Shaving before swimming

[Frazzled2207]

Really have not had an exciting time during the pandemic but am going swimming later this week with the smalls for the first time in I can’t remember so careful to shave all appropriate bits as I always used to.

But it made me think- as I find it a sensitive area and quite difficult due to having an awkwardly located cyst - is it ever ok to go swimming and not shave underarms/legs/tops of legs? I don’t think I’ve ever really noticed what other people do which I suppose is a good thing and suggests we can all just do what we like. But until now I guess I thought it was some kind of unwritten rule. Is it?

Shaving is a mug’s game. This is the most woke lefty thing I’ve ever said but it’s the work of the patriarchy and capitalism (Gillette promoted smoothness for women to double their market- before that no one gave a fuck).

It seems to me that younger women are growing up with much healthier attitudes to body hair these days and I really hope that’s true.

I thought it was the reverse. Younger women remove ALL body hair.

So long as you are clean and hygienic absolutely suit yourself. Personal choice- I have extremely dark and coarse hair, after years of trying waxing and even bought an epilator - I had laser hair removal. It's been an absolute game changer for me - no time for waxing appointments etc so this was perfect. But honestly I really hope the world has moved on from judging people about their personal appearance choices. No matter what you choose your children are going to remember the time you spent with them and the fun in the pool and how you made them feel - not whether you waxed, shaved or plaited your bikini line xx @Frazzled2207

I honestly don't think that anyone at a swimming pool notices, let alone cares. I don't believe anyone is looking.

I recently bought a swimsuit with legs/boyleg and will never shave my bikini line again.
I regularly swim without shaving legs and my armpit hair never grows much, but the public hair thigh creep is a bit much for me to show off (there's a good inch of it!) so this solves the problem.

@BreakingtheIce

I thought it was the reverse. Younger women remove ALL body hair.

Do they?

Apparently!

Ha ha can't believe the few who really get offended by body hair. We are mammals, by definition, covered in hair. Normal. The same stuff that grows out of our heads and around our eyes and all over us...

I’ve stopped shaving - if men can be as hairy as they like, then why the hell can’t women? It’s a ridiculous symptom of patriarchy.

I'm also in the buying swimsuits with legs group. So much more comfortable for me.

I don't shave. My DD1 (14) shaves just her lower legs, occasionally, when it strikes her fancy. She's wears a two piece, but the top piece is like a swim dress that reaches her upper legs- it floats up to her stomach when she's standing in the pool, but walking around and swimming, she feels more comfortable with that coverage.

@StCharlotte

I remember as a little girl being slightly revolted by my mother's underarm hair. I wonder why, as I had no concept of style or beauty or societal "norms" at that age.

Unless they're being raised in extreme isolation then young children are exposed to what their society considers normal, acceptable, desirable, unacceptable, disgusting etc and absorb this even if not consciously aware or able to identify it as such.

I'm sorry but I don't want to see anyone's pubic hair, male or female makes no difference.

I also laugh at the saintliness on display on these kind of threads where a disproportionate number of people seem never to notice other people's hairiness, weight, baldness, height or any other physical feature. Do you just see blurry outlines then? I notice all those things and indeed the infinite variety of human bodies and features is fascinating. Largely I just notice them and that's the end of it, I din't go around thinking about it, judging people excessively. But of course I notice!

I do armpits and lower legs but my thigh hair is blonde so I don’t bother with that. Tbh I would bother less with shaving for swimming than I would for socialising, your legs sill be under the water most of the time presumably so no one will see!

I used to really stress about this. Since early 30s I realised that nobody cares whatsoever... so if my legs are shaved, great. If they''re not, there's no way I'm getting up even earlier for my child's 8:30am Saturday swimming lesson.

I went swimming with a bit of underarm hair today (3/4 mm)...never occurred to me to shave it.

@theleafandnotthetree

I'm sorry but I don't want to see anyone's pubic hair, male or female makes no difference.

I also laugh at the saintliness on display on these kind of threads where a disproportionate number of people seem never to notice other people's hairiness, weight, baldness, height or any other physical feature. Do you just see blurry outlines then? I notice all those things and indeed the infinite variety of human bodies and features is fascinating. Largely I just notice them and that's the end of it, I din't go around thinking about it, judging people excessively. But of course I notice!

This ^

I bought short swimmers - so an all in one -but with 'short legs' as then i didnt' have to worry about hairs

I do think you need to put health first. Don’t shave if it is going to potentially harm you.

I do shave under my arms, however I also wear a ‘short’ type bikini bottom. It’s my compromise I guess. I go swimming in quite an ultra ‘fit’ type place where everyone shaves so I just feel uncomfortable. However I found that shaving or waving constantly ‘down below’ could give me a rash!

@tornadosequins I do think that kids are a bit shocked by body hair because they don’t have it. It’s not societies norms. However if they see it all the time they wouldn’t be quite as strange, but kids often point to men’s body hair.

Men still don’t really shave body hair though and that does very unfair as I would definitely stick out if I didn’t shave my armpits. And I just don’t want to stick out. Shorts all the way! I think they are cute anyway.

In general hair is natural, me personally, better to see hair as it adds character.

If I go swimming I expect people are being more judgy about me being Fat In The Pool rather than Hairy. I am really quite fat.

I don't shave because I have a neurological illness which affects skin sensation so I wouldn't notice if I cut myself. Plus I have no balance so can't bend over in the shower to do the legs. Can't have a bath either as I can't balance to get in/out. And I'm allergic to hair remover creams.

Dd2 is a beautician-in-training and has been doing hair removal this term. She had to grow out all her body hair as due to COVID the students practice on each other. And after all the waxing she's considering never removing hair ever again!!

@Elouera no, in general I don't notice, because it doesn't bother me. If I do notice - because someone is at an extreme end of the range - it isn't a judgement

Hair on someone else ? In a swimming pool? I don't look at other people except to make sure we don't collide. Why would I ?

Philips lumea changed my life. I now shave once a month!

I don’t think I’ve ever noticed so either everyone I’ve ever seen swimming multiple times a week for thirty years is hairfree from head to toe.....or it’s actually just not that noticeable to others who are there to swim.

There’ll always be a few people who are agog at everyone else’s armpits for some reason but most of us are just quietly swimming then toweling off and jumping back in the car. Not really paying attention to much else at all.

@theleafandnotthetree

I'm sorry but I don't want to see anyone's pubic hair, male or female makes no difference.

I also laugh at the saintliness on display on these kind of threads where a disproportionate number of people seem never to notice other people's hairiness, weight, baldness, height or any other physical feature. Do you just see blurry outlines then? I notice all those things and indeed the infinite variety of human bodies and features is fascinating. Largely I just notice them and that's the end of it, I din't go around thinking about it, judging people excessively. But of course I notice!

No, I’m just lost in my own world.

Bizarre to be so incredulous that other people don’t particularly notice much about others when they’re going for a swim. Do you often find it hard to imagine that others might be different to you? Do you think that’s why you spend so much time examining other people’s bodies whilst the rest of us are doing laps?

I see a lot of different bodies through work. You’d have to have an absolutely extraordinary one in some way for me to take note of it when I’m relaxing,