Bikini Waxes: No Day at the Beach

You know what you could do to celebrate these first easy, breezy, glorious days of summer now that it has officially started? Get a bikini wax — but beware, you could end up in the hospital hooked to an IV for two weeks.

What??

According to a Women's Health article, that's exactly what happened to one young lady who dared to get bare.

That trip to Brazil for your nether region isn't quite without its risks, according to Dr. Linda K. Franks, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine who explains the real purpose of having some extra coverage down there is for protection. Waxing strips away that layer of defense against nasties like bacteria which can create bigger problems like ingrown hairs, folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicle) and (gasp) staph infections.

There are some things you can do to safeguard yourself if you do keep up appearances in such a manner:

• Make sure the waxer is using new sticks or spatula for the wax.
• Apply a 1 percent hydrocortisone cream to the area for a few days following.
• See a doctor if you notice any swelling, redness, burning, or itching.

Photo courtesy of Sanja Gjenero@sxc.hu