Removing Excess Hair from Your Body

Too much hair in the wrong place can be an embarrassment and a nuisance. But just what is considered too hairy in one society may be perfectly OK in another. It is social custom as well as genetics.

Hairiness under arms and in the pubic region is normal, of course. But just how much hair grows there is individual. A few coarse hairs may grow round the nipples or between the breasts. Some very feminine women have hair growing in the small of their backs, while a faint moustache or dark downy hair down the sides of the face are not uncommon.

Latin looks and darker, more obvious body hair go together. Blondes and redheads are luckier in this respect. So what can you do about getting rid of it?

A mild degree of hairiness on arms, legs or upper lip, when the hair is very fine, not coarse, can be disguised by lightening with a cream bleach. Be sure to buy one specially designed for the body and face - don't use hair bleach.

For quickness, there's nothing to beat shaving your legs and under arms, but as you slice off the hair at skin level, you soon get prickly regrowth. Shaving does not, of course, cause hair to grow any thicker or quicker or there would not be any bald men about!

The secret of successful shaving is to soften the skin with water and soap, or a shaving preparation. Spread on lather evenly and shave first with downward strokes, then relaters and shave in the opposite direction. Shave legs with long smooth strokes form ankle to knee and from knee to thigh. Rinse and pat dry. Electric shavers are fast. Convenient and safe, although some users find shaving takes some getting used to. But after any kind of shave, use a moisturizing lotion on your skin.

Cream depilatories are creams, lotions, sprays and mousses which dissolve away unwanted hair just below skin level, using chemicals such as calcium thioglycollate. This dissolves hair by breaking the sulphur bonds of the keratin, the protein from which hair is made.

The process is fast - about 4-6 minutes for the cream and 6-8 minutes for the mousse - and as it dissolves hair a little below the surface of the skin, the result is often smoother, without stubble, and a slower regrowth then shaving.

The only problem is that it is messy and somewhat smelly, though much less so than it used to be. Test for skin sensitivity first. Never apply a depilatory cream to inflamed or broken skin, or shortly before or after using soap, deodorant or a perfumed product. Irritation or, at worst, infection can result.

Waxing, which is wholesale plucking essentially, removes hair from the roots and the results last longer - often for weeks. After years of regular waxing, the hair follicles may give up the unequal struggle and not grow back. But this can just mean patchy regrowth, with bald patches, not the whole leg of hair disappearing. And, as the hairs on head and body are all at different stages of the hair growth cycle, waxing does not always mean that some hair doesn't grow back quickly - it may have been just under the skin just waiting to pop out!

In beauty salons, you can have hair waxed with traditional hot wax, which is applied with a spatula in sections and pulled off in strips quickly, taking the hairs with it.

At home, you can used pre-waxed strips. Not all hairs come off in one go however, and you may need to go over sections again and again. For best results, some products are recommended to be used after dusting your skin with talc first. Don't use strips within two hours of bathing, as hot water makes skin more sensitive. o Tips for success: apply strips of wax to the hair, then strip off in the opposite direction of hair growth. Don't pull strips straight up or you may irritate skin and break off hair. Use one quick ripping motion parallel to the skin and close to it, holding skin taut.

Does it hurt? That depends on your pain threshold. It is something like ripping off a plaster. If you do it quickly, there's nothing to it.

Skin electrolysis is the only permanent method of hair removal, and even electrolysis does not necessarily work in one go. Treatments may need to be repeated over months. As it is an expensive and time-consuming treatment, it is best kept for smaller areas, such as the upper lip.

Tweezers are invaluable for removing odd hairs. A quick pull, and it is out from the roots. Use fine-chisel edged tweezers rather than points which can damage the skin. Keep antiseptic cream handy just in case.

Body hair growing untidily or in odd places can be removed by waxing in a salon, if you can't reach it. If you feel embarrassed, get to know the beautician first, by trying a leg or arm wax. Rest assured, they have seen far hairier clients than you!

Try having underarm hair waxed, too, as well as your legs. It isn't so painful and hair removed from the roots in this area becomes very discouraged. Hair may well grow back finer and sparser.

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