Is excessive body hair revolting?

[DefinitelyNCforThisOne]

Just read the other thread on this board about shaving pubic hair in a new relationship and the consensus seems to be that most men don't care (kindly confirmed by two men on that thread), shouldn't care and you should only do it for yourself. Makes a lot of sense and I totally agree.

The reality is though that most hairy women do spend (pain filled) time, effort and money on removing their hair and I don't think most of them do it just for themselves.

I was wondering though (but didn't want to derail the other thread or talk about my own issues) about where people set the limit. If a little landing strip is ok what about a full bush? What about a hairy backside? What about hairy arms, backs, underarms, legs and face? What about a proper beard?

My own situation is that I have very dark, very, (very!!) thick hair, am light skinned (so it's very obvious) and well, I am hairier than a grizzly bear. I have spent much time in my life trying to remove it or hide it or just feeling embarrassed about it. Women from my ethnic background tend to be hairier (or maybe because of our dark hair it just shows more) but culturally, it doesn't seem that common to remove all of it all the time and it seems slightly more acceptable (though things are changing..).

When I was younger I was generally considered to be quite good looking and none of my boyfriends seemed to mind (including dh thankfully). I have always removed the hair off my legs, underarms, nipples, upper lip, lower lip and neck and trimmed pubic hair. I didn't do any of this for myself. I did it so I don't look like a freak. So that I'm not judged (by both men and women) and considered presentable.

I've had laser hair removal done on some parts of my body, which has made it easier but I just can't be bothered to remove the hair on my arms, the rest of my face, my shoulders, my backside, etc. I have just consigned myself to the fact that in the UK I wouldn't be considered attractive (now as I'm ageing it doesn't trouble me anymore) and if dh and me would ever split I'd never find anyone here who would be ok with all this hair. It's hypothetical and it really doesn't bother me anymore though I do worry about my young DD (who has inherited my grizzliness) getting bullied or feeling ugly, self conscious or inadequate.

TLDR: My question really is can the majority of people feel attracted to a woman with obvious excessive body hair? Would you judge (or pity) a woman / girl or consider them to be ugly, strange or shabby if they had a lot of body hair?

It's not so easy with some types of hair. Mine doesn't respond well to the cream and it stings like crazy. I'd also need a gallon of it ajd putting cream on most of.your body is time consuming. Shaving is the quickest but wasn't an option on my legs before I got them Lasered as my hair was just too thick. I used to need at least 4 blades to do both my legs. Waxing is expensive and hurts like hell and what do you do till the hair is long enough to be able to wax it again?

If I want to be as hair free as 99% of the other women I see it is extremely arduous.

I live in the UK and I see no women (as in I don't remember the last time I saw anyone, known or random) with any hair except on top of their heads, eye brows and eye lashes and whatever may be covered by their clothes.

I live in a normal town (that is not London in case that makes a difference.)

I'm really glad that attitudes are changing and young people are becoming more open minded but I still don't see it. I still don't see any young women with hair. And young kids are certainly not becoming less judgmental or less vocal about it.

Todays leg

Not very hairy but that's just how it is

Perhaps you don't look hard
Perhaps you don't notice and just assume they all have hair free legs

I’m with you op and am a bit surprised by the answers indicating it’s only a small minority of folks who think like this and it’s the norm not to shave. We all know it’s not. I suspect they are trying to be both polically correct and support you. I don’t think you want tea and sympathy though.

the reality is I don’t care either, but I also seldom see hairy legs and armpits on women in the uk, the overwhelming majority are shaved, some aren’t but it’s not the majority. The rest of their bodies I’d not know about.

hairy arms though I don’t think are the same, I see that a lot.

as to your question, is it attractive, I’m a straight woman so can’t comment, as I’m not attracted to women.but I do shave my legs and pits, so I guess for me it’s not a look I prefer. Do men find it attractive, some do, some don’t care either way , some don’t. I’d assume there is no rule.

for your second question, would I judge, no. I honestly couldn’t give a shit.

my advice will be do what makes you comfortable. If you wish to shave for societal pressure as you feel better that way, then do so. If you don’t wish to shave as you don’t like it or have the time or object, whatever, but do what’s right for you.

do I think it’s revolting, no. I don’t think anyone does. However I prefer a hairy man but thick back hair I find a turn off and dislike.

I used to be very hairy - very similar to you, light olive skin but thick dark body hair. Felt self conscious since around 9-10 when I noticed I looked different to others in the playground.

I think as much as we want to blame society for the views on hair, I felt ugly from such a young age and that was before the days of social media. I think it’s a personal preference thing.

I’ve had laser from head to toe and very rarely shave these days. For laser, it really is important you use a type of machine that works with your skin tone, rather than any simple laser machine.

My Male, personal opinion is that men and women should be nicely groomed, and I prefer when my wife doesn't have hairy armpits etc.

