A dermatologist reveals the most effective way to get rid of hair *down there*



Whether you’ve embraced #bigbushenergy or are strictly team #baldisbeautiful, deciding what to do with the hair on your nether regions is one of the most personal choices you can make. And man oh man, are there choices. From waxing to shaving to laser, there seems to be a mode of hair removal to fit every personality—or, ya know, at least every level of pain tolerance.

But which one reigns supreme? To find out, we consulted board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD. In our latest episode of Dear Derm, Dr. Gohara answers our burning questions about how best to care for your most, ahem, intimate skin. In addition to spilling on which hair removal method is the most effective in the long term, she also reveals exactly how often you should be shaving to keep things smooth, what you need to know before you go into your first bikini wax, and exactly which laser you should use depending on your skin type.

And it would be impossible to talk “booty call beauty” without discussing ingrown hairs, which can pop up (or, more specifically, pop under) no matter how you choose to remove your hair down there. Thankfully, she’s got the foolproof way to keep them at bay. “You can prevent ingrown hairs in one key step: Consistently exfoliating,” she says, adding that she reaches for glycolic peel pads, like Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel ($88) to get the job done. “If you exfoliate and hydrate skin daily, you’re in the best place possible for avoiding those nasty ingrowns.”

In other words, there is no such thing as “TMI” here—Dr. Gohara has got the answers for even your most intimate questions about your intimate bits. Watch the video above for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about caring for the hair and skin on your vagina, but, uh, never wanted to ask.

If you strictly stick with waxing, here’s how to make bikini waxes (at least slightly) less painful. And if you’re going in for laser treatments, be sure to avoid this common skin-care ingredient before your appointment.