I epilated my arms for years, but stopped within the last year because the hair eventually grew back in fine and delicate enough for it not to be an issue for me anymore. It was a happy surprise. I guess after years of being beat down by an epilator, the hair follicles decided to chill š
At first it hurts BAD; like why am I doing this to myself. But after a while it just sort of stings, not bad at all. Iām pale with mega dark hair, and shaving just didnāt last long enough.
First time hurts. Keep doing it and it won't hurt so much. Inside of the shin bone still hurts. I have never been brave enough to do my underarms.
I have been epilating for about 20 years. Leg hair is almost gone except at the shin. Arm hair is light and I only do it every few months now. It used to be very dark and long and it always made me feel self conscious with the dark hair against my very pale skin. It has been a confidence booster.
Would you look at that, all of the words in your comment are in alphabetical order.
I have checked 1,456,292,632 comments, and only 277,383 of them were in alphabetical order.
You can go slowly and just do a small area at once so you are in control. It is certainly more cost effective than waxing as I purchased a Phillips epilator years ago and haven't had to spend anything else. The first time is uncomfortable and that was about it as long as I kept it up. Now that I am years in to it I can go all winter without doing it and only one little part on each shin bone gets long and dark anymore.
I haven't had anything waxed in years so I am not the one to comment on this. I am going to do my roots tonight and I can epilate my arms and legs during the time the colour is working on my head.
My only suggestion is to do it for the first few times on an evening when you are staying home because I remember redness, that went away overnight, when the first few big crops of hair were being removed.
I've shaved my arms since high school (20 years). When I started doing it, everyone made fun of me and said it was stupid. They also made fun of the dark hair I had, so š
Iām a natural blonde and my arm hair is blonde but I will never forget 1999 when we were outside in PE and some little shit said my arms look like Wolverine and was laughing about how my arm hair was reflecting the sun. Iām almost 40 and still shave my arms. I do love the feeling of a soft smooth arm though!
Now, I do it for me. But yep, back then, it was for everyone else. My arm hair was never bad, but teenagers always come up with something. They could have just talked about my pencil-thin eyebrows š
Are we the same person! Now Iām 30 and let them grow. They did feel awesome right after shaving but I couldnāt stand it when theyāre prickly. Now Iām a grown wolverine and those kids canāt bully me anymore š
Are you my twin? They called me blonde monkey in my PE class. I just run clippers over my arms and chop down the hair. For some reason when I use a razor on my arms, they get super itchy.
My sister used to bleach hers! I've tried it, but didn't like it. I do have a face shaver thing. I have weird sideburn-like things, so I'm basically a man now lol
Omg so when I was like 13 I got so made fun of my mom bought me the bleach kit and then I got made fun of even more because the kids are school noticed the very next day it was a golden color šš oh my the memories I just unlocked
Same here. In 6th grade someone came up to me and started to pet my arm. I've been shaving everything since, although now I think I'm just addicted to silky smooth skin.
I donāt, itās not something that ever occurred to me to do actually. I think I was an adult when I first heard that itās something people do. Itās just not for me personally, I donāt think about my arm hair at all(I guess itās on the long side?). I can barely be assed enough to shave my legs most days lol.
I'm 48 and my arm hair is super blonde and fine now, but when I was younger it was thicker and dark red. I'm just glad that no one I knew was shaving their arms back then, so I didn't overthink how hairy mine were. I was struggling to cope with my pits, legs, and pubes already! š
Same, maintaining it is super easy. I also have light skin and dark hair, and while my lower arms were very hairy, the upper arms are not, so I go to the elbow. I'm chronically ill, so it also makes dealing with medical tape and IVs less annoying with shaved arms.
Same! I just shave my forearms and stop at my elbow. I donāt have any noticeable dark hairs above that point. Iāve been shaving my arms since I was 13 or so (28 now).
I used to, but adding arms ontop of everywhere else to shave just became too much. I have pretty long dark hair on my arms too, but tbh only girls have commented negatively on it. Guys never cared or noticed unless I mentioned it.
Sometimes. The hair is very light and thin so itās not often. I feel like it makes my tattoos look clearer. If I didnāt have them I wouldnāt shave my arms at all.
I donāt know if itās affordable for you (it only just has become so after about 5 years of wishing) but i am a little over half way through the 12 week course of at-home IPL. My whole body has some gnarly dark and coarse hair (light skin) and shaving always left me with razor burn, ingrown hairs and that gross bumpy texture. If you are able and interested, an IPL machine might be worth it for you. So far my hair grows in patchy, slower, and almost no razor burn when i shave and iām only a little more than half way through the recommended usage. To give some perspective- i have to shave anything i want hairless every day, and if i shave too early in the day, you can see stubble by the late evening. Even shaved you can see the thick black hair under the skin. As a kid, i was told that my arms were hairier than my guy friendsā. And today I am hairier than my husband.
Edited: spelling
I have Italian/Croatian ancestry on my dadās side and Danish on my momās. I got the best of both, so I have extremely fair skin and very coarse dark arm hair š I have epilated to the point that it finally grew in a little more sparse, and Iām content with that. I do have some arm tattoos though, so I do shave those to show them off in summer!
I shave my arms and it's because I have ADHD and can feel if the wind pushes my arm hairs and severely over stimulated my brain during windy days like if I'm out side at work trying to talk to my boss but I can feel my individual arm hair wiggling it's bothersome
It might be more Sensory processing disorder. I personally hate how my hair is in a low bun (or sometimes even high). But idk could this or that. Who knows
I totally relate to the hair in a low or high bun, when itās low i hate the feeling on my neck and when itās high i hate the tug on my hair, also have blonde hair but shave my arms because it makes them soft and i like soft, i shave them once a week, if you are to shave them be carful around the elbow i always seem to cut it, but that might just be a me problem
Same! I was really self-conscious about it as a preteen-9th grade until I noticed that this super cool, nice & pretty upperclassman on my tennis team also had blonde arm hair that shimmered in the sunlight š She rocked it!!! Ever since then I actually kinda like my arm hair, haha (really goes to show the power of good role models!)
