Stopping shaving arm pits legs and bikini area.

[Lesat]

For years I have suffered with razor/shaving burn, skin irritation, ingrown hairs, infected hair follicles and now I am so fed up I am going to stop shaving.
Just like anyone else, I cant help my hairs growing but I am worried about the stigma of "hairy women in public", especially the repercussions it will have on my family. I wouldn't like my child to be bullied because I am hairy. Ideas would be great on how to deal with this, thanks.

Have you tried using clippers instead of razors? Because it trims the hair close to the skin, but because there is still some hair sticking up, it doesn’t allow the skin around the follicle to close up, it can be dramatically better.

If you are not keen to be fully hairy, this might allow you to just be stubbly which is not as noticeable.

Thank you. Yes, I also have tried different brands of battery operated shavers also with a sprinkling of talcum powder immediately before shaving but no luck. I tried hair removal creme the sensitive one but it irritated my skin.

certainly for the armpit area if you wear short sleeves it's not visible. same thing with choosing swim shorts vs high cut bikini bottoms, they have swim tops with short sleeves (rash guards).
depending on skin type/sensitivity bleach on the legs.
but surely if you are truly unable to tolerate available treatment (have you tried lazer or electrolysis) your family would be able to just explain it that way.
i think that there are enough women who choose not to shave that the sigma isn't there compared to decades ago.

I used to have those problems - IPL changed my life.

I’ve not shaved for 5 years now. I don’t think anyone has noticed, let alone commented to me or my children.

I go most of the year without shaving and I don’t think anyone notices -I don’t wear sleeveless tops and tend to wear long pants . For swimming I wear these cute short style bottoms. I live in a place where the sun in v strong so even covering up at the beach with rash tops etc.

I go swimming with friends and kids too-nobody notices .

The 'cool' girls in the sixth form I teach at don't shave their legs or armpits. It's so heartwarming to see. I think it's only a matter of time before the pressure to remove hair lessons for us all.

You shouldn't be hearing from anyone about not shaving, I certainly hope not anyway. I do shave but in my early 20s I experimented with not shaving for a short while. Skin felt healthy. Hope you feel comfortable again soon.

I only shave under my arms. No one has noticed that I don’t shave my legs and I’ve only ever had a bikini wax once. Certainly don’t think other children would care one bit.

Yep decided enough was enough like you OP-good on you..i just wear shorts&rash vest..my bikini line was so full-on,proper forest&excessively long(!)the high cut bikini bottoms of my youth seem a riduculous amount of mai tenance,irritatiobn&annoyance to wear.Pits not too bad -quite a few around here leave it au natrel.I live in Oz&fortunately rashie&short lycra swim shorts are really common if you out&active around the water a lot rather than just lying frying next to it😉Even my DC when faced with the same said theyd rather wear shorties like me&not be arsed.. so balls to the 'stigma' or shaming anyone,my body my rules..im glad for my DC its an option-in the 80's as a teen it wasnt contemplated to "let it be"!!

Ah that’s a shame the clippers didn’t work for you. I wouldn’t recommend shavers... they get too close to the skin.
An alternative could be just to trim with scissors occasionally.
Great to hear all the posts on this thread!
I might get a rash vest and shorts; might look a bit odd in a Uk swimming pool, but hey, times are clearly changing.
Yy to the entitlement to pass comment in the 1990’s.

I don't wear swimming costumes, enjoy swimming, so bikini has never been an issue.

I do my underarms 3-4 times with an electric shaver in summer as underarm hair feels less hygenic when it is warm. I don't wear vest/strappy tops.

Legs are rarely out so never shave them either, but I am in my 50's now so hair is sparse anyway.

I’ve not shaved for 5 years now. I don’t think anyone has noticed, let alone commented to me or my children.

Same here. Fair enough, I'm usually in trousers most of the year so no one can see my legs, but even in summer and when on holiday, swimming and so on no one has ever passed comment.

I don’t shave my legs/bikini at all in winter. I like the extra layer for warmth.

This is probably a silly question but nobody's asked it - I assume you've tried waxing instead? A couple of waxes should see you through the summer, and as others have said, in winter it needn't be an issue. My mum (child of the 60s!) has always done this. She has never removed her underarm hair and gets a leg and bikini wax about once a year if she's going on holiday, and only this because she's very pale with very dark hair. Shaving is awful for your skin and I'm not surprised you've decided to jack it in!

@qwerty098765 I shave (personal preference) but your commentactually makes me so happy!

Thank you everyone for your great support. So I have got swim shorts for over swimsuit, and I think I am going to stick to tops with some sort of sleeve for warmer days. Once again thank you all.