Is There Too Much Pressure on Women To Rid of Body Hair?

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  Posted by VK Thu Aug 6, 2009 2:03pm PDT

  Do any of you women shave or wax your arms and hands? Should women feel like they should?

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  Posted by Sweet T Thu Aug 6, 2009 2:05pm PDT

  I've waxed a couple of times and find, for me, it's a waste of money. I'm fortunate to be light haired, so I can go a few weeks without shaving my legs and it's still hard to see (though I only do that in winter when it's pants-only). I also don't buy into the Brazilian wax phenomenon. I am a woman, I have body hair, and I don't want to step backwards into pre-adolescence. Keeping it trimmed is one thing, but not bald. I find that to be disconcerting. However, I know some women prefer the look and feel of being hairless, and some women do wax so they don't have to shave every day. To each her own. I do think there is way to much focus on grown women being hairless, but there's obviously a market for it, so it will just keep on keeping on until the demand goes away.

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  Posted by Sweet T Thu Aug 6, 2009 2:14pm PDT

  Apologies, "too much focus..."

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  Posted by amana Thu Aug 6, 2009 2:32pm PDT

  I am prone to ingrown hairs and have a difficult time getting rid of hair from some areas on my legs so I personally do feel somewhat embarrassed by the results. Weather it be bumps and sores or visible hair. It is to each their own but there is defiantly pressure to have smooth, hairless legs and underarms.

  I've tried shaving and using an epilady with tolerable but not perfect results. Has anyone had/looked into that lazer hair removal?

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  Posted by Mysterious Gryphon Thu Aug 6, 2009 2:32pm PDT

  I don't wax anything but my eyebrows and upper lip - my legs, underarms, and bikini area I shave. I, too, am very fair-haired so I don't absolutely have to do it, but I feel sexier when my legs are smooth. I didn't always shave down below, but my fiance likes it, and I'm happy to do it for him. After all, he keeps his chest hair for me!

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  Posted by martza Thu Aug 6, 2009 2:55pm PDT

  i have never waxed in my life!

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  Posted by Beach Raccoon Thu Aug 6, 2009 3:41pm PDT

  I've never wazed... but I do feel like there is a little pressure to remove body hair. I don't have super hairy arms, but when I sit next to a woman with shaved arms, I suddenly feel silly for allowing my arm hairs to grow out as they have for so long.... I'll admit, when I have a razor in my hand I soooo want to shave my arm hairs off, but then I stop and think "hey, they're my hairs... on my body... I'm proud of them and i don't care if I have them." So, that's my thought on body hair.

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  Posted by Leah Thu Aug 6, 2009 4:07pm PDT

  I think there is way too much unwarranted disgust about body hair. If you don't like it or it make you uncomfortable then by all means, shave, wax or whatever.

  I shave my legs when I'm going to be wearing a short(er) skirt, maybe once or twice a month. I shave under my arms. My eyebrows I leave alone because everything I have tried makes me get bumps and I would rather have a few stray hairs. My downstairs gets the occasional trim and that's it.

  Last winter I realized that I had no idea what my underarm hair looked like. When I was a girl I had started shaving the minute one hair showed up. I got curious about it, why was underarm hair so gross? My husband's didn't bother me at all. So I stopped shaving. It was very itchy for a while. Then my husband got in on the fun and decided not to shave his beard until I shaved my pits. He keeps a beard but it is always well trimmed and short.

  Finally after about 3 months I had some nice tiny bushes growing. It was winter so no one ever saw them. I was surprised how little hair there actually was. My husband was starting to look like a brown haired Santa Claus. Right before Christmas I shaved them finally, it was kind of sad, lol. Every once and awhile when I'm shaving in the shower I wonder why we do it...

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  Posted by simfelicity Thu Aug 6, 2009 5:14pm PDT

  lets say i'm lucky.. i'm not hairy.....no need to shave or wax......

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  Posted by ladybella04 Thu Aug 6, 2009 5:28pm PDT

  I feel better waxed, but I'm not about to rush out and get a brazilian. A little hair down there is a good thing. But I like for my bikini line to be clean/trim and for my legs and underarms to be soft and smooth.

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