Body hair issues
Ever since I started shaving at the age of 14, I have had body hair issues. (and no, I’m not a super hairy beast but, what if I was?)
As a teenager, I took the longest showers in order to shave carefully and effectively.
Razors were the WORST thing for my hair and skin.
They created huge bumps on my skin which I would just cut over the next day when I would shave again. (yeah, OUCH!)
I tried EVERY razor and shaving cream on the market, Nair, Epilady (I imagine the closest thing to chinese torture).
In my mid 20’s, I finally wised up and started waxing.
Waxing definitely helped get rid of all the razor bumps and most of the ingrown hairs.
Waxing however, has gotten quite expensive through out the years.
At almost $100.00 a visit. Once a month. Every month. For the past 14 years. Well, you do the math….. (I don’t even want to think about it)
This past saturday, I finally got brave enough to wax myself. (don’t get scared)
I got the small GiGi wax warming machine, the wax, the wax sticks and the wax cloths.
I did it!
It took me longer than having someone else do it but, I think I will get better at it with time.
I’m so happy that I will be able to save that money every month. (cause seriously I can think of better ways to spend almost $100.00)
BUT…. waxing is still not a permanent solution for me.
You see, I’m tired of being a prisoner to my body hair.
Through the years, I have declined pool parties, I have worn pants in 100 degree heat and humidity, I have felt limited with my own wardrobe, I have missed a lot and suffered because of body hair.
It is one of the things that I am MOST self conscious about.
I want laser hair removal.
I want to be hair free!
It is a long commitment and you can’t go in the sun while you are doing it but I think it is the way to go.
Have any of you gotten laser hair removal? Was it worth it?
Do any of you have body hair issues?
How do you deal with it?
Please do share with me and don’t make me feel like the only hairy loser. 😉
here’s to hair free legs!!
Hillary
February 9, 2011 @ 1:03 pm
I feel your pain…I hate hair, it is a wonder I have any on my head, I have often said…waxing gets to be so expensive, and I too want laser removal. All of my friends have it in Cali and love it….so I am planning on starting this summer and and see how it goes. Would be nice to be maintenance free in some way…lol
Claudia
February 9, 2011 @ 1:12 pm
@Hillary,
you may not want to do it in the summer since you can’t go in the sun while you are going through it. yes, no hair would be nice…. 🙂
Chloe
February 9, 2011 @ 1:16 pm
I hear you – I hate my leg hair and bikini line. I shave since it’s cheapest and also tried waxing a few times, but got HUGE ingrowns that actually left me literally scarred. Gross. I also feel conflicted since it is natural and feel like its a shame we have this desire to change our bodies from their natural state. That being said, I want my hair GONE. It is a source of constant struggle and embarassment. I’ve heard good things about lasering, but also know it doesn’t always work, so not sure what the answer is!
jess
February 9, 2011 @ 1:42 pm
i have body hair issues too. my family is slavic and i’m sure you can imagine how horrendous the body hair is for the women. i have to pluck my eyebrows and lip everyday! i don’t know why i don’t wax?? maybe because it’s expensive and i’d rather just tweeze the random hairs everyday for free. i’ve really made my skin tough too. i’ve been plucking since i was 11 when kids in school teased me for having a unibrow!
Paola Albergate
February 9, 2011 @ 1:49 pm
Hi Claudia,
Sorry that this reply ended up on another post! I clicked your share link by mistake.
So here is my response to your body hair issues! I hate unwanted hair! It’s a pain and can be a real insecurity.
I can totally relate to your issues with suffering because of it. It’s awful, and I too have spent a ridiculous amount of money on waxing, Nair, Veet, wax strips, etc. But I have to tell you that in my opinion, laser hair removal is not the way to go. I did it, only once, so maybe I am not the best person to say it isn’t good, but still it’s very expensive.
I think you should consider Electrolysis. It actually removes hair from the root, and after repeated sessions, hair growth stops. It can be a little irritating/tiny but painful but you can get an anesthetic cream that will really help. I highly recommend this form of hair removal over any other, I have done it and it’s pretty amazing. Again, I’ve done it and I really think it’s the best thing, and I recommend it to all my friends with body hair issues. I hope this helps and that you consider it:) Do some research talk to people and take action! It will make you feel amazing! xo Paola
Here’s some info from the web:
Electrolysis
What It Is : The only method of hair removal that is permitted to be called “permanent,†electrolysis uses a tiny needle that slides down into the hair follicle until it reaches the cells responsible for hair growth.
