To ask what cultures you're from and you're attitudes re: body hair?

[BettyCrockerLover]

Hey everyone :)

I know this is a personal question, but I was wondering about beauty/body hair issues and if these attitudes are different within different cultures around the world and if so, how

I am from North Africa but I was raised in a lot of places and I think the only places a woman should have hair are on her head and her eyelashes and eyebrows, anything else seems a bit...unhygienic to me.

What about you all?

[stooshe]

Oh, I shave my top lip and strategically pluck any hair under my chin that doesn't feel youthful and downy anymore. It's a surprise to stroke the chin and feel a crispy man hair growing there. It could be worse. I knew a woman who had one, dark afro hair growing out of her chest. I was always tempted to pull it ( says more about me than her, I know).

[garlicagain]

love the way blonde downy hair looks against lightly tanned skin - Me, too, znaika :) Unfortunately, I only get that when I'm into the second week of a beach holiday, having waxed before going! I'm a grey white-skinned Brit with boisterous, dark, body hair.

Wallace, that is awful

[garlicagain]

I do remove a lot of facial hair these days. The 'man hairs' grow so fast, I've never got them all and sometimes just give up for a week or so. I have vivid memories of being next to older women on the train to work, morning sun beaming, and wondering why on earth they didn't deal with all those pesky face hairs! Now I know, I'm sorry I even thought it.

[YippeeKiYayMakkaPakka]

I'm British and I shave my legs and underarms and keep my bikini line trimmed/Veeted. I do these things more frequently in Summer because I'm more likely to be wearing shorts/skirt or sleeveless tops.

I do it partly because it feels more hygienic, especially in the heat, but also because society tells me that it looks nicer that way. I'm actually a bit hairy at the moment because I have an appointment for waxing this weekend (holiday next week), and I feel a little self-conscious about it, especially my underarms.

I couldn't care what anyone else decides to do with their body hair, although I'd probably be surprised to see a very hairy woman, because it's quite unusual these days.

[WorraLiberty]

It is personal hair worra but when our DD's (or DS's) are pressurised by societys expectations to do something something, that like you say "doesn't really matter", it is hard not to judge.

Then raise your children to be independent...to do what they want with their own personal hair...and to not judge others.

Where does the judging end? Tattoos? Piercings?

These are all personal choices

[itsonlysubterfuge]

It doesn't really have anything to do with my culture, but I prefer to have my pubic hair trimmed or shaved and the rest I leave as is. I would shave my legs, but it irritates my skin way too much and I end up with hair-free legs covered in scabs and scratch marks and I do shave my armpits occasionaly.

[Offler]

Replying to allaflutter Wed 17-Jul-13 23:41:35

I do wear skirts and dresses (have a skirt on now!) I'm no longer blonde as I was when a teenager and decided not to shave, but my body hair, with the exception of pubes, is fair and goes virtually invisible in the sun.


They feel smooth to the touch, and as they have never been shaved the hair is incredibly fine (and I've never had any complaints )

[MadeOfStarDust]

oh godddddddddddd does NO-ONE else have to pluck round their nipples.....

[Offler]

Occasionally

[OnIlkelyMoorBahtat]

MadeOfStarDust oh god yes, don't worry - I forgot about those, mainly because I rarely bother unless someone is likely to see them.

I also forgot about mustache & ever-expanding chin hair (thanks a lot, peri-menopause )

[theodorakisses]

Where exactly are all these places full of shackled teenagers being rocked to wax against their will? Maybe it has been something seen in porn and maybe, entirely unconnectedly, some of just like it better and feel cleaner and nicer. And, if you suggest that any male or female who is in a relationship with a shaved person is a potential paedophile (see commens such as "i feel it is like having sex with a 12 year old" you can a) fuck off and b) examine your own warped values that make you resort to making such vile suggestions to prove your own, warped point. I expect there are some pretty warped men out there who fetish over big sweaty hairy fannies as well, does that make them geriatricophiles or whatever the equivalent is?

[theodorakisses]

Or just plain gross perhaps

[vladthedisorganised]

White British here.

Shave under arms daily and legs every other day; go to the threaders to keep the monobrow under control and halt any emergence of a moustache (but I'm very, very paranoid about that). If I was wearing a particularly high-cut swimsuit I'd get the bikini line waxed, but haven't done either in years.