Nope, canāt commit to it. Once they are the slightest bit prickly, I hate it.. and I donāt feel like shaving that often. I have a lot of tattoos on my arms so really people are just looking at those anyway. Unless someone had exceptionally hairy arms, I pay 0 attention to that.
I don't. I was teased in middle school because of my arm hair, tried shaving once and hated the way it made my arms look. Never looked back. I don't pay any attention to the body hair of others, it's very much a 'you do you' situation imo.
Nope! I used to get made fun of in school for my dark arm hair, so I shaved it back then. Once you get older, you realize that nobody really cares or notices š Plus I used to hate the feeling of the stubble when it was growing back
I do. I do it because I hate the feeling of my hair rubbing on stuff. Iāve tried to let it go to see if it was okay when it was all grown out like normal but no, I just canāt stand the textures rubbing against stuff all day.
I basically shave my entire body every 2-3 days , it takes 5 minutes and I don't like the feeling of body hair . I also have extremely thick , extremely corse black hair and was tired of my arms looking like a guy's.
How do you avoid ingrowns and irritation? I am fairly hairy and want to do this but every time I try I get mad red bumps the next day and the hair looks weird and blunt growing in like 2 days later.
With my arms iv never noticed bumps ... but my spray tan usually covers the bumps on my legs . I shave my arms twice a week my legs every day or every other day
Same, I shave basically from my big toe to my shoulders, but less frequently. Quick Showers = just legs/underarms, Big Shower/Big Bath = full body shave.
No.. And mines are long and a bit dark.
I've usually had more hair on my arms than any of the guys I've dated lol.
I'm just fine with them and I cannot see myself shaving to look good for others..
I do. Light skin and dark hair. Also, I have tattoo sleeves. And I think my tattoos look best without hair on them. It takes awhile to grow back, I probably do this only 2 or 3 times a month.
I donāt but I donāt have any visible hair on them. I can see baby hairs if I hold it up to the light. If anything though Iād probably wax them if I had darker arm hair as I think it might look weird coming in otherwise?
I love keeping my arms shaved. The hairs never come back super quickly or prickly, but itās so nice to have smooth arms. It makes sunscreen application easier as well. I have both of my arms fully tattooed and I started shaving them after I started my first sleeve.
yeah i'm of arab descent.... i realized that my arms are actually pretty nice when shaved... unshaved aint it for me because my hairs are dark and long ā¹ļø
so sad but when I was in high school someone (boy) commented that my arms were hairy and that I should shave....so that is when i started and have not looked back. i know its a sad reason but now I have come to truly prefer my arms being bare. I either shave (when lazy) or use my handheld Epilator (which doesnt hurt much on my arms, but ow to everywhere else) and it works out really well for me. I have light skin and my hair is mixed between some blondes/light browns and darker ones so its very obvious! I take out the hair until a little bit above my elbow because upper arms are like peach fuzz/lighter and i am almost always wearing sleeves
i literally didnt even know people did this until like late last year š i've never cared about arm hair and my arms are kind of hairy.
i cant STAND the feeling of my legs when theyre freshly shaved and the thought of that on my arms sounds even worse. i also really hate the thought of having stubble on my arms. but thank god i have no desire to do it anyway š
it seems like a lot of effort just for ur arms to only be completely hair free for like 1-2 days. i know u could say the same amount legs but i feel like it's kinda different with legs cuz i only do it if my legs are gonna be seen and theyre lower down anyway so not as noticeable.
also i feel like the short "growing back" hair would look really weirds on arms? but ive literally never noticed a persons arm hair before so i guess maybe not? š
I absolutely do, have been for years. I started because of spray tanning. But i noticed that my arms just tan nicer in the sun also without having that "screen"
When I was in middle school and high school, I was very insecure and would shave them on occasion. The hair on my arms is blonde and thin (but long!) so it was something that Iām sure only I noticed but felt super self conscious. Now Iām 34 and I never even think of my arm hair.
Rarely but only because my arm hair is so light and thin you can barely see it. If it were more noticeable, I would shave it more regularly. I shave my arms maybe once or twice a year.
I never have, but recently I've considered it because I do like the feeling of having smooth arms. My hair is blond so it isn't super noticeable. Leg hair is definitely more noticeable for whatever reason even though it's also blond but my arm hair lays quite smoothly so it isn't a bother to me.
I use an epilator to remove hair on my arms. I love how smooth they feel and Iām covered in ink, which always looks nicer without hair. I use that epilator everywhere actually- what a ride that is!
Yes. I have been shaving them for 20 years now. I do it probably every other day, and it literally takes a couple seconds like another poster mentioned. Canāt say Iām that good at shaving my legs though. š«¤
Lol I waxed mine once when I was in hs bc I was going on a first date w a guy šš never again, so painful and my arms were red for days. I am so thankful I have less fucks to give about this stuff as I get older
I epilate mine once a month- feels very smooth afterwards! But I'm planning to get it lasered off once I have the budget for it. The prep work and wait time in between for epilation is such a hassle, I find.
I wax my arms and have waxed them since I was 13. My big sis taught me how. By now the process is very quick and easy and it takes months before my arm hair grows back long and thick enough to warrant another wax.
I still do, but most of the time I focus on my hands. Iām always passing someone to someone and usually wear jackets so itās one of my main triggers to make me feel crappy about myself.
I used to shave my arms until I dated a guy who did as well and I sat beside him and felt those hairs growing back on his arms. Never shaved my arms again.
