Is it normal to get pimples near your vagina? Not in it, but around where I shave?
- Kelsea*

When girls, or guys, shave their pubic hair, it's not uncommon to get ingrown hairs. Pubic hair tends to be curlier than arm or even head hair, which can lead to ingrown hairs. These pesky ingrown hairs can then cause pimples. If a pimple seems to be getting redder, bigger, more tender, or warm, it could be a sign of infection, and you should see a doctor or nurse practitioner.

To reduce the likelihood and frequency of ingrown hairs, avoid dry shaving, use shaving gel or cream, and shave in the direction your hair grows rather than against it to prevent irritation.

Not every bump is a pimple or an ingrown hair, however. For example, bumps that are red and tender, even at their base, might be herpes sores. These can be tender before they appear, painful once they do, and then disappear some days later. They might return from time to time, or never again. Genital herpes is a viral infection, usually transmitted sexually.

If there is any doubt, have your doctor or nurse check out these bumps.

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: July 2011

*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.