what is the correct way of removing body hair

[kenny1999]

i once removed my hair around my belly with a generic razor when I was 12-year-old, later on the hair around that part, grew much more, thicker and darker. Since then I never attempted to remove any of my hair again. Now, after many years, the hair around my belly is still as thick and dark as that time.

I'd like to know if I had used a wrong method to remove my body hair. What is the most natural and correct way of removing body hair?

Note I don't need to have the hair removed permanently. I only hope to do it with the most natural way and the hair will not grow thicker or darker later on.

i'd also like to know if those tutorials on web apply only to female ? do they apply to male as well.

I am of course a mature male.

[keyless]

I'm pretty sure this isn't "the correct" way, but when removing unwanted body hair I usually don't shave, but rather use a beard trimmer. It can trim very closely and leave a barely-there nub that doesn't get caught in buckles, straps, locks or any other hardware, doesn't itch or cause breakouts like shaving, and because it wasn't completely removed it doesn't "grow back in" any differently. You may not get that baby-smooth result like a razor or wax can give you, but it's much more comfortable.

[Stu in Hastings]

I don't think there is a correct way of hair removal.

I personally get waxed neck down in a high street beauty salon. Most salons will do a certain amount of waxing for men e.g. arms legs, chest and back, and more and more seem to be doing the full works.
With waxing the hair will grow back but it will be finer and thinner.

[kenny1999]

but why the hair around my belly grew much thicker and darker after removing with a razor?

I don't like that, I want the hair to grow back as alike as the original. Not thinner or thicker. Not more or less.

what is the best bet

[kenny1999]

I don't think there is a correct way of hair removal.

I personally get waxed neck down in a high street beauty salon. Most salons will do a certain amount of waxing for men e.g. arms legs, chest and back, and more and more seem to be doing the full works.
With waxing the hair will grow back but it will be finer and thinner.

is it a permanently change or temporarily

[Frank]

i once removed my hair around my belly with a generic razor when I was 12-year-old, later on the hair around that part, grew much more, thicker and darker.

I think the answer is right here. The hair grew in thicker because of puberty, not shaving. My recommendation for a decent shave though, is a disposable type used in the shower. The water soothes the skin, and keeps the red bumps to a minimum.

[Stu in Hastings]

I personally get waxed...

is it a permanently change or temporarily

The hair will grow back and if left will go back to normal, the thicker the hair the quicker it grows back to normal.
Hair in waxed areas will not usually grow back for two to eight weeks, but that depends on the normal hair growth of the indivual.
Oh forgot to say, the first time waxing can hurt a bit, but does get less painfull the more often you have it done. I've even nodded of having my legs done before.

[Closed_doors]

My recommendation for a decent shave though, is a disposable type used in the shower. The water soothes the skin, and keeps the red bumps to a minimum.

I've always shaved and those 'red bumps' and even the redness (rash-like) that occurs when you first begin will reduce in time to the point of being non-existent with constant shaving. The constant shaving practice I get means I can whip that old razor around the private parts faster than I can do my face and I finish all smooth and yummy for the wench's delight. I agree that a nice warm shower is the best place to shave and the use of non-scented shaving foam (I use a cream in a tube and a shaving brush, not aerosol) ensures a really close and smooth finish. You may find its actually the perfume (scent) added to shaving products that can cause that redness and skin irritation. Obviously this may vary with different skin types but I'd recommend non-scented when first starting out on the 'hair-free path'. Dove soap works equally well and adds a little moisturizer to the shaved areas as a bonus.

Also, that 'itchyness' that occurs when you first begin also reduces to nothing with constant shaving as well. I might add, many, many women prefer a shaved male when oral sex is on the menu. The common theme seems to be, the male genitalia looks far more attractive and desirable when hair free. In other words, guys, you're more likely to get a blow-job if you're shaved smooth. I'm to the point now where I can not imagine ever letting the pubic hair grow back. I am too used to the smooth 'boy-ish' look now to ever want to return to the days of hair.

[barbara desmonsche]

but why the hair around my belly grew much thicker and darker after removing with a razor?

