Hair removal

[Rumblejungle]

I am asking this because this really gets me down. I have read lots of comments on here from people saying that their grooming routine is to shave their legs once a week and that is adequate. I don’t understand how anyone could do this? Am I particularly hairy or am I fussy?

I am very pale skinned but have dark hair on my legs etc. My bikini line extends down to mid thigh - literally if I don’t remove it I have black hair growth that is a couple of centimetres long nearly down to my knee and the back of my leg and midway down the front of my thigh. It isn’t just a case of tidying my bikini line up to wear a swimsuit it is a case of even longish shorts it would show under. I am really embarrassed and upset by it. It makes me feel so unattractive and as I have got older it has got worse and worse and I makes me so miserable having to deal with it. Is this a normal amount of hair?

I have to shave my full legs, bikini line and underarms at least once a day. I did it yesterday in my bath at 6pm, with a sharp razor, so they were completely smooth and hair free and right now 20 hours later I have got about 2mm of dark hair growth all over the areas I shaved. I also plucked eyebrows and chin so they were clear yesterday and have just had to pluck another 8 thick black hairs that were about 2mm though on my chin and also several new hairs from my eyebrows that have grown since yesterday evening. I spend a good 10 minutes per day on my chin alone, every day (removing a good 10-15 thick, dark hairs at a time) and still get caught out by occasional long dark hair that grow down my neck and that I hadn’t spotted as they were not there one day and a day later are 2cm’s long.

Today’s growth is all less than 24 hours since I last did it. Is this a normal amount of hair growth? Is this what everyone has and I am just fussy to not want it? There is very visible hair growth (that is also very obvious to feel) after less than a day.

I do not want to have hairy legs etc before anyone says that - I absolutely hate the feel and the look of it and it itches and feels uncomfortable. I absolutely cannot stand letting my hair grow as some people do. However the sheer amount of time I spend each day on removing it really gets me down. I can’t wax as I cannot stand letting it grow in between. I have looked into laser treatment but really don’t have the money (or anywhere nearby to us that do it - we live rurally).

Whenever I see discussions on here about it and people casually say that they do it once a week and that they can’t understand anyone doing it more often it really confuses me as to how they can do that? Or do I actually have greater hair growth than other people?

So my question is whether I am being unreasonable with this amount of hair growth to spend the time shaving and plucking it every day?

Also the people that say they “cannot understand why anyone would shave more than the once a week they do” etc Am I being unreasonable to find this upsetting as they don’t seem to understand that to be able to do it once a week they must have a light hair growth?

YANBU. some people's hair just grows faster than others. have you tried hair removal cream? i found that i dont need to use the cream nearly as often as i would shave

Have you ever seen the gp about the hair growth? Could be hormonal and may be able to be treated

I’m hairy too. Underarms get shaved every morning, otherwise I get shadow. I had my overgrown bikini line laser Ed years ago - best thing I ever did. Poss tmi but it also grew across my bum and down my thighs - didn’t get the full thing lasered, just the bits outside my knickers so now I just tidy it up.

I spend as much time as you, OP, on hair removal and as such I am FINALLY starting laser (face and underarms to start) tomorrow! I can’t wait, it’s been a long time coming.

I am really hairy full thighs etc need shaving...I have pcos and am also olive and dark. I bought a Phillip's lumea it has really changed my life in that respect. I used to need to shave legs/bikini everyday which would give bad rashes and ingrown hair. Now I could leave it for a week or even two and it does grow back but so much more sparse and light.

I am the same. Very pale skin, very dark hair, and it grows quickly too.

I can't shave my legs often because I get horrible shaving rash, so for years went hairy and only wore trousers.

More recently I used an epilator on my legs, which worked well and did reduce the growth quite a bit. But I've recently bought a Philips Lumea which was on special offer on Amazon, and after just two treatments I can see a marked reduction in hair growth on my legs. It's amazing.

Must investigate a Phillips Lumea. Thank you.

If you can stretch to it or save up, look into getting a Lumea. They seem pricey but the amount of money and time and thinking space you will save by getting one is immeasurable!

I ummed and ahhed for about a year before getting one and decided to bite the bullet.
Totally worth it mine is the slightly older advanced model and I had it on a black Friday deal for 199. It works great so I wouldnt splash out for the newest 'prestige' one x

It is entirely your prerogative to remove body hair - and, if it makes you feel good, then you should! (It matters not one whit what other people choose to do.) I'd suggest that you try an epilator. If you don't want the hair to keep growing, I'm afraid you have to actually remove it - not just shave it, which is akin to trimming the hairs.

Idk what to advise for facial hair. Possibly laser hair removal? Although, it might be worth checking in with your GP first. I believe excess facial hair can be a symptom of some conditions eg PCOS. But, if you're totally healthy, consulting a qualified beautician could be useful. x

I just have to say: Laser is a life changer. The initial outlay is a bit scary, but in the long run it pays for itself.

