Most, if not all of us, wax or shave our private parts. But one woman who gave herself a bikini shave was in for a horrid shock when she almost died as a result of it. Dana Sedgewick, reportedly went into coma for nine days and almost lost both her legs after her attempt to bikini shave went horribly wrong.
The 44-year-old used a fresh razor for a quick trim. But she thought nothing of a red zit that kept bleeding later on.
"I didn’t think anything of it as I often got a rash from shaving," she told Metro. However, it was this small zit that developed into necrotising fasciitis (a flesh-eating infection) and put her in coma.
How a bikini shave went wrong
In May 2012, Sedgewick who is a mother-of-three decided to give herself a cleanup down there. But a quick trim turned out to be fatal for her. Two days after she shaved, she began to feel dizzy and was nauseated.
She decided to pay a visit to a general practitioner who took swabs of her genital area and even prescribed her antibiotics. At the time, the GP suspected a minor infection. But later that day, her eldest daughter Megan, 18, saw her lying on the bed and her legs were covered in a red rash.
Soon enough, her GP also called her to inform that what she suspected as a minor infection was actually a serious bacterial infection. She suggested Sedgewick come over for another close examination followed by a surgery.
It was right before the surgery that Sedgewick collapsed.
The rash developed into a flesh-eating infection
Soon after she collapsed, the doctors at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, UK, told her husband Mathew, 47, a landscape gardener, that Dana had a severe infectection. The bacteria that developed due to the bikini shave cut was releasing a toxin that was attacking the surrounding soft skin.
"By the time I got to the hospital, my legs were covered in black, rotting flesh. It was touch-and-go as to whether I’d make it," she told the daily.
For the next 10 hours, Sedgewick underwent a major surgery where the doctors removed close to about seven inches of her skin. They then replaced it with fresh skin from her back.
Unfortunately for Sedgewick, the surgery was just the beginning of her ordeal.
While on the table, she developed sepsis, which is a life-threatening complication caused by an infection. The doctors told the family that she only had a 30 percent chance of survival.
"When I woke up, my legs were covered in bandages and I had no idea what had happened. I thought I’d been in a car accident. But when the surgeon asked me if I remembered shaving, I suddenly recalled trimming my bikini line. He told me that the spot on my groin had become infected, and I’d been very lucky to survive,'" she reportedly told the daily.
After the 21 reported surgeries, Sedgewick was transferred to the hospital's burn unit. It was here that she recovered.
After 21 surgeries Sedgwick saw her legs for the first time!
The mum-of-three shared that after her many surgeries she finally saw her scarred legs and was grateful to be alive.
"It was horrific. All of my muscle had rotted away, and I had a crater of skin near my groin. I felt like I was going to throw up," she said.
Sedgewick added that she could only survive because of the support of her husband.
"But I knew that it could have been much, much worse. I could easily have lost my legs – or worse, died. It didn’t feel like my own body any more. But with Mat’s support, I grew to see the scars as a reminder of how brave I’d been, and how lucky I was to survive," she said.
Sedgewick's horror story is a brutal reminder of the care one must take while grooming one's lady parts. There is much to learn from her about what not to do.
5 things you must be careful about while shaving
Before you rush into giving yourself a bikini shave with a razor, here are a few key things you must keep in mind.
1. Shaving as soon as you enter the bathroom
Yes, you are in a rush and there's barely anytime before you head out. But why do you want to risk an infection because of your hurry? Make shaving your lady parts the absolute last thing to do.
That's because by the time you're done showering, your hair follicles will become soft and it will decrease the chances of irritation. Also remember to exfoliate the area before you shave.
2. Using an old razor and shower gel
This is a crime most women are guilty of. And the funny thing is none of us see our men shaving their faces with a dirty old razor, so why subject your most sensitive parts to this indignity?
If you must, use a shaving cream that is fragrance-free and water based. Then pick up your razor and carefully finish the job. Using an old and worn-out razor increases the chances of infection, and it can even give you a rash.
3. Not trimming
Buy hair trimming scissors so when you get down to shaving you don't have to remove the entire Amazon forest. This also saves time and gives you a precise and close shave.
The ideal time to trim is when you notice that your hair is about 1/4th its size. So pick up those scissors and carefully trim the area.
4. Dry shaving in a rush
You have an impromptu beach party to attend and you decide to quickly rush to the bathroom and give yourself a shave. No! No! No! Instead, use a washcloth and dampen the area for a few minutes before you shave it clean.
This will loosen the hair follicles and again, give you a clean shave. Plus, it will protect your lady parts from developing an irritating rash and excessive dryness.
5. Putting on wrong underwear after a shave
When you give yourself a bikini shave, you also exfoliate that part of the skin. So wearing tight lacy panties immediately after shaving is not a good idea. Instead, wear loose cotton panties as that will let that area breathe and prevent ingrown hair.
Remember that a bikini shave cannot just be a rushed activity. Take your time and be careful to avoid any medical complications.
ALSO READ: Vaginal steaming: how to cleanse your lady parts at home