BUSH OR NO BUSH? THAT IS THE QUESTION!

Believe it or not, hair removal, how much and how you do it can positively or negatively affect your intimate and overall health.

Hair removal is very popular today and really took off in the 1990's when the Brazilian bikini wax came into Vogue. It continues to gain momentum with men having strongly joined the hair removal revolution. The statistics are quite impressive - 80%+ of college students remove all or some of their pubic hair.

I am pro trimming, tidying and grooming but also pro BUSH! I firmly believe our maker gave us our little curlies for a great reason - protection........just like nose hair, eyelashes etc. Dr. Jessica Krant, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York agrees with me stating pubic hair “keeps skin from running together and act as a cushion during sexual contact. They are also there to maintain a bit of air flow and keep folded skin areas from sticking together and causing rashes and infections known as intertrigo."

You should also know that waxing in particular traumatizes skin because it rips hair out of the follicle. Remember my piece regarding our skin acting as a protective wetsuit that when intact keeps infection and disease out? The small wounds created are microscopic openings through which things like Herpes, HPV (genital warts and possibly cervical cancer), HIV and other STD's can be transmitted. Razor blades can carry viruses and bacteria that can transfer from say the leg to your pubic area.

A dermatologist in Nice, France found a small percentage of clients had genital molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) outbreaks in their genital area which he credits with waxing and shaving. Unsightly ingrown hairs and folliculitis (inflammation of hair follicle) is a downside to waxing/shaving/trimming as well.

On the bright side, Brazilian waxing and keeping the “boys” manscaped has been credited with denying pubic lice or crabs of an environment to live in. Therefore that STD and embarrassing annoyance has almost disappeared in the USA and Australia.

Here is a little helpful Intimate Fitness™ hair removal advice (And please refer to my past article on bikini waxing) that applies to the above. Always use a fresh blade or clean your trimmer for your intimate areas. Be sure your skin is clean and use clean towels when bathing afterward. Exfoliate to avoid ingrown hairs. You decide what method and how much to remove based on your comfort level, not fashion or a partner’s preference. Somehow Americans became body hair haters and I can’t quite figure out why?!

ORAL INTIMATE FITNESS®

Maintaining oral Intimate Fitness™ is vital to having a sensual, healthy mouth that is irresistible and just begging to be kissed. There is an important and symbiotic relationship between oral and overall health, one positively or negatively influencing the other, so neglecting oral hygiene is bad for your body.

Everyone knows oral health basics; brush your teeth twice per day, floss every day, and visit the dentist…….simple, but not always practiced. Here are some easy additional things to ramp up your oral Intimate Fitness™

If you hate flossing, Brush Picks by The Doctors are easy, effective and keep gums stimulated. Consider alternating with flossing – a vital oral hygiene habit!

After meals, chew sugar free gum if a toothbrush is not available to help with saliva production and to remove acid, food etc. One role saliva plays for us is as the mouth’s self-cleaning mechanism.

Bad breath is just offensive and can be an attraction buster. Use a tongue scraper morning and night for sweeter breath. It is even more effective than mouth wash or mints.

A dry mouth is a halitosis mouth, so keep hydrated and use something like Biotene rinse if medication or illness is drying it out.

Get your teeth professionally cleaned every 6 months - the scaling is worse if you delay visits.

If you need a mouth guard get one! Grinding and clenching cracks teeth which can be dangerous and expensive!

Have your dentist recommend a) a rinse, b) the best toothpaste for your particular needs and c) how to properly brush.
Have a healthy diet, low in sugar and acidic foods and dump the soda.

Black coffee stains teeth more than light coffee, so add a splash of something white to your Jo. Also consider ordering white wine in lieu of red (especially on a date).

My dentist recommends using Crest White Strips to whiten my teeth instead of his expensive in office alternatives.

Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream keeps lips in tip top kissable shape.

Bad breath and ugly teeth are not the only way our mouths can offend. Be mindful of words and their power to hurt or turn someone off.

A confident, healthy smile is alluring, breaks down barriers and promotes trust. Maintain a happy, healthy mouth that attracts lovers and keeps you proudly smiling from ear to ear. The consequences of not giving your mouth the required love can be serious and costly. It can lead to things like tooth decay, gum disease or a proliferation of bacteria traveling to other parts of the body causing things like heart disease!

FEMININITY 101

Where did my Goddess go?

As women we have infinite grace, power, essence and irresistible energy that we are designed to organically radiate. Life’s pressures have a way of dimming our feminine light and our inner Goddess is being suspended, covered up or replaced. The great things is we can evoke our feminine and let it shine once again.

