Body Shaving Advice from the Net

SHAVING ADVICE FROM THE NET

General Advice on Shaving Your Body
Shaving After Effects
Why Bother To Shave Your Body?
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General Advice on Shaving Your Body

Subject: Re: Shaving
Date: 20 Jun 1995 05:20:01 GMT

|> Hi all!
|>
|> I have been weight lifting for eight months now and I have seen great
|> improvements in my body. Unfortunately, I am fairly hairy, and therfore a
|> lot
|> of it is hidden from view. Sooooo, I decided to shave my chest and stomach
|> 2
|> days ago, and now it looks like a mess. Little red dots, like a rash have
|> appeared on my skin, I think they are in grown hairs. Does anyone have
|> successful shaving stories or tips. Right now, I never want to do this
|> again,
|> but I look a lot better (so I think!!) without all the hair.

Here are some tips that worked for me:

1. I use a razor that I have already used on my face for a while. I find it difficult to shave my foreams & legs with a sharp razor without cutting them, no matter how careful I am.

2. Don't shave again until the redness goes away. You risk infection if you shave while your skin is still healing. The first time is always the worst, your skin will become less sensitive after several shavings.

3. Treat your skin like you would your face. It is all one organ, so try to keep it clean. Wear non-irritating clothes (like cotton).

4. IMHO, gel shaving cream works better on the body than foam shaving cream.

5. Don't shave in a hurry.

Two options to shaving are waxing & Nair/Neet. Waxing lasts longer, but it can be expensive & painful, especially for men. Nair/neet works well for the legs, but chest hair is too corse & susceptible to acne & ingrown hairs with these products.

Subject: Re: Shaving
Date: 20 Jun 1995 17:50:29 GMT

If you look at the hair on your body, you'll notice that it tends to grow in a certain direction. I've found that I can minimize the damage to my skin if I shave in the direction of the hair growth, instead of against it.

It may take a little longer to get it completely smooth, but after the first few times, it gets easier. I also do most of my shaving in the shower, after lathering up and letting my body soak for a while. I just run a razor through the soap. No pain, and almost never any cuts.

From: Tim
Subject: Re: HAIRY FREAK
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 1996 17:10:50 GMT

DIGITYDAWG wrote:

> HELLO, I'm a hairy freak. But I also work hard in the gym and would like
> my results to show! So, THE HAIR MUST GO! I'm kinda prone to acne, and
> my dermatologist says shaving and waxing would only be asking for trouble.
> I just got it all cleared up with ACUTANE, and I dont want to screw up my
> skin now that it looks great. Would NAIR work? My dermatologist
> recomended electrology, but I'd be a full time job for an electrologist!

for everyday needs, use a clippers to keep it trimmed short. then for those special occasions when you want to be smooth, shave in the shower, changing the razor often (ie 3-5 razors to do your entire body). And it helps to have a friend to do your back.

Date: Fri, 8 Mar 96
From: Rick
Re: Hairy Chests

I'm currently engaged in my first experience with this hair thing. I, too, was always impressed with the hairlessness of muscle-men, until I was told that these guys all shave/depilate/wax...Now preparing for a contest, I had to inquire about this shaving thing, because you have to do it. Now that my legs are smoother than my girlfriends, I am surprised to learn how many people actually manipulate their body hair.

But, you know, no one talks about this sort of thing until you become an "insider"--one who shaves. Then you get warnings about the itching, the rashes and so on. I have learned a few secrets at this point, the biggest of which is that you have to shave all the time to get rid of that nasty rash. After a few weeks, it's like your face (only for the men, that is--I hope) and the rash goes away. Of course, here at work the ongoing fascination with my metamorphosis into a competitive bodybuilder compels colleagues to ask me about things they would otherwise never ask.

Out of the discussion, I have learned that there is a new laser which may provide the answer to permanent hair removal! So there you have it, laser technology in bodybuilding.

From: (Calvin )
Subject: Re: Removing Body Hair
Date: 13 Mar 1996 20:44:29 GMT

James wrote:

: I'm a male bodybuilder who is going to enter my first competition soon.
: However, I also have sizeable amounts of body hair. Does anyone have any
: recommendations and/or experiances with hair removal?

You really have only two options -- you do it yourself (shave), or you get it done for your (wax). For my 1st comp. I got waxed, and it's probably the best solution -- however, there are several common problems, and so it's best that if you *DO* decide to do it, you do it at least once before, so that you know what sort of reaction to expect, how long regrowth takes, and how long for any reaction to go away. For a 2 1/2 hr session (painful, I might add :), it cost about $70. If you're close to comp. date then I'd suggest you do it yourself.

Calvin

From: (Rifle River)
Subject: Re: Removing Body Hair
Date: 13 Mar 1996 22:22:57 GMT

James wrote:

> I'm a male bodybuilder who is going to enter my first competition soon.
> However, I also have sizeable amounts of body hair. Does anyone have any
> recommendations and/or experiances with hair removal?

Well guys, I recently took the plunge and shaved. Hey, I think it's a great motivational tool mid-diet. The diet is helping you look better and when you shave you look even better - more motivation to eat right.

The first step I took at this massive endeavour was to use the mustache trimmer on my electric razor. This trimmed everything down to short stubble that could be reasonable dealt with using an actual razor. Next, I shaved my abs and chest with the same type of razor I use for my face. Then I shaved my legs with the same type of razor that my wife uses for here legs. VERY BIG DIFFERENCE! Buy the lady razors for your body, you'll be glad you did. Immediately after shaving I took a shower and after the shower I used Johnson's baby lotion (not the oil) to soothe it a little (another rec from the wife). And, no I did not oil up to pose, but hey it didn't look all that bad.