I feel uneasy about the Hollywood wax: I think in this country it can be part of an increasingly artificial ideal being applied to womens' bodies (implants, Botoxed/lasered face, etc). I don't want to look like Barbie, and I don't really like the idea of anyone else feeling pressured to do the same. It's a completely personal thing but I'd feel uncomfortable doing it

I spent some time in Eastern Europe in the early 1990s and was the only woman who shaved under her arms - I found that quite interesting. Irrationally enough the underarms are the one area I can't quite bring myself to abandon shaving; kind of a hygiene thing too (how do deodorants work on very hairy armpits?)

[YummyYummyYum]

Women shave their underarms where I come from and I do not. I do not shave my pubes because I earned them by going to puberty. Each to their own.

[YummyYummyYum]

I meant I do shave underarms and that's all I do. I shape my eyebrows but my body hair is very fine, so I don't feel I 'have to' shave. I have never had the 'need to shave the pubes, can wear a bikini and you wouldn't see any of them... in fact, they didn't shave me for my C section, there was no need.

vlad of course deodorant works on hairy armpits. How do you think men manage?

[Chattymummyhere]

Hate all body hair..

Been shaving everything since I got pubes.. I remember all the old ladies in my family having very bad hair issues, it scared me they looked strange and scary..

I still find it creepy to see a women with a tash

[Twattybollocks]

White British. Shave pits, lower legs, pluck eyebrows because I have monobrow, upper lip or I have a hideous tash. The lip thing is recent since I had kids, never used to have it. If I'm wearing a swimsuit I shave the edges but otherwise I leave it until its annoying me then trim with scissors.
Personally I find stubbly armpits more off putting than unshaven on a woman.
I don't like hairy backs on men, but other body hair doesn't bother me at all, men or women.

[SmellsLikeWeenSpirits]

I used to wax my muff off but actually I feel more clammy and sticky in that area without it. I've decided I prefer a bit of hair, it's more comfortable for me. Dp couldn't give a flying fig

[puds11isNAUGHTYnotNAICE]

White British, pale skin, ginger.

Always do my armpits, occasionally do my legs, however the hair is so light you can't really see it. Am having my first wax tomorrow although normally veet my vag once a monthish.

Also love the downy blonde hair on people.

On men.....if I like the man, his body hair isn't going to put me off.

[vladthedisorganised]

It is entirely irrational re: the deodorant. I like roll-on which feels a lot nicer for me with smooth underarms - less so with stubble or hair.
As for men.. I seem to share tube carriages with a lot who appear to be strangers to deodorant altogether, but that's another thing..

[amessageforyouYoni]

White Brit, with pale skin and dark hair. Quite hairy.

I pluck my monobrow into respectability , get my 'tache waxed monthly, shave my legs and pits (have been doing so since puberty).

I only ever bothered with bikini line hair removal when I was going on holiday. never had a problem with having a hairy bush and DH doesnt care either way. But recently, i have been removing quite a bit more (landing strip styley) and I must say, it feels much nicer during sex and less icky during periods.

I will defend a woman's right to be a hairy mary til the death, though!

[borraxohastaelalmanacer]

I'm really shocked (not in a bad way mind) by the amount of posters who don't bother with hair removal. I'm white British and have always shaved my legs and arm pits (and toes ), threaded or plucked my eyebrows and had at least a Brazilian bikini wax. From what I can see, my friends are similar and I would be quite surprised to see a hairy arm pit (stubbly legs not so much)
I live in the Middle East now and in my experience, many of the women here are really funny about female body hair - a lady in my office asked me the other day why I didn't wax my (blonde) hairy arms?!
I have to admit I'm not keen on hairy men either - DH trims his pubes and underarm hair and luckily for me doesn't have much hair on his chest.

[nkf]

I don't understand the feelings of disgust. It's body hair, secondary sign of puberty. I can understand wanting to conform but the disgusted reaction seems excessive to me.

[SarahStrattonIsBackForJustABit]

White British, with a Scandinavian background. V fair skin, blonde hair.

I shave my underarms when I can be bothered, have had them, plus my bikini line, and legs waxed in the past, but don't bother any more. I'm comfortable with the way I am, and I don't have to think of anyone else. Plus, I'm quite fond of my lightly fuzzy legs.

[Mapal]

I wouldn't want to be with a guy who wanted full hair removal down below. It's like he wants sex with a child rather than a woman, would creep me right out.
I once had a one night stand with a guy and I had not trimmed or shaved on any way. He raved about how sexy I was!
I like to do my underarms & brows all year. Legs from knee down in warm weather, bikini line if going swimming. That's it, hubby likes me natural as I do him. Hairless guys give me the creeps.

Incidentally re the hygiene thing, if I trim too short down below I always get thrush. I am better not trimming at all. I think it is LESS hygienic to be hairless there, the hair is there for a reason, just wash!!!