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?

I know how you feel OP. I am pale with dark body hair everywhere. It is course and thick and grows back very quickly. I shave at least every 2 days but preferably every day. It really gets me down and no hair removal method works as I have such sensitive skin. It's not hormonal it's just genetic.

I have recently purchased a Philips lumea after reading about them on here. I'm not convinced it will work as it sounds too good to be true but it comes with 100day money back guarantee. I have done 2 treatments so far and am already starting to notice a difference. I will keep going and see how long it lasts for. If it works it will be worth every penny. Come back in November when I've done more treatments and ask how I'm getting on.

I've also started to do a sport with a lot of feminists and they are mostly au naturel about body hair and it's very refreshing. Sometimes we need to just let go and say 'it's just hair!'

Dont be. I dont have shaving stress but do have other hang ups lol hope u find a solution!

I think shaving could be a contributing factor too, other methods of hair removal may help!

I have fair skin but dark hair too, I wax. I wax my legs every week, by day 7 not all of the hair has grown back nor is it particularly noticeable but it’s enough that I wouldn’t feel comfortable having bare legs. Some areas on my legs don’t even grow hair anymore since waxing, other areas grow in much slower so it’s not uniform anymore. I prefer that though, with shaving I’d get razor bumps and my legs would feel very sore as the stubble grew in.

The hair on my arms/underarms is finer so I can go longer in between waxes.

Oh and bikini area, I just get waxes as I can’t do it myself very well!

Laser is the answer. It's been life changing for me. If you can't afford all areas, could you get upper legs/ bikini done?

I think I may have to look at the Lumea too

I'm very pale with dark brown hair and my hair - ALL my hair - grows extremely fast. On the plus side, I've got a cracking good set of eyelashes, but on the down side, I am constantly plucking, shaving and bleaching. It's the bane of my life. My legs, in particular, seem to sprout hair literally as I look at them and like you, I find it itchy to have hairy legs as it rubs against tights and bedsheets and I hate that sensation - so even in winter when hidden by opaque tights or trousers, I feel like I need to shave.

I've given up on my bikini area because DP doesn't seem bothered and I don't swim ... when I used to remove hair from the downstairs area I just constantly had itching and rashes regardless of method. Grim.

I'm off to look at the prices of the Lumea...

Waxing doesn't work for.me. Even professionally done I have stubble the very next day.

I'm so sorry your family are not more understanding, OP. I know how horrible it is to be so hairy; but I have never had to hide away to deal with it, or felt ashamed. You are gorgeous no matter what your body hair does. Your husband and your children should cherish and adore you regardless.

I hope you can stretch to a Lumea. They are so easy to use, and it doesn't take long to work over an area. They advise you to do it every two weeks at first, but there's no reason why you'd have to do all your legs in one go: you could just do one lower leg one day, the other the next, and so on, so it wouldn't add much to your routine. I did my lower legs yesterday and it took me about 15 minutes, but I was interrupted a few times which made it take longer. Mine works on battery or corded, but I prefer corded as it is quicker. It's painless, it's easy, and it works. I hope you find something to help you--and that your family start appreciating you properly.

Unfortunately you just have fast growing hair, I wax every 2 months or shave every 2-3 weeks, I recognise I'm lucky!

I just got a Lumea & already notice a difference after 2 uses on underarms & bikini - growth is starting to slow down (legs not noticeably different yet). I can't believe it as I need to shave every 2nd day usually.
I signed up to Philips website & they sent me a discount code so I bought the prestige one. Determined this is going to work so I'm sticking to the recommended 2 week zapping! It's really quick to do, I'm sure you could manage to do it when kids are asleep or engrossed in iPads, etc!
You're not alone in your hairiness 😉

Another to add to the chorus of Lumea.

Very dark hair, very pale skin. Waxing never worked no matter who did it.

I can now get a week between shaving my legs and my underarms and stomach are going the same way finally. And what does grow through is finer and softer.

Oh OP I feel your pain. I'm 54, pale skinned, freckly and have light brown hair on my head yet my body hair is coarse and dark. Like you, it grows very quickly. I despair when I read that waxing lasts for 'up to 6 weeks'. Does it fuck! Neither does epilating which is obviously the same principle. If I wax or epilate my legs I'd say I was smooth for 7 or 8 days tops before it starts growing back ... not just the odd one or two with a different growth cycle as you'd expect but the whole damn lot. I can never have a two week holiday without taking tweezers, razors, and my epilator and I resent having to spend anywhere up to 30 mins each day of the second week attending to this.

Unfortunately for the last year or so I've started to suffer very badly from ingrown hairs all over my legs which I suspect is as a result of epilation ... nasty bumps which look awful and sometimes get infected. I'm at the end of my rope with it. I have sensitive skin and have always reacted very badly to hair removing cream. Aside from which it's expensive and inefficient - I find the hair tends to 'break' rather than dissolve to just under the skin as it's claimed to do. Shaving often gives me a rash no matter how careful I am or what creams, foam or gels I use. It's time consuming and of course you can't see properly round the back of your thighs anyway. I often end up cutting myself to add to the dreadful state of my legs. I have often cried in frustration. I hate the whole wretched palava and the huge amount of time it uses up.

I've mentioned this to my GP before but it's not taken seriously. Understandable I suppose given the state of the NHS but nonetheless it really affects your self esteem. Especially if you've lived with it for years. I support any woman who chooses to leave her body hair in situ and would never judge her adversely but unfortunately I'm not so brave to do the same. Like you there is no way I can afford clinical laser treatment even on a payment plan. I feel horribly jealous of women who can do whatever it is they prefer to do re: body hair and not have to think about it again for at least a month.

Having said all that, I have finally managed to get hold of a Lumea and as a final resort intend to start trying that this week. I will be over the moon if it helps because I don't know what else to do.

Cats other. You sound like you have same skin and hair as me. It really does get you down doesn't it. I don't like hugging my husband because i don't want him to feel my hairy arms! Lots of little hings like that. I hope the lumea works for us. 🤞

YANBU OP, I expect most people don't understand as it does sound like you struggle more with body hair than most.

I'm borrowing my friend's lumea and seeing results quickly. You should do it!

Also I think your family should have more respect for your privacy. Lock on the bedroom door?

Laser. It is brilliant and absolutely permanent. The one thing I would say, is not to focus on having to book a course of six treatments. Every laser treatment you have significantly reduces growth. The salon I had it done advised to basically have the number of treatments until you don’t care about it. So, underarms I think I did 3 or 4 treatments spaced out. Have a few hairs still, but they don’t notice. Bikini line similar I think.

I would recommend focusing on one area, eg underarms. Book one laser treatment at a recommended salon and see how you feel. Don’t book a course or anything like that. Try one and see.

The salon has to be good at laser/electrolysis. The one I used was absolutely brilliant, and very understanding (happy to recommend to anyone in London)

Like you, if I plucked/shaved/waxed I had one day before it look horrible. After some expert electrolysis and laser, my bikini line, underarms and eyebrows do not even feature in my everyday life anymore.

@missgiggles30
@gotmychocolateimgood

Which model did you get please. I'm very interested and have pcos as well.

I have the advanced model a corded one. It has two attachments body and face x

Lumea essential is my one. I hot it mega cheap a couple of years ago from Tesco direct.

I am exactly the same op! 41 now but I've been like this since age 18 or so. The chin hairs only came in the last few years though. I'm having laser done over the winter as I don't want to spend another summer not being able to wear shorts. My lower legs are constantly covered in red bumps and ingrown hairs from all the shaving. It's not easy, maybe try the lumea op lots of people seem to swear by it, and good luck I feel your pain!

Unexplained weight gain shouldn't be ignored, you should make an appointment with your GP. There may be a hormonal issue that is contributing to the excess hair. Sounds like you're really struggling with this, hope you get things sorted. Have you considered waxing? Obviously has to be redone periodically, but usually gives you a good month or so. Def better than shaving, and the regrowth gets finer over time.

If the op is anything like me, and it sounds like we do have the same problem, then waxing will only last a week or so

It's not necessarily about the hair growth or coverage, it can be colour too. I've got loads of long but very light blonde hair, all over my legs and arms. You can't see it though, unless you're really looking closely, so generally I don't bother doing anything with it. I sometimes shave below the knee and will do my bikini line if going swimming, but that's it. Armpits maybe once a week. Downside is that laser won't work on me- hair is too light in colour.

Honestly laser hair removal has been a total game changer for me. I went to a place that used light sheer duet machine which is supposed to be one of the best. It does hurt a bit but no more than waxing and I think it took 8 sessions but no more bikini shaving or underarm shaving which was worth it to me. If you are going to do that shop around as prices vary hugely.

Really, the Lumea works out to be the most economical thing with loads of dark hair and pale skin.

Another one who is like you Op

On the plus side, dark hair and pale skin is ideal for the Lumea. My arms were so hairy, I wouldn’t wear short sleeves, even on a day like today. I bought a Lumea 2 years ago.

It took 6 months to sort my arms and 9 months to sort my lower legs and tummy.
Under arms and bikini are still work in progress - but the regrowth (you can carry on shaving) is soft and has slowed down to needing shaving one a fortnight.
I still need to zap the odd hair, but being able to shower without thinking of shaving is bliss,

Get a Lumea and tell your family not to be so rude, if they ask!