public showers

[rahjama]

Got into a debate recently with a friend over the showers at our local gym. We go to the gym together a lot of the time and both always shower after.

Given the prices of everything going up, the cost of living being more expensive, and the fact that the gym membership itself isn't cheap, every time I go I take full advantage of the 'free' hot shower. I always take shampoo, conditioner, body wash, a razor, face scrub/wash and generally everything I use in a shower as if I were at home.

I do not wash my hair every day at home, I save that for when I use the gym showers roughly 3x a week. And yes I shower daily but only wash my body , in my shower at home for 5 minutes max. And yes DH and DC all shower normally at home, I just thought saving water where we can is smart.

Friend saw my razor and was mortified that I shave in the public showers. I don't personally think it's dirty and I don't mind the thought of someone else also shaving in them. I'm only talking legs and armpits, no pubic hair as I get a wax, maybe that's tmi, but I think if I didn't get a wax then maybe I would do my pubic hairs as well??

Friend just made me feel really dirty and unhygienic and I wanted others opinions on it?? I didn't realise it was so disgusting

I don’t see why body hair attracts comments like disgusting, vomit inducing etc. it’s no different to any other hair, surely. And if sweat/bodily fluids are the issue, they’re washed into the shower whether that’s along with hair or not.

People shed hair all the time from all over their body, even those who don’t depilate or trim.

Obviously people who leave the facilities dirty (however they make the mess) should not. And I can see why discarded razors are problematic, and why therefore there might be an outright ban on shaving.

Seems really illogical to decry body hair as disgusting, though.

For me it’s how long you’re spending in the shower.

I find there’s always a queue so there’s only time for a body wash to get the sweat off and clean your body.

at my last gym there was a sign asking people not to shave in the shower, my new gym doesn't have a sign of this nature

Not the point, but I once made a complaint about a lady having a shave in the open showers on the side of the pool when o took my class swimming. Twas wrong,

I don't go to the gym anymore but I always used to shave arm pits there. I don't see any problem 🤷🏻‍♀️

So hairs from the head that naturally fall whilst having a shower are ok but microscopic hairs are not? assuming OP has not grown a forest on her legs, what’s the fuss? I have never noticed any shaven hair bits at the gym and I’m a regular, but I have noticed lots of (head)hair in the plug hole. Now that really turns my stomach.

Just don't shave 👍

I was going to say this. And a lot of campsites don't have cubicles, just dividers and the water runs from one to the other. I still need to shave my legs/armpits when I'm on holiday. Just make sure it all washed away.

Also lol to people saying it's an HIV risk. It's really really not unless it's a communal razor!

our gym doesn't allow you to shave in the showers. The rest is fine though

IME of years of gym showers, it's not the really short hairs from shaving body hair, it's the long hanks of hair from people's heads which clog the plug holes and drains. Sometimes, hanks of hair just left in the shower cubicle which is a bit yuk.

I worked in a gym for the three years I was at uni, I also used to clean at our rugby club for extra money for quite a long time.

Some of the rugby guys shaved daily, so would wet shave, others would trim their beards. You would have visible head hair, bits of grass and grit/very small stones in the trap, but no stubble. You very rarely saw actual body hair, as it isn’t long enough to be able to cling in the flow of water. Did sometimes find the odd little hair tie, the cotton covered elastic bands. There was a full body shave for movember once, again, traps were fine afterwards, and as it was plug holes and not grills short hair wasn’t trapped as it was going into the trap like it can on a grill.

I don’t shave at all, if I did I would be more than happy doing it at home, the gym or the rugby showers.

I take it your entire body is free of body hair, or do you individually pick those up as well?

Just how long do you think her arm/leg hair is???

cleaners are removing the hair from peoples heads all the time 🙄🙄

That's nothing, I bring in those pans with baked on food in with me. I think a prelonged pounding with hot water gets all the crud off quite effectively - it seems to work on me too!

Doesn't bother me at all.

Great idea.

No different to holiday cottage, or having a cleaner or anything else.

Op isn't pooing in the shower and leaving it, it's just a tiny bit of hair.

Like others have said it's long hair that blocks it anyway not a quick leg shave.

I have a side hustle as a dog groomer. I take my doggy clients in with me too.

I agree it's the time factor. My gym only has 4 enclosed showers the others are communal.

@rahjama

are they private communal sir a bank of showers?

Dont you feel self conscious shaving & faffing?

I don't think the minuscule amount of hair is an issue, but I'd just feel too embarassed.

People will also be at risk of catching hiv from a potential tiny razor cut.

Oh I've heard it all now.

I'm sorry, but if you can afford a gym membership then you can afford to shave at home

Am i missing something? Surely anyone washing their hair leaves hair behind (swooshing of down the drain)- thats what happens in a shower, why would mini millimetres of leg hair be suddenly abhorrent?

Its not my favourite thing to see in a shower obviously but ffs, its hair, we all have and lose it when we wash?!

Gym showers are usually fixed so you can't hose down the shower.
They also don't get cleaned between users, only at the end of the day.

all private cubicles. No I don't feel self conscious as no one sees me?

This is why I use flip flops 😂

The hair you leave behind anyway isn't on purpose though is it?