Why is shaving your arms seen so differently to shaving your legs or armpits?

[ThatCyanSheep]

(Not looking for a debate on why I shave or if I should, I shave my legs and arms because it helps my fake tan apply better and I shave my armpits because it’s personal preference, I feel like I get less sweaty)

when I was a young teenager and first wanted to start shaving, my mum always told me I could do my legs, but not my arms - because it makes your arm hair grow back faster. But that’s obviously not true. Ever since I started shaving my arms everyone looks at me like I’m bonkers but I don’t get why it’s seen any differently?

No I shave my lower arms - vanity really, I have dark hair and spent years being compared to a gorilla- so I just got rid

I shave mine and I love it, I feel it looks so much better and I like the smooth feel of it :)

I dunno why it’s viewed as weird; I started doing it when I noticed my daughter did it, and we both much prefer it.

My lower arms seem darker than the rest of my body too! But I don’t know what it is about shaving that’s just better at exfoliating than anything else I’ve tried. It helps with fake tan application so much, but everyone thinks I’m crazy!

I had a small bit shaved after an injury and found it grew back much spikier and less soft in that area. However I know a few that shave arms as well as face etc.

I wouldn't do it as the hair seems finer on my arms and I wouldn't like the scratchy regrowth. I don't notice it as much on my legs .

Illogically I don't mind hairy arms on show but don't like hairy legs being visible. Social conditioning maybe?!

I do my face too!🤣 all shaved hair grows back spikier, it’s because of the blunt cut rather than being pulled out at the follicle

Because shaving your arms is weird?

I have to admit I wanted to start because I got compared to a very hairy boy at school, but my mum wouldn’t let me! Now it’s just cos it acts as such a good exfoliator

But it’s the same as shaving your legs!😂

I epilated my arms for the first time this month. Such a revelation- love having smoother arms!

I use these on my arms as you don’t get a blunt regrowth.

https://amzn.eu/d/6FhLGCZ

They are basically a fine sandpaper.

I only have fine hair so I can’t say what they would be like if you have thick hair or a lot of hair.

I shaved my arms a few times years and years ago. It grew back darker. Was cross.

then I had to have chemo last year. Fun fact chemo takes the hair from everywhere. Arm hair has grown back soft and very fair. Win.

I don't shave/wax/laser anything. I don't judge anyone who does, but wish that it wasn't so 'expected' and that hairiness was more normalised. It's only this past year or two that I've seen body hair on shaving adverts!

To answer the OP, I've seen shaven arms become much more prevalent among women I know and teens I have taught, and privately think it's a bit of a shame - there's one more body part women think they need to be self concious about! However I can hardly blame people for caving to enormous societal pressure so again, 'm not judging.

I genuinely only do mine (aside from my armpits) because it’s the best exfoliation I’ve ever got. I do my armpits because I feel sweatier with hair!

My 13 yo dd2 uses Nair on her arms (just started recently) and shaves her legs. She only does it about once a month and it will be probably only be for 6 months of the year, as she wears long sleeves the rest of the time. But she absolutely loves it! Had been trying to delay it as worried about the upkeep/regrowth, but wish I had just said to do it earlier now 🤦‍♀️

because armpit or leg stubble wouldn’t normally brush against another person you’re not intimate with 🤷🏽‍♀️

Like everything, it's probably seen as being different, and must therefore be avoided by the majority of the population!

I started shaving mine in my teens, because my (long, dark) arm hair would be fried into golden pubic-like hair as I spent so much time doing watersports in the sun! These days, I just do it because it's a habit and I prefer having smooth arms. I have grown it back, just to see what it's like, and wasn't keen, so shaved it off again!

I've shaved/dermaplaned the bum fluff on my face for years and it grows back as bum fluff - no spikier, no darker. I would never dermaplane stronger hairs though (upper lip and chin) - they need to be plucked or Veeted.

I dermaplane my top lip because I’m not brave enough to wax it 😬🤣

I love how soft my arms are, especially when freshly moisturised like tonight!

Is it? Why’s that then?

I do mine because I have very dark arm hair like a bloke. I got teased at school so just shave them. It takes about 4 minutes in the shower. If I had fair arm hair I would be happy and not bother.

I shave my lower arms too OP. Its nothing like leg hair though and it doesn't grow back no where near as fast as underarms or legs. It also doesn't result in a rash or any bumps.

When I went through menopause, all my underarm hair fell out and never came back so I haven't needed to shave them for years. My leg hair is pretty sparse too - I'll shave them maybe every six weeks in summer when my legs are bare and just leave them once it's tights weather again. When I was younger and hairier I used to use waxing strips but now I just use one of the cheap disposable razors my DH buys in packs of 24.

I shaved my arms as a teenager and it wasn’t the same scratchy regrowth for me, think the hair is softer? It grew back with avengeance though! Once I was an adult it thinned by itself so I don’t need to now