I don't like that, I want the hair to grow back as alike as the original. Not thinner or thicker. Not more or less.

what is the best bet

Since nobody else mentioned it, i will. At the age of 12 you probably weren't done with puberty & your hair would have gotten thicker & darker without shaving it anyway. i think it was simply a coincidence that it appeared that way to you.

It is a myth that hair comes back thicker after any method of removing it.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-livin ... q-20058427

[kenny1999]

hi I am kenny1999

and thank you for every comment.

So, as I said, I DON'T need to be that extreme. I am NOT looking for permanent change

So now, do I need to buy any of those solvent to remove body hair?

Is the way the hair grow back the same for belly, legs and armpit? Are they born to be different and have to be treated differently?

I have visit a lot of local forums in my language for some years. But I always find a lot of different answers and never have a standard method come out.

So now, a disposable razor is ok? Nothing else??

[Closed_doors]

Disposable razors can be a bit extreme on a first use. I don't know why but the edge always seems sharper initially on a disposable then on a conventional razor. I use my normal razor and keep 2 blades in use, one (when the blade is new) for my face then after a couple of shaves, just enough of the edge is dulled to make a genital shave less of a cut risk. I'll swap that blade for a new one. New for face then after a couple of shaves, switch it to do the rest of the body and open a new blade for the face.

I did a full 'nude' shave last night again and timed myself. It took less than two minutes to achieve a perfectly smooth finish with absolutely no stubble or prickles.

Mike

[Frank]

New for face then after a couple of shaves, switch it to do the rest of the body and open a new blade for the face.

Mike

Ditto for me. On a male the face has the highest concentration of hairs per square inch (for our luscious beards that we don't want) so that is the best place for a brand new razor blade. I use a blade about 5 times until I feel a tug on the hairs while shaving, then I rotate the blade to leg and body duty. The last place for a blade is in the shower for underarms and genitalia area, as the water acts as a lubricant for those sensitive areas. This has served me well in keeping me hair-free and cut-free.

Now if I can just get past the psychological aspect of shaving my arms. It just seems too weird (and noticeable) that I only do it in the winter when I wear long sleeve shirts.

[kenny1999]

Sorry everybody I don't quite understand very well

My only concern is if my hair (of any part) will grow back in a horrible way (much more and much thicker). You know my experience when I was 12. I 'm like traumatized by that experience and never get back to body shaving. Should I use bread trimmer or razor? Do I need to buy any cream or lotion first? Wax is not considered because I want to stick to more natural way. Thanks

[Closed_doors]

That is a common misconception. The only way hair growth could increase is if you are suddenly blessed with additional hair follicles. The human skin has a fixed number of these per square inch and no matter how often you shave/wax, that number remains the same for your entire adult life. A baby is born with the same number of follicles as they will have as an adult but it takes the onset of puberty and hormone release to start the growing process. Hair grows at a fixed rate but this differs person to person. I've always had a fairly light growth, and after almost 30 years of shaving my pubic area, the rate of growth and density have not increased at all. I didn't have my first shave until age 18 and only need to shave every 3rd day. Others can shave in the morning and need another by nightfall, the 5 o'clock shadow thing.

At age 12, puberty is just beginning so hair growth rates begin to increase, underarms, pubic, arms and legs, until puberty ends and has reached the rate that will remain constant for the rest of your adult life. Old age may slow it a little but at age 57, I am yet to discover if this is true or not.

I resent the way these old wives tales propagate to the point they become the 'truth'.

[stephanie_cd]

That is a common misconception.

I resent the way these old wives tales propagate to the point they become the 'truth'.

It's a common misconception and old wives' tale grounded ever so slightly in the truth.

Our hairs aren't shaped like perfect little cylinders -- where it comes out of the follicle it can actually vary from round in cross-section to oval to flattened ovals -- but whatever the shape it gets worn down over time by friction until it tapers to a point. Friction against clothing, pillows, washcloths, and so on means that our hairs are really a bunch of VERY long, thin, cone shapes -- and it's easy to see if you're looking for it, even without a magnifying glass.