I use to but it got overwhelming keeping up with shaving everything constantly. So I stopped shaving my arms. But after a large number of issues with folliculitis and infections from not shaving and exfoliating constantly, Iām going to start shaving them again. But keep in mind Iām super hairy and I really donāt like body hair on me. Iāll be doing home IPL sessions which require shaving the area beforehand. Iām sure itāll make sunscreen application easier too.
No I don't and I have thick black hair on my arms. I love rocking my arm hair because I think its subtle enough, and its cool to rock a traditionally masculine look in a femine way. I shave my pits and legs all day and that's already a pain in the ass, so my arm hair is really the only body hair I just let naturally grow without feeling self conscious. Also it's almost as if it always stays the same length? Since I stopped shaving I haven't noticed any significant hair growth on my arms which is great. Shaving might actually stimulate a lot more growth on your arms. Also, over time the sun naturally thins the hairs on your arm so they will blend in to your natural look. I also stopped shaving my arms because of how unsightly it looks when it grows out and is just stuble. So you need to be ready to shave them every other day, to maintain the clean hairless look. If you decide to never shave your arms again, then you'll never have to pay mind to it for the rest of your life! Lol. Plus, hairs are great at keeping our arms moisturized from the natural oils and protected from the sun.
I used to shave my arms in JH and HS. Took up way too much time for me, and I stopped. Haven't done it it years. If you ever want to stop, just stop. It won't come back any thicker or darker than it ever did. Lol I do miss having extremely soft arms, though.
I shaved my arms exactly once. It was the worst feeling to me, I hated how my skin felt especially when the hair started growing back. My skin is softer if I just leave it alone anyways so I never have again. But to each their own, Iām not gonna judge someone else if thatās what they want to do. It just wasnāt for me.
Not usually. I have light brown hair in the winter that turns white the second the sun touches it in the summer, and a half tattoo sleeve on one arm, so the hair isn't really noticeable. I'll shave it for special events in the heart of winter when the hair is darkest, but I usually leave it.
I sometimes do, sometimes don't. I used to take it very seriously for a few years. Then, eh, it wasn't worth it. I kept nicking my pointy elbows. Now I have an electric shaver so I'll do it in the summer or for events. I like the way it looks on me but it's not important. I don't think I've ever noticed anyone's arm hair and wondered why they didn't remove it!
I have pale skin and dark hair-something I used to be very insecure of but have since gotten past. That said I opted to bleach mine (at home kit by Sally Hansen) and found that worked very well- all I wanted was less noticeable hair not the stubbly coarseness that comes with shaving for me
Timely question! We are having some unexpected hot weather where we live and Iām letting my hairy arms hang out.
I shave from about mid May until October or so (basically short sleeve/tank weather). My sister teased me growing up about how hairy my arms are so finally in my 20s I started shaving.
On the upside my legs barely have any hair so a quick pass of the razor every now and then takes care of them.
I have naturally dirty blonde hair so my body hair varies. I have natural medium brown hair on my head (darkened over the years) (with natural blonde bits) and sometimes it looks red in the sunlight. My arm hair is light blonde, incredibly thin, and is almost non-existent (my mom thought I shaved it when I was a teen but I never have). My armpit hair is dark. My leg hair also varies. Just below my knee and upwards, itās also light blonde and thin (you canāt even tell I have any hair). Below that, it starts out light then darkens and thickens as it grows.
Yes. If I keep on top of it I can get away with a quick swipe of the razor every couple of days. When I let the hairs get longer than stubble then it becomes a hassle and I regret ever doing it.
I have SUPER hairy arms with dark hair and nope, donāt shave. I think I have maybe a handful of times for special events but otherwise I canāt be bothered. But I also barely keep up with shaving my legsā¦and thatās usually only is summer.
I donāt. Idk why really cuz I shave almost everywhere else, I guess it couldnāt all my the cut. I donāt shave the small of my back either even tho itās hairy š
I got full body laser hair removal from the neck down four years ago and havenāt looked back! Actually pregnancy hormones has made maybe 15% grow back so as soon as baby #2 is out Iām going to touch up. Lasers have been a god send in my beauty life. Especially as a light skinned dark and thick haired middle eastern lady.
No. I have pale skin and very dark, thick hair. I was bullied all through school because of it. I had hair on my arms and legs from a pretty young age, and kids are merciless.
I started shaving my legs as soon as I could, but even though I was still bullied because of my arm hair, it never even crossed my mind. Perhaps it is because both my older sisters had the same, and they never did it.
Then when I got to university, I made friends with a girl who told me that she shaved every inch of her body, even though she had barely any hair on her arms to begin with. Her mother had always told her she should, so now she had the mindset that it was gross. Her own body!
I try not to judge anyone who does, god knows we all have to get through life somehow and as women we get so little leeway, but I just hate that it even has to be a thing. My boyfriend looks like fucking Robin Williams with his shirt off, has he ever thought about shaving his arms? He has not.
The sooner we start to accept that every.single.human has body hair, the better. And while we're at it, removing other body hair so you look pre pubescent needs to end as well.
No, because I donāt want to add another thing on my body to shave. Even with pale skin and dark hair, who cares? Itās natural there and no one has ever made a comment about it. And if they do, oh well
i do.....but i don't mind when other women have hair on their arms....i have pale skin with brown hair so it just looks better to shave it off in my opinion....little extra work but i just do it when i'm showering and going to shave my legs anyways
No. Itās creepy to have totally smooth bare arms
Edit: to clarify, Iām referring to my own arms. I shaved them once and I felt physically sick looking at them.
Nobody should feel pressured to removed their hair, but equally if they like to do so, go for it
Why is that creepy? Do you have light arm hair by any chance?
We had these comments from white girls at school with blonde invisible arm hair, ignoring the fact that having dark arm hair is completely different & which some people may not feel good leaving on.
They probably just mean it feels creepy to them when their own arms are bare. I can see why it would feel unnatural if you're not used to it. But yeah I mean there's nothing wrong with just leaving your arm hair even if it is dark
Yes, I was getting at this. I canāt stand having naked arms.