Now the question is how do I safely go about getting some color to this pale skin?

later

From: "D. JACKSON"
Subject: Re: Removing Body Hair
Date: 13 Mar 1996 23:25:42 GMT

Yes, I have tried many methods of hair removal (creams, shaving, waxing and even plucking), the best way, I feel, is to shave. I have remained hairless since I started competing 4 years ago and all I do is shave once per week. I am very hairy so my girlfriend does my back and I shave my chest, arms and legs in the shower. A little hint------ use a Loofa sponge (natural sponge) on your body in the shower as the stubble grows in. This will stop any infected or ingrown hairs from developing! Hope I helped---GOOD LUCK!

D.Jackson

From: Tim
Subject: Re: Controling body hair
Date: 15 Apr 1996 04:39:02 GMT

>>What is the best way to remove body hair for the first time and what is a
>> good method of control on a regular basis?
>>I'm a male with lots of body hair.

Chance wrote:
>Waxing is a permanent solution. Once the hair is removed by the root,
>it'll never grow back. After about 6 months to a year of waxing, the
>area in question should be hair-free forever. You may get a little fuzz
>growth tho.

This is the position advocated by the people that do waxing, but in my experience, it doesn't work.

I had my (significantly hairy) back waxed for about a year on a monthly basis and it's still very, very hairy.

It's claimed that electrolysis, where they zap the follicle with a needle, is actually permanent, but I had that done for several months as well with similarly disappointing results. I admit that I made have had a bad therapist, but find someone who's had it work before laying down your cash, in my opinion.

For regular depilation, use clippers with no comb. That's real short, if you need it completely bald, try wet shaving in the bath (with help from a partner for the difficult areas) or a depilatory cream from men (like Andre, don't use Nair it doesn't cut it). Some folks wax regularly, but if you've got a lot of hair, it's probably more trouble than it's worth.

In my experience, there's no permanent solution.

tim

From: Roger
Subject: sugaring for hair removal
Date: 18 Jun 1996 23:36:55 GMT

Here is a recipe for sugaring. 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cook over medium to medium-high heat. Use a candy thermometer and cook to hard ball stage (about 265 degrees). Pour into heat proof bowl and let cool. To practice with, start with a small ball of sugar and flatten onto skin, rubbing in the direction of hair growth. Then with a whisking motion, roll quickly in the opposite direction. Or if you put it on thick enough you can grab hold of the bottom and yank it off as you would strips with wax. No strips needed for this recipe! Hair must be a little more than 1/16 inch, which sucks a little. Try it. It may take a little practise but the lack of cost is worth it. Yes it will hurt a little, but only because you are pulling hair out from the roots. It will not hurt your skin. Hope this helps some of you.

Diane

From: Kevin
Subject: Re: Chest Hair
Date: 25 Jun 1996

Chris wrote:

Scott wrote:

>> I need some advice on chest hair. I have developed a 'fear' of having
>> chest hair, partly in part to years of shaving my upper body for swim
>> teams and part media/girlfriend pressure. What are some recommendations
>> for either removal or coping with this. The hair on my chest pretty
>> much covers the entire chest region, with little or no hair existing on
>> the abdominal region. I have recently been keeping it trimmed with
>> shears, but much prefer it to not exist.

>A couple suggestions:
>1. Braun, the German appliance company, has a new gadget that more or
>less tweezes (i.e. rips) the hairs out more quickly than you could do
>yourself with a regular tweezer. It's outrageously painful the first time,
>less so thereafter. It's very much like waxing in slow motion, but not as
>messy; it seems to have the same plusses and minuses otherwise. There are
>two versions, one for about $70 and one for about $100. The deluxe
>version, when I bought mine a couple months ago, was only available
>through the Sharper Image catalog, but it was worth the extra expense - it
>has 2 speeds, 2 tweezer strengths, plus an electric razor attachment for
>any areas that you find to be too sensitive for the tweezer action.

>Braun calls it the Silk Epil Select; Sharper Image for some reason calls
>it the Duo-Select, or something like that, look on their website for
>details. Right now the item is being marketed primarily to women for
>removing leg hair; maybe they should target the body building market in
>the future... meanwhile, if you're worried about the opinion of the
>salesperson, tell them it's a gift for your girlfriend. I have never
>actually used this on my chest, so if you try it and hate it, please don't
>get steamed at me.

>2. Electrolysis. This is time-consuming, expensive, painful, you name
>it, but it's permanent (although many hairs require more than one
>treatment to get permanent results). I'm told the cost varies from place
>to place, as does quality, so call around for quotes; also try asking the
>trainer at your local gym for referrals, I doubt you're the first guy
>who's ever wanted to get rid of chest hair. But before you save up all
>your $$ and have all your chest hair permanently removed, consider: if
>media-images change, or if your tastes change, or if your girlfriend's
>tastes change, or if you change your girlfriend and find yourself dating a
>woman who really likes chest hair, you may regret having made an
>irreversible decision.

>Good luck, Chris

The third possiblity is a relatively new development, laser removal. You can check out ThermoLase in LaJolla, CA. (They are dreadfully expensive at this time, but there appear to be no less than three competing processes in the pipeline, so I expect laser removal will become _the thing_ in a few years, and much, much cheaper.)

If you decide on electrolysis, I had the best results with single-needle, insulated bulb probe thermolysis. Be patient; it can take 5 or more passes to permanently clear an area, but if you've got a good electrolysist, it will happen eventually.

-Kevin

From: Paul
Subject: Re: Hair Away product: Does it work?
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 1996

Charles wrote:

>
> I'm wondering if anyone has used this product and has had good
> results. It would save me time and $9 bucks.

If it's anything like Nair, you need to save your money. Those products work, but they don't get all the hair, you still need to go back and use a razor to get all the hair removed. Before a show I use hair clippers and then a razor to shave off the stubble.

Paul

From: Calvin
Subject: Re: Hair Removal
Date: 24 Jan 1997 22:33:56 GMT

Scott wrote:

: I am going to be entering a contest in a few months and I guess it is
: essential to remove hair from the body. Shaving doesn't work, as I have
: tried that before and the next day it grows back. Can anybody suggest
: any better alternatives?

Well, if shaving *doesn't work*, then you may have to go the waxing route. Couple pointers I learnt from my experience last time:

-Do it at least once to test it out, then again before the show. This is *so* important. If this is your first time, you will have to gauge how you react to it. Likely, you will get a rash or lots of little red dots from it -- but these go away within the week. You need to get an idea of the minimum amount of time before the contest you can get it done.

-Regrowth takes about 4 weeks, so you've got a couple weeks of smoothness.

-Get it done by a proper aesthetician -- if they don't do it right, you'll really regret it.

Unfortunately, I didn't try it out first -- I got waxed about 5 days before the show and the tiny pinprick-dots hadn't completely gone away. For the first day I thought it was so bad that I wanted to pull out of the competition. But, with the darker tanning and the bronzers nobody would have even noticed it.

Calvin

From: Krista
Subject: Re: Back hair, how do you remove?
Date: 16 Feb 1997 21:42:12 GMT

> How do you remove back hair without shaving? I shave now but it grows
> back in 4-5 days. I am thinking of waxing or electrolysis but am unsure.

> Waxing is supposed to work for 3-4 weeks which is what I'm looking for
> (moderately hairy but want to be totally smooth.) Please share your
> experience.

>
> If this is indeed the best way to go tell me which brand is best. If not,
> please let me know.
>

Wax it, baby. At first it's difficult to get the hair off but with successive treatments it grows progressively easier (and less painful). The best stuff to use is a cold wax, which you can find in any drugstore. Don't use the hot stuff; the potential for burns/scalds is just enormous. And it's true, it does take the stubble a while to grow back, and it will grow back progressively finer as hair follicles here and there die from their hairs being ripped out. Electrolysis, from what I hear, is just too painful, and on a large area such as your back it doesn't seem like something you'd want to stick with for the zillion treatments.

Cheers,
Krista

From: Pete
Subject: Re: Back hair, how do you remove?
Date: 19 Feb 1997 14:07:26 GMT

Krist wrote:
>JHeger wrote in article
> >> How do you remove back hair without shaving? [...]
> >> Waxing is supposed to work for 3-4 weeks which is what I'm looking for
> >> (moderately hairy but want to be totally smooth.) Please share your
> >> experience.

> >>
> >Wax it, baby. At first it's difficult to get the hair off but with
> >successive treatments it grows progressively easier (and less painful).
[...]
> >Cheers,
> >Krista
>
> Mmm...thanx for the info krista...I have just been shaving..
>
> Peace,
> Tom

I had waxing done by someone highly recommended by a friend. My experience was not only very painful but left my skin looking like raw meat for about a week, then was pimple & rash covered for a couple more weeks. And to top it off, the hair grew back right away and was just like the stubble from shaving. My friend said he'd never had a similar result, so my conclusion is that waxing just works differently on different people.

Pete

From: Jeff
Subject: Re: Back hair, how do you remove?
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 21:59:59 GMT

JHeger wrote:

>How do you remove back hair without shaving? I shave now but it grows
>back in 4-5 days. I am thinking of waxing or electrolysis but am unsure.
>Waxing is supposed to work for 3-4 weeks which is what I'm looking for
>(moderately hairy but want to be totally smooth.) Please share your
>experience.

>If this is indeed the best way to go tell me which brand is best. If not,
>please let me know.

>Thanks in advance!

>JohnnyBoy

If you want permanent removal, go with electrolysis. Just like you, I didn't have alot of hair on my back, but I wanted to be smooth. I had my back waxed regularly for almost two years. After I stopped, the amount of hair on my back not only increased, but also grew back darker and more coarse.

I have had electrolysis treatments every other week for just over a year now. The hair is definately being removed. The hair that does grow back is finer with each treatment.

In regards to pain, the amount of current can be adjusted to a level that is comfortable for you. As your body gets used to it, the current can be increased on successive treatments. I also take 600mg of ibuprofen about a half-hour before the treatment.

Good luck.

Jeff

From: Tim
Subject: Re: Best shaver?
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 1997 01:33:50 GMT

Rajan wrote:
> What is the best shaving method for the whole body?
> (best meaning closest and safest)
> Blade razors?
> Electric razors?
> Wet electric razors?
> And which brand?

Everyone has different opinions. A lot of it depends on how much hair you have and how thick or coarse it is.

Use a hair clippers to trim the hair as short as you can. Then jump in the shower. Use a mild soap, such as a glycerin soap, and lots of twin blade disposable razors, such as ones with the lubricated strip.

Tim

From: Paul
Subject: Re: Hair Away product: Does it work?
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 1996

Charles wrote:

>
> I'm wondering if anyone has used this product and has had good
> results. It would save me time and $9 bucks.

Paul

Subject: Re: Pumper and body hair
From: Bill
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 22:49:09 -0800

:I am, unfortunately, one of those men :genetically cursed with tons of the stuff. I have a feeling that I'm :not alone in this!

I too have lots of body hair, particularly in my legs. For years it bugged me, until the past couple of years I shaved it all off. Initially, I tried depilatories, but they're smelly and real bad for the skin (at least in my case). Anyway, I used to want it to be perfectly shaved with no stubble or missed spots, but of late (say, the past six months or so) I just do a quick pass once a week (with a dry safety (face) razor in the shower). This allows the desired effect of seeing the muscle (and looking much better) without getting obsessive about "smoothness". It may seem silly and perhaps not a bit masculine, but it DOES look better (in my case) and I'll never go back to the monkey look. Initially, it will take a LONG time, but do it once and maintain it and it gets relatively quick (I spend approximately 45 minutes once a week extra in the shower).

-Bill

Subject: Depilates with Werewolves
From: Glenn
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 22:56:58 -0800

Mark expressed curiousity about depilation:

> Someone recently mentioned that one of the big negatives in a
> "before" picture is body hair.

Yup, flattens out and obscures that hard earned definition.

> I am, unfortunately, one of those men
> genetically cursed with tons of the stuff. I have a feeling that I'm
> not alone in this!

Not alone...
Of course the other side is large amounts of body hair may indicate the presence of prodigious amounts of testosterone, not a curse among bodybuilders.

> I look at all the guys in
> the mags and they just glow. I can't imagine being able to get that
> smooth a look.

You could, there are several methods available. Having tried "part-way" (trimming, selective shaving) methods, I don't think you'd be satisfied with the visual results.

> Is there some kind of an in between state? A grooming
> technique that one can adapt as part of their everyday routine
> without getting up an hour earlier!

Waxing works, and for those of us the enjoy the "pain" from bodybuilding consider it just another aspect... unfortunately waxing is mighty expensive (in my area nearly $150 for a whole "hairy" body) and time consuming ( 3 hours when you could be in the gym) but you'd have a relatively hairless body for about 3 weeks. I don't recommend self waxing or "sugaring" as it's not nearly as complete and I did a lot more "damage" than the trained professional did.

> Also, what about back hair? Actually waxing is VERY common for backs, not just body builders (acording to the person that did me). So you might consider back waxing and shaving the other parts... Whole body shaving takes about 15 minutes every third day (once you become proficient) but anyone you rub against the second day will not care for the prickly feeling. If the shave is just a one shot... you'll be uncomforably itchy for about 5 days during the grow back.

Chemical depilatories don't work very well for truly "hairy" peoplethough I've recently seen an infomercial for one that claims to be wonderful, I haven't tried it... maybe someone on the has.

Other options:
Laser hair removal... VERY expensive
electrolysis... very expensive and time consuming

My suggestion, wax the back and shave the rest unless you find being less hairy a state you want to maintain. Or have a friend shave the back and any other portion you're comfortable with (this can be quite fun!). Trim all the body hair with an electric trimmer before actually shaving... buy a "Lady Sensor" or the Shick equivalent and use a good "softening" liquid body wash rather than shaving cream. Shaving, you may end up with a couple of ingrown hairs and you won't be as "smooth" as with waxing.

Good Luck.

Glenn

Shaving After Effects

On 20 Jun 1996 14:39:37 GMT, Pete wrote:

>I decided to try this, on the recommendation of a couple of friends.
>(They pointed me to a woman that they've gone to.) The procedure itself
>was uncomfortable, which I expected, but it's been about a week and my
>chest and abdomen are still _very_ tender, my flesh looks as though I have
>a hideous disease (bits of skin were actually pulled off in a few places),
>and, worst of all, not all the hair was removed.
>
>Has anyone else had a bad experience like this?
>
>Pete

Yes, and also, due to the skin irritation and damage, I got some acne in the area, all in all , I had looked better with the hair...

Guillermo

From: Craig
Subject: Re: Shaving After-effects
Date: Wed, 9 Oct 1996

The best thing to do is use a loffa (sp?) after shaving. The small pimples are often caused by ingrown hairs. The loffa will have them get out.

Along the same line, I had my chest waxed a month ago. What a mistake! It was more painful than anything I have felt. As well, it because very rashy the next couple days. However, I have had my back waxed with much greater success. With successive waxing, it becomes easier, ie not as painful and less rash and pimples.

Craig

Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996
Subject: Re: Shaving After-effects

>I've shaved my chest a couple of times over the last two weeks, but have
>subsequently been rewarded with about half a dozen small pimples by hair
>follicles.
>
>Can fellow readers assist in answering the following philosophical
>questions:

>Will regular shaving eventually reduce/stop this from occuring?
>Is there a technique to minimise this problem?
>Or is it just one of those unmutable facts of life?

Always shave after you've had a shower. The hair will be softer and you'll have less bacteria on the surface of your skin. Using soap is a good idea. - Also, beware of using lotions that have been stored in a veritable breeding ground for little nasties.

Apart from that -

Shaving against the direction that the hair grows in gives you a closer shave but sometimes leads to ingrown hairs. Shaving also tends to produce sharp stubs. If you are concerned about the welfare of someone close to you, take into account that waxing does not produce stubs. (If you're used to lifting hard the pain should not be overly much.)

Also, waxing has a much longer lasting effect than shaving. Over a period of time, waxing will weaken the hair follicles so that you eventually get hairless skin. A possible disadvantage to waxing is that there is a tendency to ingrown hairs, however. But then you probably won't be bothered by pimples.

Philosophically weighing the pros and cons, ;)

Irene

Date: Tue, 08 Oct 1996
From: Blayne Subject: Re: Shaving After-effects

Dusko:
>Will regular shaving eventually reduce/stop this from occuring?

Most likely, yes.

>Is there a technique to minimise this problem?

Try an electric razor or shaving in the shower after your skin has had a chance to get warmed up and saturated with water.

>Or is it just one ofthose unmutable facts of life?

I don't think so. I've been shaving for several years now (I get about 18 chest hairs that look really stupid if I leave them) and no longer experience the "bumpies". I did however, get red bumps at first, especially with a regular razor. The electric is very quick, convenient, and it doesn't leave red bumps. Give it a few more weeks - your skin will most likely get used to it and stop reacting to the shaving.

Blayne

Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996
From: RATM
Subject: Re: Shaving After-effects

My skin never did get used to frequent shaving, like some say it will. In fact, mine just gets worse and worse until I back off. As a cyclist, I shave my legs. And as a pain-in-the-butt habit I developed, I shave my chest and stomach, too. My experience has taught me to ALWAYS use an after-shave lotion as soon as possible after shaving. I'll then use it again either that evening or the next morning.

Also, I can't shave every day or I break out. I have to sort of plan, atleast during warm weather, when I'm going to need to be smooth (pool party, or something) so that I can stop shaving a few days in advance, then shave the morning of. Every once in a while something comes up where I'm a bit stubbly and it can sort of freak people out, esp. if they don't know you well enough to ask "Woh, do you shave your chest?

"Happy Hairlessness!

From: Corey
Subject: Re: Shaving After-effects

(another cyclist's experiences...)
Being a cyclist, I also shave my legs. I do it about once a week, though. I haven't had the problems with shaving with or against the grain as some have had (you get a closer shave going against...). I get the zitties (follicalitis...sp) on my quads when I wear jeans, after the hair has grown out a bit. That's the thing about shaving... once you start, it's kinda hard to go back to not shaving. The period of rashiness sucks. And I must confess, the feeling of hair on the legs does not compare to the feeling of no hair on the legs...

Oh...I shave in the shower or bath.

For the first-time body-hair shaving experience, taking most of the hair off with electric clippers or the "hedge trimmer" on an electric razor makes a world of difference compared to doing it all with a razor. And, why do cyclists shave their legs? Well... a practical reason is that if you crash and get road rash (or deeply grind the skin off your kneecap...), it is so much easier changing dressings if you don't have hair for tape, bandaids, or scabs to stick to... (this subject comes up occaisionally in the rec.bicycles.* groups).

Corey

Why Bother To Shave Your Body?

Subject: Re: Where are the hairy chests?
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 96
From: Peter

Tom writes:

>What I don't
>understand is why do so many male weightlifters, who are obviously NOT
>competitive bodybuilders (and probably never will be), feel they have to
>shave their body. The majority of male weightlifters at the World Gym where
>I train shave their legs, chest, arms, etc. Yet, there are only a mere hand
>full of competitive bodybuilder's training there. What's up? Is this some
>new trend in fashion that some of us older lifters do not know about? I
>often ponder this question while I rest in between sets.

Well, I wasn't going to jump into this fray, but as someone who, out of sheer frustration, went so far as to duct-tape a Norelco shaver to a yardstick to shave my back without assistance, I feel I am qualified to provide more information about male hairiness than anyone ever needed or wanted to know. So here are some reasons why we hairy guys go to so much trouble to not be. (Hairy.)

1. We don't like the way it looks. I am fair-skinned, and having dark brown hair everywhere makes me look like a less-evolved life form. At least I think so.

2. It's harder to see the muscle that we've worked so hard for. You wouldn't think this makes much of a difference, but you'd be surprised. This is probably the reason for the shaved legs, chests and arms you see at your gym. Personally, I draw the line at shaving my legs, chest and forearms though.

3. We're tired of hair *everywhere*. In the shower drain. On the bedsheets. Forming little "tumblehairs" rolling across the floor. It's as bad as having a dog.

4. They pull. There are various situations in which having hair is uncomfortable. The worst is getting a deep-tissue massage. The lotion and massaging action form tangles everywhere.

5. It's another fun thing we men can do to change our appearance. And hairiness is out, fashionwise. Just look at the male models those tedious ads for men's fashions - the buffed bods are all bereft of hair. (*Sigh* So much for my career as a model!) ;-)

6. Shaving can be a fun shared activity! Enough said.

The only bad thing about getting rid of the hair is the fact that it comes back. This leads to a frustrating sense of inevitability ("I shave; I get hairy again. I eat, I get hungry again. I live, I die later.") However, if you can avoid the associated dispair, it certainly gives you something *weightier* to ponder between sets!

From: Gavin
Subject: Re: Where are the hairy chests
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 1996

> What I don't
> understand is why do so many male weightlifters, who are obviously NOT
> competitive bodybuilders (and probably never will be), feel they have to
> shave their body.

That's easy! Here are several reasons (these are all serious, but feel free to snicker) to remove body hair:

1. It cuts way down on sunscreen use. All that hair just soaks up half of it.
2. The house does not fill up with dust bunnies nearly as fast.
3. It just plain feels better, especially during intimate acts.
4. It just plain looks better to some people, although you and your
partner are probably the only ones whose vote matters.

I have actually tried plucking a couple of times. I didn't bother with Franco's time-consuming method of plucking by hand. I used one of the motorized yankers marketed to women. I did it once when I was fairly lean, and once when I had bit of subcutaneous fat after a layoff. While lean, it was moderately painful and gave far superior results than shaving. While fat, it hurt much more and left several ingrown hairs and other blemishes for a couple of weeks.

Gavin

From: Kevin
Subject: Re: Chest Hair
Date: 25 Jun 1996 21:18:02 -0700

Chris wrote:

> Scott wrote:

>Good luck, Chris

-Kevin

Subject: Big Hairy Guys
From: W
Date: Sat, 7 Feb 1998 12:22:02 -0800

Hey all you animals out there, don't for one minute think that us gals can't see the muscles underneath that sexy body fur! I understand why guys who compete shave, smear on fake tan and oil up when they're on stage or why the models do the same for photo shoots (and keep in mind that photogs use all kinds of colored filters plus negatives are airbrushed -- no one has skin THAT good no matter who they are). But that doesn't mean I like it in real life. God, there's nothing like being able to run your fingers through that lovely mat on a guy's chest (or anywhere else, for that matter). So PLEASE, unless you're gonna enter a competition, leave all that nice soft stuff in place. You'll be caressed more often, guaranteed. And when there's some big strong muscles underneath . . . Sorry, gotta go change my sweater; drooled all down my front just thinking about it.

Subject: Re: BODYHAIR & MUSCLE
From: "BIO-FORCE"
Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1999 10:27:03 -0700

>On 4/5/99 2:36:06 AM, fungus writes:

>Assumed that having a lot of bodyhair is related to the testosterone level >of a person and that testosterone supports muscle build i conclude that guys >with more bodyhair/facial hair should be able to build muscle easier than >guys with less bodyhair. What do you think about this ?

Mel Siff writes

>***Actually, research seems to indicate that testosterone levels tend to be >higher in bald males than those who are hirsute! Moreover, many men who>have taken anabolic-androgenic steroids have noticed significant hair loss. >Now what??

+++++ I think the original poster was refering to overall body hair. Baldness and "furry-ness"(of the body) many times (personal observation) go together. The secondary male sex charachteristics of "baldness and "excessive body hair" are both genetically "keyed" and promoted by higher levels of testosterone which is then converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which activates these charchteristics.

So if that is the case, both baldness and excessive body hair would indicate 1) the genetic key to both; and 2) higher testosterone levels activating those charachteristics.

Generally though, genetics play a more significant role in "deciding" who will have the ability to build "outrageous" muscle. There have been champions with full heads of long strong hair and those who are slick bald.

Regards,
John

More Advice on Shaving Your Body from 1997-98

From: Calvin
Subject: Re: Hair Removal
Date: 24 Jan 1997 22:33:56 GMT

Scott wrote:

Well, if shaving *doesn't work*, then you may have to go the waxing route. Couple pointers I learnt from my experience last time:

-Regrowth takes about 4 weeks, so you've got a couple weeks of smoothness.

-Get it done by a proper aesthetician -- if they don't do it right, you'll really regret it.

Calvin

Subject: Re: Hair Removal
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 19:24:08 -0700

The problem with waxing besides the embarrasement of buying female oriented products is it is a painful non-permanent means of hair removal. Now that we have FDA approved lasers available to permanently remove hair in a non-painful fashion waxing is of historical interest only.

One should keep in mind that the laser beam should not be overlapped so hair is removed in a spotty fashion. The remaining hair is removed at subsequent laser sessions to end up with a hair free area. Stopping the sessions before complete hair removal can be unsightly in certain areas of the body or areas with initially dense hair growth.

Best wishes
A. Stone MD
http://www.aaronstonemd.com

Wed Jun 18 06:16:41 PDT 1997

spade wrote:

> What is the best way to remove body hair?

Use a hair clippers to trim it short, then jump in the shower and shave the rest. You can use a glyceren soap instead of shaving cream. And lots of disposable razors.

> Where can a guy get wax for hair removal? I have been to drug stores,
> but they all have pictures of women on it, and I would be embarassed
> to bring it up to the counter.

What difference does it make what a stranger behind a counter may think? I'm sure they've seen it all anyway. However, waxing is way too painful for me. But it all depends on how dense and thick the hair is.

Tim

From rjl

I've been using a beard trimmer to remove unwanted body hair and it works reasonably well. The trimmer I use is a Jerri Redding II which was purchased at a K-Mart or some similar place. It has an adjustable head which allows you to set it for different beard lengths. When I use it to remove body hair I remove the head completely to get as close as possible. It doesn't get as close as shaving with a razor, but is more like using an electric shaver and gives no razor rash problems. I do this about once a week. Maybe not the most effective, but I think it beats messing around with chemical removal.

From deadlift Sat Jul 12 08:21:33 PDT 1997

junaid wrote:

>On 2 Jul 1997, Krista wrote:
>>
>> > >Dr. Aaron Stone, MD is correct.
>> > >
>> > >the best way is the relatively newly approved FDA laser.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > So are you saying the laser treatment is *shit* just like Gain and
>> Andro??
>> >
>>
>> Not shit, but maybe an expensive treatment that doesn't have a good
>> long-term outlook. Studies have shown that the effects in the majority of
>> people don't last longer than 6 months to a year. I've seen it done and it >> takes forever. Why not just wax cheaply and quickly?
>>
>> Krista
>>
>I've never waxed but is it not supposed to hurt like hell?

haha..if you go in thinking it is going to hurt, it WILL hurt (just like getting a tattoo). I had my back waxed and some parts of my back I didn't feel a thing, and some parts (mainly the sides) it stung a *little*.

Peace,
Tom

From stownsley Sat Jul 12 08:21:58 PDT 1997

>"Krista" wrote:

>> >I've never waxed but is it not supposed to hurt like hell?
>>
>> haha..if you go in thinking it is going to hurt, it WILL hurt (just like
>> getting a tattoo). I had my back waxed and some parts of my back I
>didn't
>> feel a thing, and some parts (mainly the sides) it stung a *little*.
>>

>However, sensitivity declines with repeated use, and ease of removal

>increases.

>Krista

I don't care to submit myself to anymore waxings. Did my legs ONCE. They were great, wondefully smooth for a few days then I had bumps from hell for almost a month. I'll stick to shaving when it's necessary.

Steve

From krust Sat Jul 12 08:40:37 PDT 1997

> > btw--> if one does decide to wax, do you pull in the direction the
> > hair
> > grows or the other way. thanks
> > JAM
>
> You spread the mildly hot wax (not to hot that it will burn, not to cold
> that won't stick) in the direction that the hair grows, but you pull in
> the opposite direction. This also seems to avoid in-grown hairs. And
> if you are new at this, experiment with a small area that is not too
> hairy or too sensitive: you may find that if you are very hairy and
> have sensitive skin, this is more painful than you are willing to bear.

Also, make sure that when you pull the strip off, keep it close to your skin and as parallel to it as you can, pulling upward (against the direction of hair growth). Don't pull outward (with strip at 90 degrees to skin); this is more painful and less effective.

Krista

Subject: Re: shaving
From: LARRY
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 22:07:59 -0800

As mentioned, I shave my entire body and have for years. I am very hairy and got tired of not only not seeing the muscles, but tired of hair being everywhere. Like around the lavatory, in the bed, in the shower, around the comode, etc.

Every Monday evening, I climb into the garden tub in the bedroom. My wife shaves by back and butt. Very seductive! Sometimes we do not get much shaving done, we end up in the tub together...anyway, I also shave my legs while in the tub. Once a week is fine. There will be stubble, but it is ok.

Every morning after my workout, I go to the shower and shave my head, face, chest and arms. It does not take long and that way the major exposed areas are always clean shaven.

I do use a liquid hair remover once every two weeks on my pits and groin area. I do this before getting into the tub on Monday evening. These are the two hardest areas to shave and once every two weeks is sufficient.

My wife likes the hairy chest, so sometimes during the winter, I let it grow. I keep it cut very short using an electric personal beard groomer. It makes a BIG difference in appearance.

Larry

Subject: Re: Depilates with Werewolves
From: "Chester"
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 22:11:28 -0800

Glenn wrote:
"Other options:
Laser hair removal... VERY expensive"

permanent (supposedly)... checked it out here in LA... was like $3000 for a back as I recall... the permanent aspect is nice.. prices should come down as there's more competition. shop around for the waxing as well, had a full body wax (chest, back, legs) for $80, and I'm a pretty hairy dude.

"Shaving, you may end up with a couple of ingrown hairs and you won't be as "smooth" as with waxing."

a rough "loffa" sponge or "buff-puff" helps w/ this...

Subject: Re: Body hair
From: jackson
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 07:43:40 -0800

Bill wrote:
"... get and do you think it would be effective for the whole body? I've never had good experiences with electric (face) shavers myself (always dulling too fast or breaking or not getting close - whatever). And more importantly, do you think it would keep the hair just long enough to avoid annoying stubbles, yet still show the skin and muscles underneath?"

Have any of y'all tried those demonic electical devices that pull your hair out from the roots, such as Braun's "Silk E'pil"? A problem that you'd probably have is ingrown hairs when the hair grows back, but a "Buff-Puff" or loofa sponge, as mentioned in a previous post, should alleviate those. It is somewhat painful, but, hey, don't most of us thrive on that? I'm not particularly hairy, but I've been using one on my legs recently and am pretty pleased with the results (similar to waxing). As a woman, I can't say I'd be too happy with the stubble on a bed-partner.

And since I'm going, I might as well throw in a differing female opinion. I, for one, do not like much body hair. The smoother, the nicer.

Subject: Shaving 101
From: "Donald"
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 11:37:20 -0800

All --
This past weekend I shaved my chest and belly ... the first time I've ever shaved (other than my face). My wife helped, and I used my new Panasonic electric shaver (Christmas present; highly recommended).

Some observations:
* I look very pale! That's the first thing I noticed.
* It REALLY makes you look more muscular. I dunno ... maybe it's all mental ... but it's a definite improvement.
* It feels ... well ... (blush)> ... sensuous ... especially when in the shower. Sorry 'bout that ... but get your lover to soap up your chest in the shower and massage it and ... yeow-za!
* The stubble appears really quick (like the next morning!). Yuck. Word of advice; don't rub your bare chest against your lover's bare chest when you have stubble!:-)

* Finally ... it makes me feel like an honest-to-goodness bodybuilder. I'm not big by any means ... but having improved my physique quite a bit (the last five weeks have been astounding!) ... I now feel like "Hey ... I shave ... yeah ... I'm a bodybuilder!". Cool.

Peace,
-- Don

Subject: Re: hair removal
From: "kevin"
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 20:43:51 -0800

So far I've tried shaving- (hair does grow back thicker, smmoth though)
Depilitory creams- (girlfriend said it was to stubbly & rough. also it chemically burned my nipples!)
Waxing-(I tried to do it myself and ended up with alot of hair left and alot of blood)
Clippers-(convenient, not smooth but not very visible)
I'm even considering trying one of those tv style home electolosis deals

Kevin

Subject: Re: Body Hair
From: "Kane"
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 20:46:49 -0800

Here's my advice on shaving with minimal upkeep...

I like to use my electric hair clippers with a #1 guard on them for my legs. This keeps it really short, but not short enough to give your girlfriend/wife/sig. other a rash from the stubble. You can also use a #1 for the chest but it only takes 1 or 2 minutes in the shower to shave the entire chest area. I tried shaving my legs once with a straight razor and, although it did feel great, the stubble was back in about 12 hours. You can buy a pair of clippers for about $15-$20 at Wal-Mart and they'll last a long time if you take care of them. Good luck! One other thing...I've only met two or three women that preferred hair over no hair. Nothing beats a smooth hairless body at the beach...but that's just my opinion.

Kane

Subject: The Secrets of Body Hair
Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 06:54:56 -0700

-------
Subject: Re: Hair Removal Posts Starting up Again
From: Bill
Date: Sun, 17 May 1998 21:43:52 -0700

Well, I think that it's a fallacy that says if you shave an area it grows more hair back. I don't see how that's logically possible, though I've only seen a few studies here or there to back up that it doesn't happen. In any case...

----------
I have to agree with you that it's a fallacy. If it were true, balding men would be shaving their heads regularly to encourage hair growth. I think it's a funny fallacy, too, because when people complain about new hairs sprouting after a shave, they fail to mention that it's that new hair growth that caused them to shave the area in the first place! Another reason for this fallacy is that when hair first grows in a new area, it's thin at the top and thicker at the bottom - when you shave off the top, the growing hair appears thicker because the original thin top has been removed.

Well, I also have a question and a comment about trimming body hair instead of shaving.

First, I'm pretty hairy, and originally resisted trimming it because I've been told by women that they dislike the coarse feeling of body hair. Mine had always been called 'soft', but when I decided to trim it down to show some more abdominal definition, I found out what they meant - the hair feels really coarse and almost abrasive after it's trimmed. Is there anything I can use to soften the hair (some kind of hair softener... hot oil treatment? :-) ), or make it less abrasive so I don't sandpaper my girlfriend?

Secondly, in the last flurry of messages on body hair, someone commented on the inconvenience of finding body hair in the sheets, on the floor, etc... I've found that there's actually a very simple solution for this. While showering, either before or after soaping up, I simply rub the hair on my chest and belly with my hands as I would when I'm washing. Wet hands have just enough friction to remove loose body hair, but not too much to make it uncomfortable. It may vary for others, but the first time I tried it, I had to rub and then rinse off the loose hair a couple of times before no more were coming off. I then continued showering as usual. After the first time, I only needed to remove the loose chest hair every few days and only for a few seconds. It became a quick and simple ritual that I added to my normal shower. Now I don't have the embarassing problems with finding loose hair, anymore.

This body hair discussion is great, and all of the suggestions I've read so far are great! I tried searching for web pages on it, and couldn't find a thing - is there a place where an archive of these 'body hair tips' can be found? [Note from Tom Griffin: You just found it!]

-Dave

On Fri, 16 Oct 1998 19:05:50 -0700, spdisarmed wrote:

SO what does NADS stand for? What's the active ingredient?

The woman who created it made it for her hairy armed daughter, Nadine. So the product was named after her. It's an australian product, so the word NADS probably doesn't mean much there.

It's similar to a wax, only it's all natural and does not need to be heated. Showed some lady taking the hair off of a guys lower leg. Got about 1/3 of the hair off in about 15 seconds. Re-growth will depend on how quickly your body grows back hair when it's been pulled out by the root.

I have also considered one of the newer laser treatments for permanent hair removal for my chest and stomach (I'm just a sasquatch looking fool.) I may do this next year, but like electrolysys, you need to go in for many treatments before you are done, and it's pretty expensive right now, and only partially permanent (or so I have been informed).

Anybody in here with a good build every get lipo on the handle area? I have even considered that... gotten my body fat very low, yet couldn't get rid of the handles that well. They looked OK from the front, but from the back it looked silly.

Steve

"what are different ways to get rid of back hair?"

I've been using a hair retardant product from a company called Victoria Bodyworks.....it's seems to be working pretty well so far. I believe their site is at http://www.hairaway.com.

If that doesn't work, do a search for Victoria Bodyworks good luck!

Jessica

Subject: Lasers
From: Aaron Stone MD, astone@earthlink.net
Date: Feb. 16, 2000

Currently one of the better methods for hair removal is the use of lasers. It has less potential for scarring or infection than electrolysis. The major drawbacks are:

1-possible depigmentation of darker skin surrounding the hair follicles

2-only works on dark hair

3-question of permanent hair removal vs. permanent thinning/reduction

Recent advances have included using pulsed lasers that heat the hair follicle more than the surrounding skin. This occurs because the cooling time (relaxation time) of hair follicles is greater than that of the surrounding skin. Although it may not get rid of every single hair or be permanent the result is significant enough & lasts long enough to make it a good alternative to waxing, electrolysis or shaving.

Of the hair that is lasered a portion is permanently killed off, another portion is temporarily removed & another portion is not affected. After a few months another treatment can be performed & again some portion is permanently killed off another is temporarily removed & another not affected & so on.

Aaron Stone MD
Aesthetic & Reconstructive Plastic Surgery
2080 Century Park East, Suite 1110
Century City
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310)843-9021
FAX(310)277-6510
e-mail - astone@earthlink.net
http://www.aaronstonemd.com

From: "Trey"
Re: Best way to remove body hair....??
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 12:21:40 CST

I've waxed almost my entire body using that NAD's gel.. that shit works so great!!! I did my whole freakin' body by myself in about 3 hours... (if you don't know about NAD's, it's a gel that you don't have to heat up, that spreads smoothly, and you lay these cloth strips on it and pull it off...) I did my arms, legs, and chest/stomach... the bikini line hurts a bit more than the rest of the body, but it's worth it considering there are no prickly's for at least a month, and when the hair does grow back, it's finer and thinner than before... Anyone else care to admit to the waxing experience?

just my $.02,
Trey

From: Scott
Re: Best way to remove body hair....??
Date: Thu Mar 16 15:50:19 PST 2000

Delurking...

Last summer I was getting my arms waxed with no problem. It made them look much more muscular so I decided it would be a good idea to try my chest and stomach too.

Bad idea. I've been hit by a car doing 40mph on my bicycle as I ran a red light. Having my chest wax hurt worse. Now I shave.

Sat Jul 22 21:52:01 PDT 2000

From what I have read laser is expensive, takes a hellaciously long time, and only works on certain people. (Pale with dark hair, irishmen are in luck but nords are SOL).

I would recommend a good friend or lover and a box or two of nair for your hairy back, man. There is a recent article in Men's Health where some dude shaved every part of his body using different methods and I think this is the one he used for his back.

later
foxchaser

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