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Original poster

Do you shave your armpits?

258 replies

ShavenUnderarmHaven · 08/08/2023 23:37

Have just done mine for the first time since last summer. I don't care what it looks like, but the humidity where I live has been a killer lately and I will try anything if it makes me feel less sweaty/ makes my antiperspirant work more effectively.

I have not shaved regularly for quite a few years now. In my twenties I pretty much always did though.

What's normal for you?

Is there less pressure on women to shave their underarms now compared to 20 years ago?

OP posts:
StillWantingADog · 09/08/2023 15:49

Differentstarts · 09/08/2023 15:42

I can't believe how many of you don't shave your pits. What if you get hit by a car I'd be mortified

What? I’d be worried about more than my hairy armpits

Differentstarts · 09/08/2023 15:42

I can't believe how many of you don't shave your pits. What if you get hit by a car I'd be mortified

StarlightLady · 09/08/2023 15:30

@Strawberrypicnic - I always shave with hair conditioner; the razor glides.

@AllProperTeaIsTheft - Men have more body hair to deal with, but from my experience of men, an increasing number of them are removing underarm har and more.

Ambi · 09/08/2023 15:28

Once a month or so. I don't have much there after IPL so it's barely noticeable.

Eloweeese · 09/08/2023 15:26

Twice this year I think. They don't really grow post menopause for me

mondaytosunday · 09/08/2023 15:20

Yes. My 18 year old daughter does not.

RubiRage · 09/08/2023 15:18

Weekly, along with the legs, & face, since meno gave me bastard facial hair. I don’t shave down there though as it makes me itch, & not a good look having to keep scratching in public when BB is watching. I tend to give it a monthly trim with scissors.

Theimpossiblegirl · 09/08/2023 15:12

Strawberrypicnic · 09/08/2023 14:52

Doesn't your skin get irritated from shaving every day? If not, what is your secret???!

Show quote history

It doesn't, I just use a bit of conditioner while conditioning my hair. But it really is a quick once over then I moisturise. If my legs look dry I use hand cream. I get given a lot of hand cream.
In the summer I am a bit more thorough.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 09/08/2023 15:09

Nothing to do with porn or "societal expectations", I just didn't like how it looked and could never imagine ever feeling clean if I had hair on my body.

But not liking how it looks is a result of societal expectations. Otherwise how do you explain that almost no men remove all their body hair?

AntiSocial6DaysAWeek · 09/08/2023 15:07

Strawberrypicnic · 09/08/2023 14:52

Doesn't your skin get irritated from shaving every day? If not, what is your secret???!

Show quote history

I wonder if it's just some people have more sensitive skin? Because honestly, it takes me 5 seconds as I posted earlier in the thread. Soap up the shower gel while I'm washing my body as normal then a quick few swipes each armpit and never had an issue. I've actually just realised I don't know if some people use shaving cream for this? I never have.

onefinemess · 09/08/2023 15:03

💯

Absolutely

I've shaved everything (everywhere) since I was about 14.

Can't stand the thought of hair under my arms or anywhere else.

Nothing to do with porn or "societal expectations", I just didn't like how it looked and could never imagine ever feeling clean if I had hair on my body.

Strawberrypicnic · 09/08/2023 14:52

Theimpossiblegirl · 08/08/2023 23:43

A quick once over in my morning shower, legs too, all year round.

Doesn't your skin get irritated from shaving every day? If not, what is your secret???!

SquashPenguin · 09/08/2023 14:50

I epilate mine, I get too itchy from shaving stubble.

StarlightLady · 09/08/2023 14:45

@dikwad - You are a woman after my own heart ❤

FinallyPeakedNow · 09/08/2023 14:43

I smell more and feel I sweat more when shaved. Deodorant works better on me when there is hair there. Dunno why

Capitulatingpanda · 09/08/2023 14:35

I bought a philips lumea years back and blasted all armpit hair out of existence. I probably would still shave otherwise.

Beezknees · 09/08/2023 14:35

I do because I sweat quite a lot so it makes me feel cleaner. I don't like the feel of a combination of sweat and hair. I don't do my legs very often though.

Yfory · 09/08/2023 14:30

Yes but only when I can be bothered/when my armpits get stinky too easily. Every couple of months probably.

AxolotlEars · 09/08/2023 14:28

Nope. I am very fair. I gave up 20 years ago!

gogomoto · 09/08/2023 11:57

Weekly through summer, sometimes legs, sometimes get them waxed

dikwad · 09/08/2023 11:33

StarlightLady · 09/08/2023 11:25

@KajsaKavat - I don't do it for hygiene reasons, I do it because I think it looks better for me. Just as when I go out I may choose one outfit over another because I think it looks better.

I don't feel others should follow what I do though, unkess they want to.

Exactly! I find it maddening that instead of it being accepted that as grown women we can form an opinion of what we think looks and feels better it must instead be down to societal pressure. No, I just think being hairy isn't my choice.

FeelinSpendy · 09/08/2023 11:26

Philips Lumea here too. I have pale skin and dark blonde hair, but my underarm hair and bikini line hair are darker. The lumea has worked really well on them. Still have to do top-ups every so often but the ingrown hairs and irritation from shaving are a thing of the past!

StarlightLady · 09/08/2023 11:25

@KajsaKavat - I don't do it for hygiene reasons, I do it because I think it looks better for me. Just as when I go out I may choose one outfit over another because I think it looks better.

I don't feel others should follow what I do though, unkess they want to.

Spreadbed · 09/08/2023 11:19

Yes I do them as a matter of course whenever I’m in the shower, but though I do it often I’m not very thorough about it. My deodorant feels better when they’re shaved.

Definitely feel less pressure now than a decade ago. I used to meticulously do them looking for stray hairs etc, now I barely even look - same with legs though I take slightly more care to avoid nicks!

amusedbush · 09/08/2023 11:16

I always shaved my legs and armpits. In recent years it started to become quite infrequent so I switched to waxing but it's very costly. The first time I went back to shaving my armpits, I was horrified by how sharp the stubble was compared to waxing regrowth!

I looked into investing in a home IPL but you can't use IPL on tattoos. My legs are covered in tattoos and there was no way I'd pay that amount just to use it on my armpits. I therefore decided to go for an epilator, which I'm really happy with. As expected, it was bloody painful on my armpits - it took me three days of yelping "ow, ow, ow... nope!" before I could grit my teeth and do the whole area - but the results are comparable to waxing.

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