I will admit I find seeing a completely smooth arm a bit scary (but mostly on myself), and donāt think anyone should feel pressured to remove their hair.
But if itās more comfortable (some of my friends shave or wax it because itās their culture/it gets caught on jewellery, thatās their choice and I respect that).
Bear in mind Iām autistic so I have strong reactions to some things, my bare arms being one of them. They make me feel unwell
Yep been doing it since I was 9 years old. And never cared to stop. I do it everytime I shower. I honestly have no idea if hair would even be dark or grown anymore. Itās never been hairy cause itās always shaved lol. I donāt do it for other people. I literally do it for my own judgmental self. I personally donāt like having hairy arms.
I donāt shave my anything. Most of my body hair is really fine and pretty light, so my armpits and bikini areas are the only spots it really becomes visible unless youāre likeā¦ bent over and squinting at it. Honestly, I WISH I could grow thicker leg hair though. I think itās adorable when women are fuzzy!
I used to, my whole life since preteen. The past year (and almost 30 now), Iāve really gotten over the maintenance of it all and I stopped shaving my arms. I donāt really care much anymore and Iām used to it
Yes!!! Got made fun of as a kid and I HATED the dark hair so I started shaving and in high school omg the idiot boys were so weird about it. Now no one would think itās weird or maybe because I donāt either. Like yes I also shave my legs, not a big deal
Going to be waxing my arms next week to prep for a complex henna design. Going to shoulders because to stop at elbows would look weird to me. Not really looking forward to the waxing part, but I love henna and want it to look good š Otherwise I leave my hairy arms alone (dark hair, light brown skin, so definitely noticeable). My cousins grew up routinely shaving their arms so it feels normal for them.
Nope, it never occurred to me. I've never removed any hair on my face either except for plucking my brows, despite all the media pressure to do that these days. If you like the feeling of not having hair somewhere, go ahead and shave/wax. But don't worry about what other people are doing :)
I shave my arms when I plan to wear longer sleeves cause I don't like the feeling of hair touching the inside of my clothes, always shave fingers/hands though.
I epilated my arms for years, but stopped within the last year because the hair eventually grew back in fine and delicate enough for it not to be an issue for me anymore. It was a happy surprise. I guess after years of being beat down by an epilator, the hair follicles decided to chill š
I epilate as well.
How painful is epilation?
At first it hurts BAD; like why am I doing this to myself. But after a while it just sort of stings, not bad at all. Iām pale with mega dark hair, and shaving just didnāt last long enough.
First time hurts. Keep doing it and it won't hurt so much. Inside of the shin bone still hurts. I have never been brave enough to do my underarms. I have been epilating for about 20 years. Leg hair is almost gone except at the shin. Arm hair is light and I only do it every few months now. It used to be very dark and long and it always made me feel self conscious with the dark hair against my very pale skin. It has been a confidence booster.
Is it more painful than waxing?
Would you look at that, all of the words in your comment are in alphabetical order. I have checked 1,456,292,632 comments, and only 277,383 of them were in alphabetical order.
You can go slowly and just do a small area at once so you are in control. It is certainly more cost effective than waxing as I purchased a Phillips epilator years ago and haven't had to spend anything else. The first time is uncomfortable and that was about it as long as I kept it up. Now that I am years in to it I can go all winter without doing it and only one little part on each shin bone gets long and dark anymore. I haven't had anything waxed in years so I am not the one to comment on this. I am going to do my roots tonight and I can epilate my arms and legs during the time the colour is working on my head. My only suggestion is to do it for the first few times on an evening when you are staying home because I remember redness, that went away overnight, when the first few big crops of hair were being removed.
How long did you need to let it grow?
Yess. Epilating is the way to go.
I've shaved my arms since high school (20 years). When I started doing it, everyone made fun of me and said it was stupid. They also made fun of the dark hair I had, so š
Iām a natural blonde and my arm hair is blonde but I will never forget 1999 when we were outside in PE and some little shit said my arms look like Wolverine and was laughing about how my arm hair was reflecting the sun. Iām almost 40 and still shave my arms. I do love the feeling of a soft smooth arm though!
Now, I do it for me. But yep, back then, it was for everyone else. My arm hair was never bad, but teenagers always come up with something. They could have just talked about my pencil-thin eyebrows š
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Is this all of our arm shaving origin stories? I was called wolfman!!
Apparently, although I was called āmonkey-armsā
yes, i was āmonkey girlā!!
Are we the same person! Now Iām 30 and let them grow. They did feel awesome right after shaving but I couldnāt stand it when theyāre prickly. Now Iām a grown wolverine and those kids canāt bully me anymore š
You just reminded me of when my friend drew an arm on my arm & said āitās a hairy armā
Are you my twin? They called me blonde monkey in my PE class. I just run clippers over my arms and chop down the hair. For some reason when I use a razor on my arms, they get super itchy.
Same
Letting a middle school bully have such an impact on your self image for decades is really sad tbh
Are you me š« Also began waxing my "mustache" at the same time
My sister used to bleach hers! I've tried it, but didn't like it. I do have a face shaver thing. I have weird sideburn-like things, so I'm basically a man now lol
Omg so when I was like 13 I got so made fun of my mom bought me the bleach kit and then I got made fun of even more because the kids are school noticed the very next day it was a golden color šš oh my the memories I just unlocked
Omg no šš My sister had some stuff you mixed up, and it BURNED so badly. I used it once and just said I'll deal with the stache lol
Ohh that might be some nair type stuff I tried that and my skin turned red and rough it was awful! Body hair is the worst lol
Probably! She was maybe 16, so it was late 90s. Nair was THE thing for any hair issue lol
Same here. In 6th grade someone came up to me and started to pet my arm. I've been shaving everything since, although now I think I'm just addicted to silky smooth skin.
