How does your hair make you feel?

Start here! Share your feelings
#1

I really take my body for granted, in that the hair isnt so excessive. Even the hair that is there is pretty easy to take care of. Reading around this forum makes me realize just how hard it is to be smooth, not only physically, but emotionally.

My hair makes me feel awkward. I have very sparse and whispy hairs on my arm that are very hard to see. Some facial hair is present, but still not that much. Definitely controllable. So the bulk of my body hair is below the waist. This is why it is awkward and why it is uncomfortable for me to expose myself and show how disproportionate it is. That is how I feel. Having hairy legs and not being hairy anywhere else just looks strange. Does anyone else agree?

My main target in removing hair is legs, because legs are so big compared with the rest of the body. I remember being 13 or so and shaving my legs for the first time. I didn’t know people even did that (secrecy and embarassment), and just thought that only men shave their beards. I saw an advertisement for skintimate shave gel on tv and then it dawned on me. I ran to the bathroom and got a disposable razor to shave my legs for the first time. There wasnt much to take off (at the time), and no one noticed anyway. So that’s my first time shaving my legs. Things got much more complicated after that.

Anyone else have first time stories? And how do you feel about this rite of passage?

#2

Some women are lucky enough to get away with just shaving their lower legs, but plenty of us, including yours truly, have it going all the way to our waists! :frowning:

I remember how much I hated that first time I had to shave my face, and I still remember the last time I ever did it (almost 6 years ago!).

I still have to deal with leg hair, but I have found rotary epilators to be a good option, with the occasional bikini wax if I’m getting serious with someone I’m dating! :wink: My main leg problem is ingrowns, from having hairs that grow at a very severe angle to the skin (almost parallel). Exfoliating and moisturuzing has gotten that under control.

One of the great things about this forum is that it helps everyone realize that they are not alone-- many of us deal with hair on a daily basis, and it can be discouraging. Add to that how difficult it can be to talk about with friends and family, and it’s enough to get some people pretty depressed.

Luckily, there’s help and hope out there, and when we all share our experiences, we can make a difference! :smile:

#3

Andrea, your forum and web pages are a godsend. I’m sure you heard it before, but you do need to hear it again, especially from me. The best part about the forum is that everyone is so empathetic and understanding. Absolutely nothing like it on the web.

For me, I am more interested in the culture and feelings behind hair removal than the actual methods themselves. I shave because it is an expression of who I am. It’s hard for others to understand, because shaving is such a feminine activity. I am so happy that somebody can at least understand (and even begin to appreciate) this “feminine” side that many men and I have.

#4

I understand the desire that many men have to be smooth, but I don’t see removal of unwanted body hair as only a “feminine activity.” I don’t think of myself as being less of a man, or less manly, for going smooth. I just don’t like being hairy.

I think the feminine perspective that some men take in regard to going smooth is already present in their personality. If removing leg and body hair makes you feel feminine, then you’re probably effeminate regardless of body hair.

However, men like me view the removal of unwanted body hair as something to do to improve the way we look and/or feel. For us, it has nothing to do with wanting to feel feminine or doing feminine activities. It is just a means to an end.

#5

You are absolutey right. I am a rather effeminate male, regardless of the hair. It is already in my personality. I dare say that wanting to be feminine is more important than being smooth.

There is the other side too, that people, male or female, just want to be smooth. And that’s perfectly fine too.

Apparently, marketing agencies seem to think that shaving and hair removal is strictly a male / female dichotomy. MOSTLY male / female, and the majority is where the money is.

Who knows, will we ever have unisex razors and shaving cream? :stuck_out_tongue:

#6

Da and everyone, I’m always glad to hear people are pleased with the site, but the forum is really built by our readers, so thanks to EVERYONE who is making this such a success!

The trend right now for both males and females is toward more and more hair removal. If we’re going to have a silly custom like removing hair, I suppose it’s nice that men are finally getting a taste of what a hassle it is! :stuck_out_tongue:

[ October 07, 2002, 09:58 PM: Message edited by: Andrea ]

#7

As a male it isn’t so much my finding what a hassle it is to have unwanted hair. Instead I have only learned what I have been missing for part of my adult life i.e. the pleasure of having a smooth body. I give credit to the females for showing us men that getting rid of hair isn’t just for looks; but a way to have self pleasure of smooth skin. This has been especially satisfactory in getting rid the of the hair permanently in both the pubic area and under the arms. Why more men don’t clean up their pit hair is more than I can understand. When asked they answer that their girlfriend likes it. If that is true we have a double standard. Girls must keep the area hair free and men must keep the area filled with hair. Why?

#8

Andrea and the rest,

Definitely a great website and I am grateful to you. I have to say, however, that it is truly unfair that men have to remove body hair because of two reasons: those of us that do tend to have ten times as much hair as the average woman, and on top of that, it grows back much faster! And you know what… the pain of waxing etc is nothing for me. I would gladly accept a lot more pain every day if I could be smoother.

Another thing that sucks - a large number of hairy guys like myself are also balding due to the opposite effects of DHT on scalp and body hair. When you also have that to worry about at a young age, you slowly start giving up on things like body hair removal, taking good care of your body etc… Women rarely bald in their twenties, and even those who start thinning early don’t have obious balding. For me, shaving every day and tweezing eyebrows is a problem because it makes me look at my balding scalp in my bathroome mirror. The pain is NOTHING. I can’t stand women who talk about the pain as a problem, and then have the most luscious scalp hair. At least your efforts make a difference.

So… what is the point of my e-mail? Life sucks, some men have it much worse then women cosmetically even if you think that it is easier for a man… and your site gives me a bit of happiness depsite it all.

Kilimanjaro

#9

Kilimanjaro, I’m glad the site has been helpful! You may not believe it, but I know a few women who are hairier than most guys I know! It’s one of the super-secret things.

You’re definitely right about the difficulty faced by men with the thinning head hair/additional body hair combo. Our society judges these poor men more harshly simply because of something they were born with. It’s a shame that people are so superficial like that, whether it’s men or women.

Luckily there are lots of us working together to figure out the best way to keep head hair where we want it and lose body hair where we don’t! I look forward to your participation!
:grin: