My legs - I can't shave them. (A superficial lamentation.)

[Writer]

I haven't shaved my legs for several years now. During college and since my mid-twenties I have been waxing them religiously (and expensively) at local salons.

When I shave, the pores becomes infected/itch/red bumps appear all over the place. I also get multiple ingrown hairs.

Even after waxing, I go through a period of time when they itch/redden... but no where near the same degree as when I shaved.

I vigorously use an exfoliant every other day (so the skin doesn't dry out). But they're never quite presentable. Forget wearing shorts/swimming. Exercizing at the gym is a true chore. Half the month I have to cover them because I need to grow them out again before I can hit the salon.

I've also tried Tend Skin. It works for many folks, but not for me. It simply dried out my legs and the ingrowns still appeared.

I have just earned my Master's. I pray that I can find work in this small city of mine so I can afford laser hair removal.

I have just turned 31 and at times my legs make me feel so ugly and unpresentable. Just now I was sitting in my bathtub, inspecting my legs, attempting to remove the many ingrowns. I feel so superficial worrying about this, but I see that my life isn't quite as active as it could be with this constant issue to deal with.

During my first summer at UT-Austin, after many frustrating weeks of trying to shave, I decided simply to let the hair grow. As it was, on average, 100 degrees outside I wore shorts anyway. I was smart - I did well, so it was easy for me to cast aside the many cat-calls and "Chewbacca" comments I received from a few classmates.

Well... I hope this wasn't too disgusting to read. I don't know if other women have dealt with the same issue, but for me it's a bit sad. I just feel blessed that I can at least afford the waxing. I don't know what I'd do otherwise.

Thanks for reading my self-focused lamentation on my legs. :hi:

On edit: During my last physical, my doctor diagnosed me as having foliculitis. Has anyone else been diagnosed with this?

[flvegan]

1. Maybe one of the many laser treatments would help

Sure, it's costly and time consuming, but...

[Writer]

2. That's what I'm hoping to do...

I just need a job. :)

[Nikia]

3. I used to be a compulsive plucker and am starting too again

It takes a long time to remove the hairs this way but it is an option. Allegedly there is a special type of tweezers that will destroy the hair follicle that my husband wants to get me.

[Writer]

4. What type of tweezers? n/t

[Nikia]

5. There might be less expensive systems out there (link)

http://www.complete-hair-removal-source.com/English/ShortwaveTutorial.htm
It might also be cheaper to go to a salon that does this. On the otherhand, sometimes multiple treatments are necessary to destroy the hair so be sure to compare.

[Writer]

6. That's interesting.

I wonder how this is different from electrolysis?

[WCGreen]

7. Well, I hate the fact that you have to feel that way....

Hair on a woman shouldn't be an issue...

It's easy for me to say, I know, since I am a middle aged man...

But after you reach a certain age, it just doesn't matter....

[Writer]

8. Well I appreciate that, but it's a little trickly trying to swim, run, and

bike with hairy legs.

[WCGreen]

10. It's that long that it gets caught in the spokes.....

[fleabert]

9. I hate shaving. I wax when I can, but otherwise go hairy.

I shave occasionally, but hate every minute of it. :hug:
go hairy girl- I see nothing wrong with it.

[MikeH]

12. Good for you

I wax when I can, but otherwise go hairy.

I like and admire that you are willing to go hairy. I have had an attraction to female body hair, including hairy legs, since I was an adolescent. I wish more women were willing to "go hairy".

go hairy girl- I see nothing wrong with it.

I second that.

[Kali]

11. I hear ya

not the rash problems, just the pressure to do the damn chore. I hate that I am trained to feel gross with leg hair. I only shave in the summer but wish I could just make the who gives a shit about this stupid social pressure leap!

[MikeH]

13. I like natural female body hair, including unshaven or hairy legs

I have been so attracted since I was an adolescent, and I do not want to be ashamed to say this.

It has often bothered me, and I have sometimes felt a little bit sad, that just about anything else has been acceptable in our society except for natural female body hair.

I realize that it is hard to resist societal pressures, but I am happy to hear about any woman who does so and lets her natural body hair grow. (However I would not want to suggest that any woman do so who would not feel comfortable doing so.)

I know that there are other men who are also attracted to natural female body hair.

[Patiod]

16. Well, now "they" are going to war on male body hair, too!

Men are shaving their chests, armpits, legs, pubes. I think this is loony.

[MikeH]

17. I think it is loony, too

However I do remember thinking it was very unfair back, say in the 1970's, when it was almost unheard of for a man to remove any body hair, or even think about doing so, and men commonly wore long (head) hair, that so comparatively few women let their leg hair grow out. It seemed so unfair that women still had to go through all that trouble but not men. I have to admit I was very disappointed that unshaven or hairy legs on women were never to become commonplace and accepted like long hair on men.

I also remember that arm hair was fairly common on women in the 1970's but has since become not very common (or at least from what I have observed).

So now it does seem a little bit more "fair" that men are now removing body hair, but I still wish that women would have let their body hair grow out, rather than men removing theirs.

[NewWaveChick1981]

14. Did your doctor put you on an antibiotic?

Some folliculitis is caused by bacteria. I had a minor problem with this about 20 years ago, and the antibiotic cleared it up with no recurrence. :) Hubby also has a problem with ingrown hairs on his face, and it always happens after he shaves. He uses TendSkin after he shaves, which has been a blessing. You might want to try that (if you're really interested, I think I have a sample size you can have!). :) Your vigorous exfoliation may also be irritating your hair follicles.

That being said, hair removal is a personal choice. I shave my underarms and legs simply because it's more comfortable to me in clothing. No other shaving anywhere. It's not disgusting at all to be your natural self. :)

[Radio_Lady]

15. Check with a dermatologist. Hubby has "hot tub" folliculitis.

He contracts it on his upper thighs down to his knees and sometimes on his lower legs. Of course, shaving his legs is not an issue, but he has broken out with an ugly, pimply rash, usually while we are on travel.

The doctor prescribed Cipro (ciproflaxin) to be taken when the rash appears. Usually the situation resolves in a week or so. Luckily, it's not a problem while we are home. We don't know why he gets this.