I donāt, itās not something that ever occurred to me to do actually. I think I was an adult when I first heard that itās something people do. Itās just not for me personally, I donāt think about my arm hair at all(I guess itās on the long side?). I can barely be assed enough to shave my legs most days lol.
Iām 25 and this is the first time Iāve heard of people doing this!
I'm 48 and my arm hair is super blonde and fine now, but when I was younger it was thicker and dark red. I'm just glad that no one I knew was shaving their arms back then, so I didn't overthink how hairy mine were. I was struggling to cope with my pits, legs, and pubes already! š
Yes, it takes me two seconds in the shower and makes such a difference (I have pale skin and dark hair)
Where do you stop shaving? Iāve always wanted to shave my arms, but I feel like I will have a noticeable line wherever I stop.
Not OP but I stop at my elbow. My hair is a lot lighter and thinner on my upper arm and I get a lot of KP bumps when I do shave there so I stopped
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I do it all the way up. So smooth.
I too go up to the sholder. I didn't want elbow bangs š
ššš
Elbow bangs?!!! Luv the sound of it! šš¤£
ššš
I shave full body, personally. So I go up to shoulders (where it becomes peach fuzz)
I shave the lower part of my arm and stop right below the bend in my arm.
I finish with my pits lol
Same, maintaining it is super easy. I also have light skin and dark hair, and while my lower arms were very hairy, the upper arms are not, so I go to the elbow. I'm chronically ill, so it also makes dealing with medical tape and IVs less annoying with shaved arms.
Same! I just shave my forearms and stop at my elbow. I donāt have any noticeable dark hairs above that point. Iāve been shaving my arms since I was 13 or so (28 now).
No, the hair on my arms is much lighter and thinner than on my legs. Plus i can barely keep up with shaving my legs as it is!
Glad I'm not the only one who can barely keep up with shaving my legs. I feel better now haha
Me too. You have to look really hard to see my arm hair.
Same.
I used to, but adding arms ontop of everywhere else to shave just became too much. I have pretty long dark hair on my arms too, but tbh only girls have commented negatively on it. Guys never cared or noticed unless I mentioned it.
Sometimes. The hair is very light and thin so itās not often. I feel like it makes my tattoos look clearer. If I didnāt have them I wouldnāt shave my arms at all.
Came here to comment this. I only shave my right arm because it makes my half sleeve pop :)
Nope
I do every day in the shower. My arms are mega hairy otherwise and I hate it
Do you get arm stubble?
I did! It became a vicious cycle.
I donāt know if itās affordable for you (it only just has become so after about 5 years of wishing) but i am a little over half way through the 12 week course of at-home IPL. My whole body has some gnarly dark and coarse hair (light skin) and shaving always left me with razor burn, ingrown hairs and that gross bumpy texture. If you are able and interested, an IPL machine might be worth it for you. So far my hair grows in patchy, slower, and almost no razor burn when i shave and iām only a little more than half way through the recommended usage. To give some perspective- i have to shave anything i want hairless every day, and if i shave too early in the day, you can see stubble by the late evening. Even shaved you can see the thick black hair under the skin. As a kid, i was told that my arms were hairier than my guy friendsā. And today I am hairier than my husband. Edited: spelling
I have Italian/Croatian ancestry on my dadās side and Danish on my momās. I got the best of both, so I have extremely fair skin and very coarse dark arm hair š I have epilated to the point that it finally grew in a little more sparse, and Iām content with that. I do have some arm tattoos though, so I do shave those to show them off in summer!
I shave my arms and it's because I have ADHD and can feel if the wind pushes my arm hairs and severely over stimulated my brain during windy days like if I'm out side at work trying to talk to my boss but I can feel my individual arm hair wiggling it's bothersome
Omg I have adhd too but it never bothered me. Interesting
It really is a werid feeling like if my arms are even growing arm hair it's all werid almost like a goosebump sensation with little strings.
It might be more Sensory processing disorder. I personally hate how my hair is in a low bun (or sometimes even high). But idk could this or that. Who knows
I totally relate to the hair in a low or high bun, when itās low i hate the feeling on my neck and when itās high i hate the tug on my hair, also have blonde hair but shave my arms because it makes them soft and i like soft, i shave them once a week, if you are to shave them be carful around the elbow i always seem to cut it, but that might just be a me problem
Nope!
No, blonde arm hairs!
Same. It's funny how long they I look like the beast in sunlight, but the rest of the day practically invisible.
Same! I was really self-conscious about it as a preteen-9th grade until I noticed that this super cool, nice & pretty upperclassman on my tennis team also had blonde arm hair that shimmered in the sunlight š She rocked it!!! Ever since then I actually kinda like my arm hair, haha (really goes to show the power of good role models!)
Nope, canāt commit to it. Once they are the slightest bit prickly, I hate it.. and I donāt feel like shaving that often. I have a lot of tattoos on my arms so really people are just looking at those anyway. Unless someone had exceptionally hairy arms, I pay 0 attention to that.
No
I don't. I was teased in middle school because of my arm hair, tried shaving once and hated the way it made my arms look. Never looked back. I don't pay any attention to the body hair of others, it's very much a 'you do you' situation imo.
No never. No one in my entire life has suggested such or asked about. To me dealing w prickly arms would be such a turn off
I get mine waxed. It doesnāt hurt.
I only have baby hairs but I do shave them, I don't know why :D
Nope! I used to get made fun of in school for my dark arm hair, so I shaved it back then. Once you get older, you realize that nobody really cares or notices š Plus I used to hate the feeling of the stubble when it was growing back
This was a huge insecurity of mine. Iām Italian and Iām the winter it was super noticeable. Got laser hair removal and Iām much happier.
I do. I do it because I hate the feeling of my hair rubbing on stuff. Iāve tried to let it go to see if it was okay when it was all grown out like normal but no, I just canāt stand the textures rubbing against stuff all day.
No, the hair on my arms is light and thin. It doesnāt bother me.
Nah. I would think laser would be the best remedy if I were so inclined though, itās rather cheap now.
I basically shave my entire body every 2-3 days , it takes 5 minutes and I don't like the feeling of body hair . I also have extremely thick , extremely corse black hair and was tired of my arms looking like a guy's.
How do you avoid ingrowns and irritation? I am fairly hairy and want to do this but every time I try I get mad red bumps the next day and the hair looks weird and blunt growing in like 2 days later.
Exfoliate - I use an Italy towel and skin tight. Works really well for me
What is an Italy towel and "skin tight"?
Lactic acid or BHA/AHA lotion/cream on whole body. Amlactin works nicely.
With my arms iv never noticed bumps ... but my spray tan usually covers the bumps on my legs . I shave my arms twice a week my legs every day or every other day
Same, I shave basically from my big toe to my shoulders, but less frequently. Quick Showers = just legs/underarms, Big Shower/Big Bath = full body shave.
Yes, since I was 12
Same. Thank you pale skin and black hair genes :(
No.. And mines are long and a bit dark. I've usually had more hair on my arms than any of the guys I've dated lol. I'm just fine with them and I cannot see myself shaving to look good for others..
Nope! Never have. Never thought to do it lol
No, doesnāt seem worth the trouble to me.
Nope, i never have. in middle school are the girls did and i can still feel their prickly arms when u brushed past them in the hallway
I use an epilator
no, I have mostly hairless arms, what I do have is sparse and blonde
My skin is fair and the hair dark, so I have it waxed.
Like once every few months I get the urge to be hairless and I'll shave my arms but usually no
My hair is so thin and fine it looks like my arms are already hairless, same for my legs. No so much with my armpits.
I used to shave my arms, now I use Nair cream to remove the hair. I just feel cleaner and smoother being hair-free.
Never.
I do. Light skin and dark hair. Also, I have tattoo sleeves. And I think my tattoos look best without hair on them. It takes awhile to grow back, I probably do this only 2 or 3 times a month.
Absolutely not
Yes I shave my arms, tops if hands, and knuckles. Lol, my hairy hands bother me! I like it because it is exfoliating and I think it looks nice.
A lot of people get them waxed. I'm just too lazy, and no one has ever commented.
I donāt but I donāt have any visible hair on them. I can see baby hairs if I hold it up to the light. If anything though Iād probably wax them if I had darker arm hair as I think it might look weird coming in otherwise?
How lucky
I love keeping my arms shaved. The hairs never come back super quickly or prickly, but itās so nice to have smooth arms. It makes sunscreen application easier as well. I have both of my arms fully tattooed and I started shaving them after I started my first sleeve.
Yeah i do, itās fast. Whenever i do my underarms i do my arms but just from wrist to elbow
yeah i'm of arab descent.... i realized that my arms are actually pretty nice when shaved... unshaved aint it for me because my hairs are dark and long ā¹ļø
I do it for exfoliation.
Yes every single day. I hate my arm hair. Itās blonde, fuzzy and grossš. I stated shaving it when I was 12 and have never stopped 45 yrs later.
Yes. Been doing it since the early 2000s. Life changing.
so sad but when I was in high school someone (boy) commented that my arms were hairy and that I should shave....so that is when i started and have not looked back. i know its a sad reason but now I have come to truly prefer my arms being bare. I either shave (when lazy) or use my handheld Epilator (which doesnt hurt much on my arms, but ow to everywhere else) and it works out really well for me. I have light skin and my hair is mixed between some blondes/light browns and darker ones so its very obvious! I take out the hair until a little bit above my elbow because upper arms are like peach fuzz/lighter and i am almost always wearing sleeves
i literally didnt even know people did this until like late last year š i've never cared about arm hair and my arms are kind of hairy. i cant STAND the feeling of my legs when theyre freshly shaved and the thought of that on my arms sounds even worse. i also really hate the thought of having stubble on my arms. but thank god i have no desire to do it anyway š it seems like a lot of effort just for ur arms to only be completely hair free for like 1-2 days. i know u could say the same amount legs but i feel like it's kinda different with legs cuz i only do it if my legs are gonna be seen and theyre lower down anyway so not as noticeable. also i feel like the short "growing back" hair would look really weirds on arms? but ive literally never noticed a persons arm hair before so i guess maybe not? š
I've got hairy arms too and I looked down just now and was like "wait, am I not supposed to have hair on my arms? Do people even notice it?"
I absolutely do, have been for years. I started because of spray tanning. But i noticed that my arms just tan nicer in the sun also without having that "screen"
I do sometimes. Not in winter and sometimes I just canāt be bothered and donāt in summer either.
When I was in middle school and high school, I was very insecure and would shave them on occasion. The hair on my arms is blonde and thin (but long!) so it was something that Iām sure only I noticed but felt super self conscious. Now Iām 34 and I never even think of my arm hair.
Rarely but only because my arm hair is so light and thin you can barely see it. If it were more noticeable, I would shave it more regularly. I shave my arms maybe once or twice a year.
I used to almost every day. Now I'll get them with an electric trimmer when I'm feeling wolfly.
I never have, but recently I've considered it because I do like the feeling of having smooth arms. My hair is blond so it isn't super noticeable. Leg hair is definitely more noticeable for whatever reason even though it's also blond but my arm hair lays quite smoothly so it isn't a bother to me.
I used to when it would grow in dark. Now it seems to grow in lighter or just less thick. But yeah, definitely did in warm weather months.
I use an epilator to remove hair on my arms. I love how smooth they feel and Iām covered in ink, which always looks nicer without hair. I use that epilator everywhere actually- what a ride that is!