Up to you & your partner I'd say

Unfortunately society has made it so that women who have hair, other than on their head, will be ostracized. There was an article a couple of months ago of Rachel McAdams having underarm hair and such a big deal was made out of it, which I found baffling. It should be normalised but I don't think it ever will be.

I say this as someone who doesn't have excess hair and remove underarm hair etc. But this is for me, I feel fresher and cleaner that way. But if a woman wanted to be hairy what does it have to do with joe public 🤔

I have dark hair that shows up.

I remove facial hair and pluck eyebrows.

Legs, armpits and pubic hair shaved and then allowed to grow back before the next shave.

I used to be very conscious of it. It's utterly futile so now I don't care. With dark hair, you're never going to get perfect soft peachy legs unless you get laser.

I actively prefer armpit hair and pubic hair on myself, it looks feminine, natural and effortless, especially because I have long wavy/curly hair, it reminds me of an oil painting😂😍

I don't feel like my feminist is threatened by hair at all

Of course it’s social conditioning and fashion. Humans had to invent products to remove the hair!

I'm also not old, I'm mid 20s, so definitely in the minority.

Get to my age and I'm more baffled at the lack of hair- legs, pubic, underarm!!

Only place I seem to get it is on the moles on my chin!!

I think it is becoming quite normal now. My DD is quite hairy too and had noticed by Y1 but I've just reinforced that it's normal, all humans have body hair- some more, some less, and that as she gets older she'll get more as we all do. I am not very hairy but I showed her my arms, legs and armpits too.

I see hairy women all the time these days though, and I'm in the UK too. I see hairy armpits, arms and legs a lot and nobody bats an eyelid as far as I can see. These are grown women though and it was different in secondary school where people laughed if somebody was especially hairy.
I think since a movement started some years ago with leaving armpit hair, it has moved on to arms and legs too and becoming more and more normal to see.

I actually just saw a headline recently but didn't click onto it, about how it is switching and now lots of women are leaving hair and lots of men are removing hair. If I can find it I'll come back and post it.

I had laser hair removal at 18 for my legs, bum cheeks, full hollywood and lip/chin. Best £3k I ever spent. I am very hairy. I didn't bother with my arm hair, or under arms.

My poor DD5 is already fairly hairy, blonde currently. My husband is very unhairy for a man, which means at least my girls have a fighting chance.

I will pay for both children to have laser once they are 18, should they wish.

I don't think it's revolting at all - do what's comfortable for you. I go swimming regularly and see quite a few women who don't shave their legs / armpits.

For me personally, I like having smooth skin so decided to laser off my leg & armpit hair ages ago. I do get Brazilian wax in the summer and shave rest of the year - again, just my personal preference. I find it cleaner and more comfortable to have smooth skin.

I'm not particularly hairy and thankfully my husband doesn't care at all. I naturally don't have an overly bushy bush but I will shave my armpits.

I do feel physically repulsed if I see body hair on women or hairy backs/shoulders on men.

To answer your question, I would judge a little, it's not your fault, it's just a bit gross to me.

Personal preference is still socially influenced. You wouldn’t know that you found it more comfortable if the products to do so didn’t exist, and the advertising and observation of other people with hair removed hadn’t occurred. No one spontaneously removes body hair without it being socially driven.

Yes body hair is normal and natural. However I can’t stand excessive body hair.

How much hair is excessive hair?

We are programmed as women to think of our bodies as smelly and leaky and disgusting. So we can be sold products to rectify these failings.

DH likes a hairy woman, too but he doesn't talk about it. He finds thick dark eyebrows beautiful, absolutely hates the shaved fanny look.
He's not very hairy at all so maybe a case of opposites attract? As I found it was hairy men who had an issue with my body hair. I guess they were projecting their insecurity? Or maybe they wanted to balance their hormones out with someone who wasn't hairy since attraction is based on a subconscious breeding compatibility.
Maybe they resented that I didn't take up the normalised choice to hair removal when it's less acceptable for hairy men to wax their knuckles and arms? IDK.

Some women and children commented on my body hair both when I was a child and as an adult woman which is interesting. There were comments from white non hairy people and from an equally hairy ethnicity.

I've had men look repulsed at my hairiness, but most were neutral. A minority complimented my hairiness. If a man can't handle my having hairy arms he'll definitely have an issue with my bush and I'm not shaving it for anyone so prob for the best we repel each other as he wouldn't be my type either if he was into the smooth dolphin look 😜

I do think that the younger generation are doing a good job at normalising different body types and hair choices.

I remember seeing the same at he swimming pool and although I'm a trimmed full bush girl I really don't want to see any one else's pubes. I think that is a bit grim (but definitely wouldn't feel physically sick, that's ridiculous!). I have no problem with anyone not shaving their pubes but wear swim shorts if you don't want to.

“Physically repulsed”

you need to get out more 😂

I don't think that'll help 🤔

Nah, I think that's one of those things that comes under the heading "A You Problem". I think those bull type nose rings look really, really shit but I recognise that's my problem to ignore and nose ring wearers should just crack on.