When we shave, and cut off that conical section, the hair that grows back is the same full-sized diameter that it always was, but because it's not worn down (yet) it appears to be thicker! After a week or three, as the hairs grow out and wear down on the ends, they'll be EXACTLY THE SAME as the hairs that were shaved off -- they won't actually BE any thicker, nor as Mike pointed out, will there be any more of them. The "new" hairs might also appear to be darker because the "old" hairs were exposed to a lot of things -- including the sun -- that may have bleached them, but given time the same things that bleached them the first time will do it again.

[Closed_doors]

[quote="stephanie_cd" ] It's a common misconception and old wives' tale grounded ever so slightly in the truth.[/quote]

Not a 'Mythbusters' fan huh?

[bound_crossdresser]

I did a full 'nude' shave last night again and timed myself. It took less than two minutes to achieve a perfectly smooth finish with absolutely no stubble or prickles.

I was planning to have my contribution to this thread be a friendly reminder that completely shaving your body hair is not a task that should be undertaken lightly until I saw Mike's post! Under two minutes, now that is impressive! For me, going from full normal "guy" mode to being smooth from the neck down takes somewhere in the neighborhood of three hours. I must point out that I have only done a full body shave twice so I am still quite inexperienced with it. In addition, I cannot perform a regular shaving routine since I still desperately hide my crossdressing behavior from those around me (shaving your body as a guy obviously does not have to be associated with crossdressing, that is just why I personally do it).

I start by removing the excessive body hair with an electric hair trimmer followed by carefully shaving with a disposable razor. I use my standard scented, aerosolized foaming gel (although I have certainly taken note of Mike's differing suggestions). This most recent time I did a whole body shave, I followed Mike's and Frank's recommendation to use a new razor a few times on my face first so the blade gets a little duller before using it on my body and it did serve me quite well! Thanks, guys, for that! It is something I never thought about.

I would caution anyone who is about to shave their legs for the first time to be extremely careful around the ankle as immortalized in the Season 5, Episode 9 "The One with Ross's Sandwich" episode of Friends. The first two times I shaved around my ankle, I was chuckling to myself as in my mind I constantly replayed Monica's shocked response to Joey shaving his legs, "Wow! And around the ankles, y'know that is a tough spot!" followed by Joey's definitive "Yeah, it was!" As a lifelong guy without any experience on the topic, the interaction between the two seemed utterly ridiculous as I thought to myself, "What could possibly be so hard about shaving around the ankle?"

Well, I found out the really hard way how tough it can actually be! With one quick, careless stroke of the razor, no matter how light, you can gash yourself quite deeply. Both of these first two times, I gouged myself on each ankle even after I thought I learned my lesson. The dumbest thing about all of this is that I do not think I have any hair around my ankles that needs to be shaved off but I was just trying to be "thorough," wanting my legs to be perfectly smooth. Also, keep in mind that the ankle is a difficult area to visualize while still maintaining a natural shaving position with the razor in your hand and try to slide the skin around to maneuver the hair off of the bony ridges of the ankle if you can before you try to shave it.

My closing thought on why you should give serious consideration before you go ahead with shaving your body is that it takes careful planning of one factor that some might easily overlook-- how long it will take for the hair to grow back. You have total control over removing your body hair but once it is gone, you are powerless and will stay as smooth as a girl until the hair grows back at its own rate. I am not naturally a particularly hairy guy-- I would rate myself as "mildly hairy" on the lighthearted and totally subjective rating system that I just came up that goes sparsely-mildly-moderately-severely-densely hairy. By this I mean to indicate that I have a fair amount of hair on my legs, a little less on my arms, only a minor amount on my chest and abdomen, and essentially none on my back so you can gauge yourself accordingly.

I was actually quite surprised by how long it took my body hair to grow back after the first time I shaved (fortunately, I left plenty of room for error in my expectations). I would say it takes a good two months for the hair to be sufficiently restored that a person who has a prolonged personal relationship with you would not be able to notice that anything is different and a full three months before it is completely grown back. Even though it grows in more densely and fully, your pubic hair takes a little longer still (although that is only a consideration for guys who are involved in an intimate relationship where their partner will see this area of the body). Based on the impression I get from the internet, it is my understanding that the hairier of a guy you are, the quicker the hair will grow back but I also assume that the more hair you have, the more readily someone who knows you will be able to detect a difference so be cautious as I do not know how those variables play out.