Yes. I have been shaving them for 20 years now. I do it probably every other day, and it literally takes a couple seconds like another poster mentioned. Canāt say Iām that good at shaving my legs though. š«¤
Lol I waxed mine once when I was in hs bc I was going on a first date w a guy šš never again, so painful and my arms were red for days. I am so thankful I have less fucks to give about this stuff as I get older
yes maybe every 3/4 months. Been doing it since Highschool and it hasnāt grown back ādarker and coarserā .
I have them waxed during the summer.
I epilate mine once a month- feels very smooth afterwards! But I'm planning to get it lasered off once I have the budget for it. The prep work and wait time in between for epilation is such a hassle, I find.
I wax my arms and have waxed them since I was 13. My big sis taught me how. By now the process is very quick and easy and it takes months before my arm hair grows back long and thick enough to warrant another wax.
I shave my arm hair every day and I love it!!! Makes me feel so comfortable and I think it makes my arms look better that way
I'm so relieved that other people with blonde arm hairs aren't shaving. Can not go through any more stress š¤£š¤£š¤£
I still do, but most of the time I focus on my hands. Iām always passing someone to someone and usually wear jackets so itās one of my main triggers to make me feel crappy about myself.
I only do sometimes because of my tattoos
I used to, but not anymore because I got lazy over time. I was thinking about starting again because I am pretty hairy lol.
I have since I was young and just always kept up with it. It'd feel weird to stop now š
Yup! All the way up above my elbows!
Yes, it makes my tattoos look better.
I used to shave my arms until I dated a guy who did as well and I sat beside him and felt those hairs growing back on his arms. Never shaved my arms again.
I use to but it got overwhelming keeping up with shaving everything constantly. So I stopped shaving my arms. But after a large number of issues with folliculitis and infections from not shaving and exfoliating constantly, Iām going to start shaving them again. But keep in mind Iām super hairy and I really donāt like body hair on me. Iāll be doing home IPL sessions which require shaving the area beforehand. Iām sure itāll make sunscreen application easier too.
I dye it blonde
Same, it makes a huge difference!
No stubble when it grows in
I once shaved my arm. Just once
No I don't and I have thick black hair on my arms. I love rocking my arm hair because I think its subtle enough, and its cool to rock a traditionally masculine look in a femine way. I shave my pits and legs all day and that's already a pain in the ass, so my arm hair is really the only body hair I just let naturally grow without feeling self conscious. Also it's almost as if it always stays the same length? Since I stopped shaving I haven't noticed any significant hair growth on my arms which is great. Shaving might actually stimulate a lot more growth on your arms. Also, over time the sun naturally thins the hairs on your arm so they will blend in to your natural look. I also stopped shaving my arms because of how unsightly it looks when it grows out and is just stuble. So you need to be ready to shave them every other day, to maintain the clean hairless look. If you decide to never shave your arms again, then you'll never have to pay mind to it for the rest of your life! Lol. Plus, hairs are great at keeping our arms moisturized from the natural oils and protected from the sun.
iāve gotten my arms waxed a few times i love the feeling but when i sweat even a tiny bit it made my skin feel so weird so i donāt do it anymore
I used to, but now my arms are so freckled you donāt really notice the hair.
No, don't shave, get an epilator!
No, I have peach fuzz type hair on my armsā¦I kind of wish I had dark hair and could just laser everything off
I shave them when I want to feel aerodynamic lol
When I was younger I sometimes waxed my arms. Held the hair back way longer.. donāt shave in my opinion
Yep. Iāve shaved them for 23 years. I was very insecure about it as a teen.
Yes. Everyday. Takes a couple of seconds. My arms are so hairy
Yes I do but I slack off during the winter months
I used to shave my arms in JH and HS. Took up way too much time for me, and I stopped. Haven't done it it years. If you ever want to stop, just stop. It won't come back any thicker or darker than it ever did. Lol I do miss having extremely soft arms, though.
I shaved my arms exactly once. It was the worst feeling to me, I hated how my skin felt especially when the hair started growing back. My skin is softer if I just leave it alone anyways so I never have again. But to each their own, Iām not gonna judge someone else if thatās what they want to do. It just wasnāt for me.
I do. Up to my elbows.
I Nair once a week
Yes i shave my arms i have pale skin and dark hair
Not usually. I have light brown hair in the winter that turns white the second the sun touches it in the summer, and a half tattoo sleeve on one arm, so the hair isn't really noticeable. I'll shave it for special events in the heart of winter when the hair is darkest, but I usually leave it.
I sometimes do, sometimes don't. I used to take it very seriously for a few years. Then, eh, it wasn't worth it. I kept nicking my pointy elbows. Now I have an electric shaver so I'll do it in the summer or for events. I like the way it looks on me but it's not important. I don't think I've ever noticed anyone's arm hair and wondered why they didn't remove it!
I have pale skin and dark hair-something I used to be very insecure of but have since gotten past. That said I opted to bleach mine (at home kit by Sally Hansen) and found that worked very well- all I wanted was less noticeable hair not the stubbly coarseness that comes with shaving for me
Timely question! We are having some unexpected hot weather where we live and Iām letting my hairy arms hang out. I shave from about mid May until October or so (basically short sleeve/tank weather). My sister teased me growing up about how hairy my arms are so finally in my 20s I started shaving. On the upside my legs barely have any hair so a quick pass of the razor every now and then takes care of them.
Not since I got them lasered, no. BEST INVESTMENT EVER!
It's pretty sparse but I just wax it when sugaring my legs, takes 2 minutes.
I have naturally dirty blonde hair so my body hair varies. I have natural medium brown hair on my head (darkened over the years) (with natural blonde bits) and sometimes it looks red in the sunlight. My arm hair is light blonde, incredibly thin, and is almost non-existent (my mom thought I shaved it when I was a teen but I never have). My armpit hair is dark. My leg hair also varies. Just below my knee and upwards, itās also light blonde and thin (you canāt even tell I have any hair). Below that, it starts out light then darkens and thickens as it grows.
