Light Skin + Dark Hair = Issue for 22yr old male.

Hair Removal Methods Shaving/Trimming
#1

Hello, I’m a 22yr old male. I have a frustrating skin/hair type. My mother is a super light-skinned white girl, and my dad is a thick/dark haired mexican. The result? I’ve got very light/white skin, and very dark/thick body hair. I don’t think it looks too good together. I’m quite self-conscious about it, and haven’t gone swimming in ages! I would like to be able to take my shirt off and not feel so insecure, but I just can’t. I have a lot of thick dark hair on my light skin, and it just looks really bad. If it was a lighter color, or less, I could probably deal with it. I’ve tried several approaches to the problem. I’ve shaved my chest/stomach hair using a razor when I was younger, but the result was very bad. Even after just shaving, you could clearly see the black hair just beneath the skin, so I had block dots on my stomach. I tried tweezing, but I don’t have 2hrs a day to dedicate to such a task. Something I had minimal success with (and unfortunately it was the best I’ve had) was trimming down fairly short (not all the way down) and then bleaching the hair. Then I could get a fairly ok look going for about one day before you would see the new dark hair growing in, which looks quite odd.

Does anybody have any suggestions?? I’ve thought about something like laser hair removal, but I’m not really interested in looking light a bald 12yr old swimmer. I think people would know I used a laser procedure if they saw me like that, and I don’t know how people would respond. I don’t know if they can lighten hair with lasers (I’m thinking not). I don’t have a bad physical build, but I’m not very muscular. When I’ve experimented by shaving or trimming my hair down I just look like a big white squishy guy. I guess I could improve my physical build though, and less hair could be motivation.

Any ideas? I’ve got a fair amount of hair on my abdomen around my belly button, and up to my chest. Is it wrong for me to stress about this? What do girls think of guys that look like this? What about when I get married someday? Wouldn’t ongoing maintenance be a little awkward with a wife around? I dunnno!

~ Chris.

#2

…anybody? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

#3

Hi Chris!

You’re certainly not alone in your situation and I think that a lot of guys also have some issues with the amount of hair that they have. I also have rather pale skin and dark chest hairs which I don’t like as well. I decided to go for the smooth look almost two years ago after having a nasty skin rash all ovre which required putting on a special lotion, so I guess I had a medical reason to get rid of the hair on my chest and legs but you really don’t need one! I never had that much chest hair compared to other guys but very dark hair against pale skin doesn’t look good in my opinion and too much hair on my legs for my liking. It really was a great feeling to finally clear that hair away and being smooth feels so much comfortable and cleaner.

There have been some excellent threads under the “share you feelings” forum that deal with many of the concerns that you expressed. The media does tend to present a certain smooth look which might make you think that all women only date men with smooth chests or some other nonsense but basically, I think that some women like the smooth look, while others prefer more of a hairy look. Having said that, I really don’t think that a relationship should depend on the amount of hair that you have! You should go for the image that you desire–if you like the smooth look and feel, then that’s the only reason that you need to be smooth and you don’t have to “justify” this to any women or anybody else! At the same time, don’t feel that you have to conform to any so-called norms set by the media. Personally, I like the comfort and feel of being smooth and it feels great in the summer heat not having to walk around in a fur coat! I also think that being smooth is very sensual and just imagine your smooth chest against hers!

Good luck with how you proceed! Check out some of the other threads on the shaving forum such as men shaving legs, men and body shaving as well as the “share your feelings” forum such as ’ I would ve a women’s opinion’ thread.

Regards,

smoothlover

#4

I personally have little problem with hairy men or non hairy men…either way you guys look good. Funny how you mention getting married and the upkeep being weird because that’s how I feel!!! I do a lot of bleaching and tweezing and such and I worry about having to let my husband know or him finding out…etc. But, knowing me, I won’t even let myself get that far into a relationship because I am SO insecure…

#5

Most women don’t really care unless your wolfman hairy.
You can do electrolysis, wax, shave whatever…
Only do it for yourself if you don’t like it.
Take your shirt off in the summer walk tall and no one will think anything is wrong with your hair!!!

#6

Most likely, 1 or 2 laser treatments will not remove all of your hair. I had 50% reduction after one treatment. So I don’t think you will look like a “bald 12 year old swimmer.”
With your skin and hair type, you are a good candidate for laser hair removal. I think after 1 or two treatments you probably have at least 30-50% less hair and the remaining hair will be thinner. Isn’t that what you’re looking for?

I went for the totally smooth look. I had 8 laser treatments on my chest, and had to follow up with electrolysis to get to 99.5% hair free level.

RJC2001

#7

your skin and hair type combination is great for laser. if you want just a reduction, you can have 1-2 treatments and you’ll probably be happy with around a 50% reduction you will get. another option is waxing. in general, women are not too concerned with body hair. the concerning things are usually only on areas that are not generally considered ok to have hair, like the back. chest and stomach is fine.

#8

I guess I could improve my physical build though, and less hair could be motivation.

This is the route I’m going for. I have almost exactly the same problem…all of my hair is very light blonde except my chest. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> I’ve tried so many things to get rid of the hair, in the end it only looks good for about an hour.

I’ve about given up on the chest hair now. I can’t remember the last time I went swimming in public, and I’m tired of it. I’ve lost about 50lbs and I’ve been working out, I can’t wait to have some fun this summer. I’ll still be paranoid and self conscious about the hair, but at least I don’t have to be paranoid and self conscious about my body too! Yeah, ok, that guy over there isn’t all hairy - but look, I’ve got bigger muscles! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Another thing you might want to try is to get a good tan…whether fake or real. My arms are only half tan because I’m always wearing a t shirt, and the hair shows up alot more in the blinding white part.

A few drinks before going to the pool doesn’t hurt either. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />