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Original poster

Not knowing shaving arms is a thing?

166 replies

HarrysOwl · 03/04/2019 19:13

DH asked me do you shave your arms?

I said no, I don't shave my arms. I looked at him with my whaaa look, he then explained he'd just seen a TV advert (women's razor, she was doing her arms) and wondered how many women feel they have to shave all their limbs.

So I'm thinking if it's on a TV advert, this is a totally usual thing and I'm naive to not know?

can't ask my friends they'd think I was weird

OP posts:
Cornettoninja · 03/04/2019 19:19

It’s definitely a ‘thing’. Mostly amongst dark haired women and very common for Asian women to remove body hair.

Tbf most people wouldn’t shave but go for a wax/threading. I’m pretty much half gorilla but couldn’t stand the look of the regrowth when I tried it so have made peace with the amount of hair and bleach it now.

Have a good look at your toes and I bet they’re hairy but your body hair is just light enough to get away with it. It’s really no fun being a dark haired woman for some.

CaptainHammer · 03/04/2019 19:20

I’ve not done it myself but know quite a few women who do

WhatNowRandy · 03/04/2019 19:20

Sometimes. I'm fair and not very hairy, but it's just something I do sometimes? I don't know why. I don't get dark stubble or anything like that. No one certainly cares if I do or not, and I don't even like wearing short sleeves.

NeverSayFreelance · 03/04/2019 19:21

I've never shaved mine. My arm hair is very dark but I don't really care. My skin is sensitive and I'm not living with sore dimply arms lol.

MitziK · 03/04/2019 19:21

I shave mine. They're the one part of my body - other than my face - which is almost permanently visible and long, dark hairs really show up against my freckles. Have done since I first got informed at school that I looked like a monkey at age 11.

Itssosunny · 03/04/2019 19:25

I know one person who does it and she is Asian. It's a little bit visible.

theconstantinoplegardener · 03/04/2019 19:26

When I lived in Lebanon, it was very common for women to remove arm hair with sugar wax, but I don't know anyone in the UK who does this.

DerbyRacer · 03/04/2019 19:29

I know a few who do this.

veeboo · 03/04/2019 19:31

I've just seen this advert. It is a very tattooed woman shaving her arms (not sure that makes a difference?). I do not shave my arms!

underneaththeash · 03/04/2019 19:31

I epilate mine, but I have very dark hair. I wouldn't shave.

PetuliaBlavatsky · 03/04/2019 19:32

I don't, I have very little hair on my arms. But I do remember at school other people insisting that I must have done because I didn't have any hair on them so was sort of aware of it being a thing for some people.
A friend of my daughter uses hair removal cream on hers, she's been teased at school since about age 7 for having dark hair on her arms, it's disgraceful that a young girl is made to feel like that about her body but I can understand why that's the easiest way for her to deal with it.

Itssosunny · 03/04/2019 19:32

I can understand women with darker hair maybe wanting to. Too much of light hair can look unattractive as well but then I don't care about the hair on arms - on legs only.

dreamyflower · 03/04/2019 19:34

I shave mine. Have done since I was a teen. I'm quite dark though.

PickAChew · 03/04/2019 19:35

I have thick dark hair and did it once and it felt so weird that I didn't bother again.

Most of it's fallen out since perimenopause.

megletthesecond · 03/04/2019 19:35

It's a thing. I notice it on some women.

I used to bleach mine, my body hair is dark, thick and grows so fast that shaving it is pointless.

SosigDog · 03/04/2019 19:36

I don’t shave mine, but I have fine blonde hair that’s virtually invisible. I remember 20 years ago a friend asked me how my arms were so smooth - she shaved hers and thought everyone else did. She had dark hair on her arms though. So it isn’t a new thing.

Ilovecoleslaw · 03/04/2019 19:36

Nope never have Grin

RedForShort · 03/04/2019 19:37

I recall a small number of girls in school doing it (90s) but wasn't standard.

Isn't it considered more standard for no visable body hair below eyebrows. (Actually maybe body hair has migrated to the eyebrows. Big eyesbrows is a thing now isn't it?)

Original poster
HarrysOwl · 03/04/2019 19:37

DH has just confirmed it's definitely the ad with the 'tattoo shaver'. And he's confused why I'm asking. Grin

Well, I can totally understand why you'd want to shave if it causes self consciousness.

I'm glad I'm not the only person on the planet though that bares their yeti-like limbs about. Phew.

OP posts:
itssoooofluffy · 03/04/2019 19:39

I have very pale skin and dark hair and have been tempted to shave (it was commented on by other children when I was at school) but I really didn’t want prickly arms. I used to bleach the hair after that for a while, and now occasionally wax them, but to be honest I don’t really care what other people think of my arms now.
I have friends that wax or have had laser hair removal, but they also have very dark hair and pale skin. Don’t know anyone who shaves, but I’m not sure I would notice/ask!

WelcomeToShootingStars · 03/04/2019 19:39

I used to have my arms waxed as I have arms like a chimp. I've since stopped as I can't be arsed anymore.

I know lots of women who remove the hair from their arms.

Mirardosa · 03/04/2019 19:40

My friend has a full sleeve tattoo and she shaves her arms as it makes the ink look clearer!

NoraEphronsneck · 03/04/2019 19:40

I saw the same ad a Few weeks ago and have had same conversations with DH and several friends. Out of about 12 people 2 said they shave their arms.

I find it most bizarre.

JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam · 03/04/2019 19:43

I have sleeves on both arms and never shave them....it’s not a tattoo thing Confused.

I am fair and don’t really need to shave my legs either although I do when they get little not enough to plait Grin

CoolCarrie · 03/04/2019 19:45

I use my epilator on my arms as I am very pale and the hair is dark.