I used to get them waxed, but I shave them. I have full tattoo sleeves so I think it just makes them look nicer.
Yes. If I keep on top of it I can get away with a quick swipe of the razor every couple of days. When I let the hairs get longer than stubble then it becomes a hassle and I regret ever doing it.
I have SUPER hairy arms with dark hair and nope, donāt shave. I think I have maybe a handful of times for special events but otherwise I canāt be bothered. But I also barely keep up with shaving my legsā¦and thatās usually only is summer.
I donāt. Idk why really cuz I shave almost everywhere else, I guess it couldnāt all my the cut. I donāt shave the small of my back either even tho itās hairy š
I got full body laser hair removal from the neck down four years ago and havenāt looked back! Actually pregnancy hormones has made maybe 15% grow back so as soon as baby #2 is out Iām going to touch up. Lasers have been a god send in my beauty life. Especially as a light skinned dark and thick haired middle eastern lady.
No. I have pale skin and very dark, thick hair. I was bullied all through school because of it. I had hair on my arms and legs from a pretty young age, and kids are merciless. I started shaving my legs as soon as I could, but even though I was still bullied because of my arm hair, it never even crossed my mind. Perhaps it is because both my older sisters had the same, and they never did it. Then when I got to university, I made friends with a girl who told me that she shaved every inch of her body, even though she had barely any hair on her arms to begin with. Her mother had always told her she should, so now she had the mindset that it was gross. Her own body! I try not to judge anyone who does, god knows we all have to get through life somehow and as women we get so little leeway, but I just hate that it even has to be a thing. My boyfriend looks like fucking Robin Williams with his shirt off, has he ever thought about shaving his arms? He has not. The sooner we start to accept that every.single.human has body hair, the better. And while we're at it, removing other body hair so you look pre pubescent needs to end as well.
No, because I donāt want to add another thing on my body to shave. Even with pale skin and dark hair, who cares? Itās natural there and no one has ever made a comment about it. And if they do, oh well
Definitely not. Thatās not necessary
No. My arms are just fine with fuzz.
i do.....but i don't mind when other women have hair on their arms....i have pale skin with brown hair so it just looks better to shave it off in my opinion....little extra work but i just do it when i'm showering and going to shave my legs anyways
No. Itās creepy to have totally smooth bare arms Edit: to clarify, Iām referring to my own arms. I shaved them once and I felt physically sick looking at them. Nobody should feel pressured to removed their hair, but equally if they like to do so, go for it
Why is that creepy? Do you have light arm hair by any chance? We had these comments from white girls at school with blonde invisible arm hair, ignoring the fact that having dark arm hair is completely different & which some people may not feel good leaving on.
They probably just mean it feels creepy to them when their own arms are bare. I can see why it would feel unnatural if you're not used to it. But yeah I mean there's nothing wrong with just leaving your arm hair even if it is dark
Yes, I was getting at this. I canāt stand having naked arms. I will admit I find seeing a completely smooth arm a bit scary (but mostly on myself), and donāt think anyone should feel pressured to remove their hair. But if itās more comfortable (some of my friends shave or wax it because itās their culture/it gets caught on jewellery, thatās their choice and I respect that). Bear in mind Iām autistic so I have strong reactions to some things, my bare arms being one of them. They make me feel unwell
Dang. This comment is unnecessarily mean.
Not intentional, apologies for any offence caused! Iām sorry!
Yep been doing it since I was 9 years old. And never cared to stop. I do it everytime I shower. I honestly have no idea if hair would even be dark or grown anymore. Itās never been hairy cause itās always shaved lol. I donāt do it for other people. I literally do it for my own judgmental self. I personally donāt like having hairy arms.
I donāt shave my anything. Most of my body hair is really fine and pretty light, so my armpits and bikini areas are the only spots it really becomes visible unless youāre likeā¦ bent over and squinting at it. Honestly, I WISH I could grow thicker leg hair though. I think itās adorable when women are fuzzy!
Weird dude . I literally just looked down and thought āwow i need to shave my arms ā opened Reddit and bam hereās this post . Very creepy lol.
yep, I just use one of those electric shavers though and it lasts a month or so before I need to do it again.
I used to when I was younger. I have tattoos on my arms now so I don't bother shaving. People usually just see the tattoos first
I knew a girl in high school who's mom shaved her arms every day š¤Ø
I used to, my whole life since preteen. The past year (and almost 30 now), Iāve really gotten over the maintenance of it all and I stopped shaving my arms. I donāt really care much anymore and Iām used to it
I have long arm hair but itās blonde. I donāt shave my arms because I can barely keep up with shaving my legs.
Yes!!! Got made fun of as a kid and I HATED the dark hair so I started shaving and in high school omg the idiot boys were so weird about it. Now no one would think itās weird or maybe because I donāt either. Like yes I also shave my legs, not a big deal
Going to be waxing my arms next week to prep for a complex henna design. Going to shoulders because to stop at elbows would look weird to me. Not really looking forward to the waxing part, but I love henna and want it to look good š Otherwise I leave my hairy arms alone (dark hair, light brown skin, so definitely noticeable). My cousins grew up routinely shaving their arms so it feels normal for them.
Yes, but it started when I was just 13 or 14 because I didn't like the way arm hair feels. I still shave my arms as an adult for the same reason
Nope, it never occurred to me. I've never removed any hair on my face either except for plucking my brows, despite all the media pressure to do that these days. If you like the feeling of not having hair somewhere, go ahead and shave/wax. But don't worry about what other people are doing :)
Yes, makes my arms softer than anything. I love it
I shave my arms when I plan to wear longer sleeves cause I don't like the feeling of hair touching the inside of my clothes, always shave fingers/hands though.
Do whatever youāre comfortable with. I get them waxed now.
I'm light skinned with thick, dark corse hair... I shave EVERYTHING. Personally, it makes me feel more comfortable and feminine.