I bought a Lumea type thing off Amazon about 3 months ago- but the Philips Lumea were so expensive so I got a Chinese copy version , was about £70. I use on underarms and legs below knees. It’s great. I went on holiday this year and shaved midweek underarms although they still looked fine, and my legs you can barely see a hair now. And my legs were gorilla like after this last winter (when I did nothing).

I don't consider myself a hairy person but I definitely have growth after a day or two so people shaving weekly must be very hairless. If you waxed you would only have to leave it a few days... And the more you do it the finer it would grow back

The Lumea I bought has an attachment which works for facial hair.

I had laser treatment in a salon years ago which did work reasonably well, but as I can use the Lumea all over, and can give myself top ups when I need to, I think it is much more cost effective.

Everyone is different. I have very little hair on my body and what I have is fine and blonde (despite being a brunette!) I probably shave every month for my legs and bikini areas. I dont ever have to do tops of my legs or thighs as just no hair there. No arm hair and do armpits every 3ish days.

Thank you everyone for listening and replying! It is something I cannot talk to other people about as I am so embarrassed about it. It is just something I try to hide as it really makes me feel not pretty and not feminine. I am 50 now, it has got worse and worse over the last few years so I assume menopause is having an impact to it as well. It really helps to talk about it on here.

I don’t think I have PCOS, I always had horrendous periods due to massive fibroids and so had to have a hysterectomy 10 years ago due to uncontrollable bleeding that led to me ending up nearly dying (long stay in hospital on IV antibiotics and DH advised that I may not be able to survive it) from pneumonia as I was so anaemic and run down (having been continuously fobbed off and dismissed for years when I tried to get help for the periods - the A & E doctor when I collapsed and was taken in with only one functioning lung kicked up a fuss and got me referred to a consultant who finally recognised that I couldn’t carry on losing that much blood all the time). PCOS was never mentioned and I would think that would have been something they would have thought about then?

I haven’t been to my GP about hair growth, everything just seems to get dismissed as age and as it isn’t life threatening and you have to fight to get support with medical issues that keeps getting dismissed, I can’t see them caring about this.

Do I have more hair growth than is normal do you think then?

I have put a lot of weight on lately without a change of diet or activity and this has got me down and then having to look in the mirror every morning and see more hair growth all over my chin and lower jaw or sitting in the bath for 20 minutes every morning, shaving plus having to then mess about putting creams on etc. to avoid the rash and reactions to the shaving it is just really getting me down.

Then I read comments from people saying along the lines of “Oh, I shave my legs once a week - can’t understand why anyone would bother to do more than that” and it just makes me want to curl up and hide away.

I would love to try laser - I did look a while ago and found somewhere an hour away that do it but the price was about £700-£800 for a course which was just not do-able. I cannot imagine how life changing it would be to just be hair free and not have to worry and be aware of it!

Skyejuly - I am jealous! I cannot imagine how much easier that would be - I would love to be able to just worry about it and every few days!

@Rumblejungle only a note to say you are not alone. You are me hair wise I feel your pain and I wish you well.

YANBU! You'd think everyone on MN is blonde with fair skin and no body hair from how they 'don't understand' how some people are quite hairy and that their hair is dark and thick, their skin pale, and the hair is hot, uncomfortable, traps sweat, and hides their body.

PLEASE try a Lumea. They are worth every penny! Amazon had them on offer last week about £300 and I promise you, you will not regret it! It's perfect for people with fair skin and dark body hair.

I do need to try the Lumea. I have looked at them online before but I am embarrassed to order it and hide away to use it. DH and DC (teenagers) would want to know what I was doing and I don’t want to admit it. I do know that sounds ridiculous, but I have just lost any resilience for anyone criticising or taking the mickey out of my appearance.

@Rumblejungle

I only had what is called “bikini line” done. In my case it was more of a jungle that grew down my legs like Japanese knotweed! It wasn’t that expensive though, it came in at about £500 but I spread the cost over a year. Maybe get a few quotes and just pay per session so you can spread it out.

What? Tell them it's a personal product to get rid of cellulite.

Lumea has transformed me from a gorilla to fine light blonde hairs that barely show. A lot of the hair has gone completely. I have pcos. Definitely recommended. I got the most basic corded lumea.

Thank you gwilt! It helps not to be alone!

Thank you timshelthechoice - you are right, I know! I need to work out a way to do it. I just don’t think I can cope with a “what you doing that for?” “Why how hairy are you?” type questions from DH (tact of a sledgehammer) and teenagers. Small house and total lack of privacy. I have had to totally lose the plot and have a complete screeching melt down to establish that no-one is allowed to just fling the door open and march into the bedroom when I am getting dressed. They do give me that space now, and not actually walk in but will stand banging on the door and asking me things and then think I am being unreasonable when I shout at them to go away.