I am not encouraging a return to June Clever, just a tuning into true self and letting the fearless woman who is our true essence reveal herself. Improving self-love is critical to knowing and becoming your true self, who may be very feminine. Discovering self-love is a tricky road of hard inner work that involves becoming very intimate with your mind, body, soul and spirit. There are many approaches and practices, and here are a few to consider.

1. Remove the “game face” at the end of a busy day and replace it with a smile. A smile does wonders for self, for those experiencing it, and a smile makes us much more approachable.

2. Look in the mirror for 5 minutes each day to really see yourself and be positive about the reflection. This may be tough at first, so focus on one thing you like seeing vs. being intent on shortcomings. French women are GREAT at this. They unapologetically flaunt and highlight their best feature, and disregard the rest; it is fantastic and inspiring to watch.

3. A consistent yoga practice does wonders for building or heightening sensitivity to self.

4. Establish a spiritual practice that may involve meditation or sitting - this and yoga can also ease stress, which is just plain dangerous.

5. Find someone to talk to whether a spiritual counselor or a psychologist to help clean house, increase self-awareness and self-love.

Some easy quick fixes to finding your feminine are:

1. Take off the power suit or sweat suit and dress in something that gently caresses skin, is alluring and flattering. Present a confident, happy, fun, smiling you – like those French women!

2. Practice flirtation (not negotiation) and gentle touch.

3. Masturbate to gain deeper knowledge of turn-ons and the anatomy…….. it is also good food for the soul.

4. Book a few massages and tune into the sensations. It softens hard edges and builds self-knowledge.

Our feminine energy is magical; something to be proud of and celebrated. Being our true essence will impact how we show up in life, our relationships, how we love, honor and respect ourselves and others.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LUBRICATING

Our skin is an amazing 5 layered suit of armor; each layer performing a function and having its own personality. It is the largest organ of the body and is a protective line of defense against bacteria, viruses and fungus. Mucous membranes which line body passages (intestine, urethra, vagina) are equally astounding in their function to protect, support, absorb nutrients and secrete important mucus, enzymes and salts.

The epidermis or skin is a tapestry of different thicknesses (.05 -1.1mm) across the body. Thinner areas (eyes, genitalia) are closer to nerve endings so are more receptive to sensual touch, temperature and sensation as well as being more vulnerable to toxins, micro-tears and cuts. Thicker areas are less vulnerable to tearing, dryness and environment and are not as sensitive to touch. Keratin, a waterproofing protein is contained in our outer most skin layer that we can think of as our permanent wetsuit. Get a hole in your wetsuit and in comes the water. Get a tear or cut in your skin and we leave the door open to bad bacteria, virus etc. creeping in.

I am a firm believer in using sex lubrication for two important skin care and Intimate Fitness™ reasons. Certainly lube is great for better sexual sensation but it also helps reduce friction, improves slip and thus helps protect sensitive vulvovaginal and penile skin. Dry sex is uncomfortable, no fun and increases incidence of tearing. It is through micro-tears that HIV and other STIs can be transmitted. Women naturally produce lubrication but it is not always enough, and back door play absolutely requires lube. My favorite for improved sensation and personal protection you know is Uberlube…..… and quite frankly, I WON’T have sex without it!

It is important for us to maintain a strong, intact, inner and outer shell via physical and Intimate Fitness™ as an easy and smart line of defense against infection and disease.

WHAT STARTLING THING HAS VIAGRA DONE TO THE BEDROOM?

Are Viagra and other erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs solely to blame for the marked rise in the spread of STDs among the 50+ population? I would point my finger at it for a slump in marrying rich old guys for cash………but not for this.
According to new research the number of STD cases in the baby boomer population in the US, Canada and Britain has doubled in the last 10 years! Let’s have a look at why.

Many are finding themselves single after 20-30+ years of marriage and are in better health and more vital than previous generations. People are having sex longer and later in life and oh yes ED drugs are helping with that. The Student British Medical Journal found that 80 percent of people between 50 and 90-years-old are sexually active. The only problem is that fewer are practicing safer sex and are also having multiple partners.

And though supposedly a “sexually free” generation, this group is not one that knows how to or is comfortable with talking about STDs. My dear friend and renowned psychiatrist and sex therapist Dr. Dorree Lynn says the “over 50 crowd doesn’t get tested, see the need to get tested and don’t believe they are at risk.” She also points out that “condoms are seen as procreation prevention not health protection.” This is the crux of the problem.

Most 50+ men likely did not wear condoms in their early dating years so they are certainly not considering them now. Also, during menopause, a woman’s vaginal tissue thins, causing it to tear more easily, making them more vulnerable to transmission of disease. Additionally, immune systems are less effective in older folks, which can increase vulnerability to sexually transmitted disease and HIV.

