Ok Ladies! Bikini Line trouble here

[Miami Mermaid]

As embarrassing as this is (my husband, his 2 best friends and my friend Puchikatt are all on this board)--I am having trouble with red spots around the bikini line when I go diving. Any suggestions girls?

Thanks

 

[Ladydiver]

Hi Miami,

I would guess that you shave your bikini line with a razor shortly before you hit the water.

When you shave it can leave the hair follicles irritated and when you dive or swim (chlorinated pools are the worst) the salt or chlorine or other stuff in the water gets in those little irritated places and makes the red bump.

I find that if I shave the night before, I don't get the bumps because the skin and follicles have a chance to get back to normal.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

 

[keralucu]

Hi MM - either shave the night/day before, use hair remover or best of all, get WAXED... painful as that is, it's the cleanest way. Oh and do that at least two days before going diving!

Ouch.

 

[KC_Scubabunny]

Girlfriend, do I know your pain. I am a fair skinned red head and those red bumps stick out like a neon sign.

I am a huge fan of waxing. I believe it is the easiest and produces the least amount of red bumps. I always go on Wednesday before our weekend dive trips to have enough time for the redness to go away.

I agree with Ladydiver that you have ingrown hairs. I have always heard that if you shave or wax you need to make sure you exfoliate the area well during the grow out period after. A soft loofa is what I use.

I am also a big fan of Clinique's Post Shave Healer. It is actually a product that they sell in their men's line but I think it is great for bikini area also. I found it out of necessity one vacation when I was forced to shave.

If you don't want to mess with it or can't get a waxing appt. I have a couple of pairs of those boyshort swimsuits that I like for diving. They seem to stay in place better during wetsuit removal also.

Hope this helps!
KC_Scubabunny

 

[DameDykker]

Why bother with hair removal??

After all if looks are that important - don't go diving! Nobody ever looked cute in dive gear.

Or wear a swimsuit - a bikini is rather uncomforable under a wetsuit anyway.

DSAO

 

[bcfrench]

I guess I'm lucky -- not a real issue for me. And I agree: one of the things I like about diving is that I don't have to care what I look like.

I have seen women on dive boats -- day boats, not liveabords -- applying lipstick between dives and putting mousse in their hair! I mean, get real!!

My preferred "scuba skivvies" (what my husband and I call swimsuits) come from Lands End. They have a good line of very durable one-piece swimsuits that stay on securely even when peeling off sticking wetsuits, and the leg hole cut is fairly low -- bikini line isn't an issue unless you have a real problem with that sort of thing. (Plus, I live right near a Lands End outlet, which means I have purchased four of these suits for about $20 each, as opposed to nearly $60 apiece).

...Barb

 

[Starfish]

I recently moved near a Lands' End Outlet, so I know what Barb is saying. The "Tugless Tank" and their "swimmer suits." are the best for lap swimming and diving. Even when I paid full-price, I always thought they were well worth the price, and if you rinse them out like you should after a dive, last more than one season.

Also Speedo has suits with "modest" and "conservative" leg openings that are also worth the price.

As for the red bumps, make sure you wash the skin very well after shaving. The red bumps can also be caused by trapped shaving cream or soap.

 

[Natasha]

OK this may sound gross but I have tons of dark hair, and skin. Everywhere, including on my head. Because of this I have been waxing for years. About 6 years now.(I used to shave and always got the red bumps too)And in between I use the over the counter product called "Neet". We can buy it here in the states at a local drug store. It's only 4 dollars or so.
Waxing costs me 30.00 plus a tip, but it lasts 6 weeks with the 'Neet' touch ups. I know we shouldn't care about what we look like when we dive. And believe me I'm far from a beauty queen when I come up from a dive, but I feel the bikini line is a "private part" and I just don't want that to been seen. The rest of me looks bad enough after a dive!
:sunny:
Dive the Planet, then Repeat,
Natasha

 

[Puchikatt]

Now you didn't really think this thread would escape my eyes, did you?!

Listen to these gals, they're giving you good advice. The best thing to do is wax (let me know if you decide to do it & I'll go w/ you!). Otherwise, you should shave or use depilatory cream a minimum of 24 hrs prior to diving to avoid irritation.

And you know how I love bikinis....but I ALWAYS use a 1-pc to dive b/c it's just more comfortable w/ all that stuff on.

 

[martinjc]

Ladies - Thanks! I always learn so much lurkin' here! <S>