicles when the hair was ripped out, and that never happens to me. I was irritated for longer, as well.

but I know that it is **necessary** at some times to just do it... so uh... I guess while it isn't super good form, if you just hide it real well, you could go for it. I'd probably not tell the waxer, though. heh.

[mouse]

hey, i'm cross posting this in the general knowledge thread but if anyone knows, i'd appreciate advice...

so uh, because of various circumstances i really wanna go get my usual bikini wax precisely this weekend, but i have gotten my period just like right now. is it totally bad manners to get waxed while on the rag? i don't get a brazilian but what i get is intensive enough that i gotta do the whole leg-over-head business and i'm pretty sure the waxer gets a good view of my cooze, so it would be obvious. furthermore i use a divacup, and i don't want to cause anyone undue "what the HELL does this person have in her vagina!?" stress. the only things i've read say don't go on your period because you're more sensitive, but i'm not worried about the pain, just the impropriety. any tips?

[emmabove]

I just got some of that PFB ingrown hair treatment stuff for $25 off eBay (new, of course!!) and I can seriously say that it's the best thing that's happened to me all month. I've got really dark hair all over, and as I've grown older, the "bikini zone" has become increasingly overgrown. This means that there's always some hair sticking out of my bathing suit or panties. I tried all kinds of stuff... considered buying a skirtini or boy shorts, but never really liked how they looked on me. I tried electric razors, waxing, even tweezing. I tried a lot of different products -Salley Hansen's bikini zone, stuff that came with waxing kits, etc. Nothing worked, and whenever I went swimming or hanging out in my underwear with my boyfriend, I'd feel self-conscious, either because of the pubey fray or my gross red bumps all over what I consider to be one of the most beautiful parts of my body!
Anyways. This stuff totally works and I'm so excited to get new high-cut panties and bikini bottoms. I still have to wait a few days until I wax- both to let the hair grow out from the last time I shaved and for all the bumps go down.
The stuff does smell, as one review on amazon says, but not like chemicals - it smells like (rubbing) alcohol, and it evaporates pretty quickly.

Somebody else in here at one time said that you just have to try stuff out and see what works best for you... happily, I found something that worked before I looked seriously into some laser surgery.

[candycane_girl]

This is my first time venturing in here. Annelise, I tried epilating my underarms last year and it hurt like hell, like the way that most people are describing their waxing experiences.

If I could afford it I would probably do the laser thing on my underarms but I can't so I just stick to shaving.

[sassy]

Hey guys...I'm new to this thread, but not to shaving. I'm 22 and I cannot stand body hair. Shaving for me takes forever since I shave my vaginal area as well. I'm getting married in September and I have my first ever waxing appointment (with a highly recommended salon) on the 21st. I decided just to start with my legs...but I'm hoping to get a brazillian before the honeymoon. How painful is it? I have a fairly high pain threshold...but I'm still nervous.

[LustfullyPink]

Nair is just as scary on my armpits as waxing is. The skin gets all red and irritated. The 'special' underarm formula for sensitive skin (Apperantly their definition of sensitive skin is rhino skin) was awful. I couldn't wear deoderant for a week. My armpits burned whenever I would sweat (i'm a moderately heavy underarm sweater) and I had a lot of ingrown hairs. I now just shave. No special products are going near my armpits, not even shaving cream.

[erinjane]

laurenann, I forgot that I also didn't get all of the hair.

I wax my legs with no problem but underarms, no no. I just shave under my arms but I don't even do it every day. I don't mind having a bit of hair and I never really notice that kind of thing on anyone else so I figure how many people are really noticing on me.

[sybarite]

I had my underarms waxed exactly once, at a posh salon by a qualified waxer, and it still hurt like hell. I didn't bleed but I couldn't wear deoderant for about 4 days. Getting dressed hurt, as did moving my arms down too close to my side. I truly do not recommend it. I get my bikini line waxed semi-regularly, so I generally have no problems with waxing, but I think the underarms just aren't meant to be waxed. I would go for Nair or similar I'm afraid.

[laurenann]

i second erin jane. i tried waxing my underarms once and it was awful. i tried doing small patches in the direction of hair growth, but it still bled and didn't even take off all of the hair. and it REALLY hurt. if you do want to wax, i definately would not do it myself, and maybe go to a salon with a reputable waxer.

i'm sick of my underarm "5 o'clock shadow" (haha!) too. shaving every day isn't much prettier than the mess waxing caused. i've been thinking about growing the hair out. my brother's girlfriend doesn't shave. she was wearing a sleeveless dress the first time i met her and it took a few hours for me to even notice.

[annelise]

i epilate my underarms. it HURT the first time i did it (and if i've gone for a while without epilating) but you get used to it, and for some reason i don't get ingrowns on my underarms from epilating the way i do on my legs (gave up on my legs--back to shaving). i love how smooth i am, but there is the pain to get past.

i would think waxing would be even more painful because you can go slowly with epilation if you're uncomfortable, whereas with waxing you're pulling out strips of hair all in one yank! amazing what you can get used to though.