“Electrolysis destroys the cells that cause the hair to grow. The hair will release and slide right out and it won’t grow back there again — it’s permanent removal,†says Patsy Kirby, executive director of the American Electrology Association in Bodega Bay, Calif.
The process can be uncomfortable, but local anesthetic creams can help.
Best For : Like other forms of hair removal, it is safe to do electrolysis anywhere on the body, though Kirby says the most popular place for women is the face.
How Long It Takes : Though the system requires that the removal be done hair-by-hair, Kirby says it’s not as daunting a task as it might seem. “It can take up to 25 sessions, depending on how much you need removed, but each session may only be 5 or 10 minutes long,†says Kirby.
Cost: Costs run between $40 and $90 per treatment, with 10 to 25 treatments (or more) sometimes necessary for permanent, lasting results.
Potential Drawback : Electrolysis can cause tiny scars where the needle is inserted. Though for most people they heal unnoticed, for blacks it means an increased risk of hyperpigmentation and formation of keloids. Thus, it’s not recommended for this skin type.
Julia R.
February 9, 2011 @ 4:52 pm
I was cringing while I read this. I feel your pain and have to say, I still shave, not my favorite thing to do but i’m scared to death of waxing. The chemicals in the dipilitories freak me out, I tried “Nad’s” sticky green waste of money. I spread it on my bikini line and just stood there yelling for Geoff, I couldn’t pull the strip! He wouldn’t either!! I got in the shower foiled again.
Another time, I talked myself up and convinced myself that “I NEED TO WAX!!” went to the store checked out all the different types of waxing products and grew feathers as I stood there. I bought another product, a product that seemed less like torture. I bought an ‘as seen on tv’ product, I can’t think of the name…”you just buff, buff, buff the hair away!” I tried it on my knees, very small, soft circles when I finished I was missing about three layers of skin on my knees! the next day I had bloody red open sores!!! “buff, buff, buff away your skin!”
This summer, I will try to wax like a big girl! thanks for sharing your story, no doubt you will get better at waxing, give it time! thanks for making me smile and cringe…. love you
Claudia
February 9, 2011 @ 8:05 pm
@Julia,
i don’t even remember you being hairy. you never even had to shave your upper legs. waxing doesn’t hurt so much. just go for it! 😉
Julia R.
February 9, 2011 @ 9:41 pm
I shave all the way up…. I have hair, it’s just light. I love boy short bikinis, plus I live in hippie land…body hair is ok, but, not for this girl!!
Pia
February 9, 2011 @ 11:03 pm
Claudia! You know that as a half-Indian girl facial hair has been my number one enemy for pretty much my entire life (I don’t know if you remember plucking my eyebrows for me:). I have been waxing, threading, tweezing, plucking, etc since I was about 12….and as a result always had weird bumps and stubble that drove me insane. Two years ago I decided to scrape together all the money I could and sprung for laser. It has literally changed my life. It’s expensive, and annoying to have to go for a treatment every month, but I have no more hair on my upper lip and chin and the sense of freedom is amazing. Highly recommend!
Claudia
February 10, 2011 @ 1:35 am
@Pia,
i had forgotten all about tweezing your eyebrows. i love tweezing people’s brows. lol. so laser worked for you, huh? i’m going to check into both laser and electrolysis. thank you Pia! 🙂
Juliana
February 10, 2011 @ 12:01 pm
Lol, I understand what you’re going through, but I can bet you that I have *more* body hair than you ;). Since I was eleven, it’s been something I’m self-conscious about. I went through this phase though, for a couple of years, where I didn’t shave my armpit and let the hair on my legs grow. Well, I shave now but I am much less insecure about it because I *was* such a hairy beast for awhile. I had to do it to prove something to myself, I guess.
I’ve always been insecure about hair on my upper lip (tmi, huh?), though I’ve left it alone for a long time now and it’s stopped growing. Thinking about getting it waxed though, and I’m hoping the hair will grow much less or not at all.
Anyway, I get it, being Brazilian with Italian blood and all ….
xoxoxo
Claudia
February 10, 2011 @ 12:16 pm
@Juliana,
lol, you may be hairier than me but sometimes it’s a matter of the skin and the quality of the hair. mine is curly. waxing your upper lip is the way to go. i did it a few times and now there is hardly anything there. whatever grows, i can just tweeze out. 😉