Intimate Fitness™ through sex education and communication, correct use of condoms and lubrication (using Uberlube can reduce tissue tearing and placing a couple of drops in the reservoir of a condom will increase sensation for the man) and awareness of proper intimate hygiene and sensitive skin care can help curb the rise of this all too disturbing trend.

BUTT-NE

Acne anywhere on the body can erode our confidence and rob us of some of our sexy. So let’s be bold and take the lid off of the quite common, but rarely talked about BUTTOCK ACNE, or butt-ne. Acne typically affects the face, neck, back and chest, but it also appears on the buttocks, and it is not solely caused by ingrown hairs - actually most often it is not. Butt-ne or pimples on the butt are not uncommon and should be handled correctly and gently like all acne to avoid scarring and to reclaim lost confidence.

Interestingly the way we get, and means to prevent and improve butt-ne is very similar to some of the recommended steps women take to lower the risk of yeast infections and BV. Bad bacteria are usually the cause. There is no magic bullet to curing butt-ne, but there are of course treatments ranging from proper Intimate Fitness™ to oral steroids and antibiotics and topical acne medication.

According to some dermatologists, pimples on the butt are not technically acne, but actually folliculitis – the inflammation of a hair follicle. This inflammation can be an ingrown hair or bacterial infection, friction from too tight or synthetic clothing or a combination. Other possible culprits of butt-ne are: shaving or hair removal, irritating detergents, improper hygiene (over enthusiastic or neglectful), drugs and hormone shifts. Stress, poor diet, illness and dirty environment can contribute too. No matter what the cause, treating and resolving butt-ne should be part of one’s Intimate Fitness™ routine.

The first line of defense is to of course see a doctor for assessment and treatment advice. They will probably recommend an effective gentle wash and a topical acne treatment.

There are things we can do to prevent, improve or feel better about commonplace butt-ne.

1.Gently washing the area (2ce per day is the way to go according to the The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology) with a mild cleanser like AfterIt (pH 5) or something with Benzoyl Peroxide which will help to dry it out.

2.Avoid harsh exfoliates like loofas or scrubs which are too aggressive and inappropriate hygiene for this situation and it will only make things worse.

3.Don’t pop, touch or scratch pimples - they can scar and hands will transmit more bacteria to the area.

4.Don’t linger in sweaty clothes - they cause back, chest and butt pimples. Use something like AfterGlow pre-moistened wipes which are antibacterial if you can’t shower right away.

5.Bathe after workouts/perspiring to remove bacteria. Use a wash as per #1 and steer clear of perfumes, dyes and propylene glycol.

6.Sport sexy cotton panties, briefs or boxers; synthetic is a no no.

7.Give your buttocks a little sun kiss (don’t forget the light weight SPF). It will help dry out those zits.

8.Apply targeted acne medication consistently - it proves effective.

9.If your “bumps” are from shaving or waxing and you are quite sure it is ingrowns, try AfterShave. The exfoliate is gentle and really great at getting rid of hair removal bumps.

If this afflicts you, know that you are not alone, and please don’t hate, be angry, harsh or aggressive with it. Be patient (8 weeks at least) and consider a gentle, compassionate approach. Self-love, smart intimate fitness™, a good treatment plan and you can have great results. Treat your fabulous cheeks as gently as you would a baby’s bottom.

INTIMATE HAIR REMOVAL TRICKS

My favorite way to get my bikini or underarms spruced up and super silky smooth is by using a trimmer and then a “personal shaver”. These razors are designed for use on intimate/sensitive areas, and work on very short, non-course hair. I love these personal shavers for numerous reasons; the primary being they give an amazingly close shave, and if you follow instructions, they don’t nick or cut you; if you are susceptible to ingrown hairs, then this would be a great thing to try!

This method lasts just as long as traditional shaving and an additional positive experience has been that the hair grows back less stubbly than with regular razors. Personal shavers also makes maintaining your “sexy summer cut” easy as it is a dry shave done with baby powder. It is also less stressful to skin than traditional shaving. And again, very happily it also causes a fraction of the ingrown hairs that waxing does.

I own 2 kinds, the hairerazor (https://hairerazor.com/shop/category/personal-shavers/) and body bare (Amazon). I love that these are rechargeable. Some might baulk at the price tag, but waxing is pricy, and tossing lots of disposable razors is neither cost effective nor environmentally sound.

This is a great hair removal method that does the trick; you will be amazed at how much it thoroughly removes. Do read the instructions and follow them. On the Intimate Fitness™ front, don’t forget to clean the area prior to hair removal (alcohol is not a great idea), do it at least 24 hours before intimacy and use something like AfterShave afterward to moisturize and soothe your skin.

I hope you look and feel fabulous in your bikini!