Um, hi everyone...
My legs look like a shag-pile rug, so getting rid of the hair is a top priority of mine. I'm shaving them while I look something a little more permanent (and get up the guts to try it,) but I can't shave above my knees without getting a huge, horrible rash. Does anyone have any tips for me?
P.S: I'm sorry if this is the wrong board to be posting this in. I've never used a forum before this one...
I had the same problem, me and razors mix very poorly. I switched to epilating my legs and haven't had any more problems.
Instead of wax, you could try sugaring..
I hate shaving my legs.
Most women only shave their calves. I suppose if you want to revel in all things wonderfully feminine :D and completely shave your legs then I can't help. I also get ingrown hairs on my thighs. Is there something online? I'm sure its common.
I'm scared to ask what epilating means... :-X
Chunk.
I used to get razor burn on the inner thighs until they got used to it. I also shaved with the grain of the hair, which on your thigh normally goes in different directions over the entire thighs.
the only real problem i have is that when i shave my legs, the back of the legs hurt the next day as the hairs grow back out.....it really is a bummer
Quote from: Rachel on March 19, 2007, 10:51:52 PM
the only real problem i have is that when i shave my legs, the back of the legs hurt the next day as the hairs grow back out.....it really is a bummer
Eeek, I know, I itch/hurt like MAD when it's growing back in.
And yet, for whatever reason, when I use an epilator to rip em out, it's fine... even when it grows back eventually.
I do it so rarely though... like get in the
"hmmm, you know what I haven't done in awhile?" mood like every few months... I wonder if maybe you get used to it if done regularly?
Kate
Quote from: Kate on March 19, 2007, 10:58:48 PM
Quote from: Rachel on March 19, 2007, 10:51:52 PM
the only real problem i have is that when i shave my legs, the back of the legs hurt the next day as the hairs grow back out.....it really is a bummer
Eeek, I know, I itch/hurt like MAD when it's growing back in.
And yet, for whatever reason, when I use an epilator to rip em out, it's fine... even when it grows back eventually.
I do it so rarely though... like get in the "hmmm, you know what I haven't done in awhile?" mood like every few months... I wonder if maybe you get used to it if done regularly?
Kate
i actually wanted to test the whole it will feel better when done regularly theory.
one question though......what is epilating?
Quote from: Rachel on March 19, 2007, 11:04:56 PM
one question though......what is epilating?
A mechanical torture device designed by sadists that also happens to remove hair REALLY well.
Kidding.. kidding... I think.
It's a small electronic gadget about the size of an electric razor. Most have a rotating barrel at one end with a gazillion little embedded tweezers which open and close as it spins.
Bottom line is you run it over any hair-covered surface, just as you would a razor, and it grabs and RIPS out the hairs as it goes.
Oh, it hurts pretty bad. But you're perfectly smooth for days/weeks.
Kate
well welly well well
hehe sorry A Clockwork Orange....im full of movie/tv/game quotes
sounds kind of painfull, but could be easier, and as you said it doesnt hurt you when it is growing back which would be a blessing.
how much do these things usually cost?
Yes Kate it is
QuoteA mechanical torture device designed by sadists that also happens to remove hair REALLY well.
And is much better than shaving although it takes more time.
Oh for me it grows back in a couple of weeks and instead of 4 or 5 like many people. But I have been using it regularly for almost a year now and the hair that is gowning back is getting lighter and finer.
Oh I use to have really hair legs from feet up. Looked more like a wild animal the a human being.
:)
Jillieann
why must you all make this torture device look so appealing...hehe
Quote from: Dweia on January 10, 2007, 02:25:56 PM
Instead of wax, you could try sugaring..
what is sugaring???
Quote from: michael jones on March 20, 2007, 03:13:03 PM
Quote from: Dweia on January 10, 2007, 02:25:56 PM
Instead of wax, you could try sugaring..
what is sugaring???
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugaring_(epilation)
Actually I tried it to my arms and they were nice and soft about 3 weeks..
Quote from: Kate on March 19, 2007, 11:10:21 PM
Quote from: Rachel on March 19, 2007, 11:04:56 PM
one question though......what is epilating?
A mechanical torture device designed by sadists that also happens to remove hair REALLY well.
Kidding.. kidding... I think.
It's a small electronic gadget about the size of an electric razor. Most have a rotating barrel at one end with a gazillion little embedded tweezers which open and close as it spins.
Bottom line is you run it over any hair-covered surface, just as you would a razor, and it grabs and RIPS out the hairs as it goes.
Oh, it hurts pretty bad. But you're perfectly smooth for days/weeks.
Kate
As silly as it sounds the more you use it the less it hurts. I have been using one for more than a year and a half. I use a weird combination of electric razors an epilator and a regular razor. Am I completely psychotic about being hair free, absolutely. Will I probably laser/electro every inch of my body...yup. I hate every hair not on the top of my head.
Believe it or not it has helped me gain a much higher pain tolerance. I also have noticed a very nice improvement in thinner hairs.
Quote from: Amy T. on April 08, 2007, 12:39:08 AM
As silly as it sounds the more you use it the less it hurts.
Funny you'd post this now, as I just today *finally* did my legs again - it's been a months. Yea, I know, ewwww...
Oh, the pain. The PAIN!
But yes, I agree: the more you do it, the less it hurts. Both from there simply being less to rip out, and the hairs become a bit finer over time since you're damaging them slightly when you rip them out.
Kate
QuoteAs silly as it sounds the more you use it the less it hurts. I have been using one for more than a year and a half. I use a weird combination of electric razors an epilator and a regular razor. Am I completely psychotic about being hair free, absolutely.
Amy T. it doesn't sound silly to me.
I been using an epilator and a regular shaver for over a year and yes it hurt very little anymore and the hairs are lighter and fewer. Ya!
QuoteI hate every hair not on the top of my head.
Me too. I have to force myself not to do it to often. I got so bad ingrown hairs when I was doing it every other day. Now it's just twice a week with some touch up in between.
:)
Jillieann
I might get an epilator only because shaving tends to leave my legs dry. :-S
Any brands you all suggest I look into?
-- Brede
Erm, I think I would suggest a cheap one initially. Basically to see if the arrangement works out for you. I do not use mine all THAT much so I am happy I did not pay much for it.
Quote from: Calisti on January 09, 2007, 11:30:35 PM
Um, hi everyone...
My legs look like a shag-pile rug, so getting rid of the hair is a top priority of mine. I'm shaving them while I look something a little more permanent (and get up the guts to try it,) but I can't shave above my knees without getting a huge, horrible rash. Does anyone have any tips for me?
P.S: I'm sorry if this is the wrong board to be posting this in. I've never used a forum before this one...
well, im not an mtf i can help in this department. the more soap you use and the more you lather up the hair, the easier it is to shave, and your legs will come out softer and smoother too
interesting
Am I the only one who doesn't have to shave her legs? My leg hair went the way of the rest of my body hair when I started hrt. I just pluck the half dozen hairs that are left.
Karen Lyn
I also recommend Sugaring as the best and least irritating approach. Sort of like pulling out your hairs with taffy. Less painful than waxing and sugar is much less irritating to the skin.
Also, to soothe the skin you will have to try different products until you find the one you like. My personal favorite is Burt's Bees Baby Bee apricot oil. This is a brand that you find at health food stores like Whole Foods. You can also buy it on-line if you want to pay shipping. Many products contain versions of mineral oil that is a petroleum product the is not soothing for many people. Burt's Bees is apricot kernel oil, grapeseed oil, etc. After all, if it can soothe a sore baby bum then it can probably help your thighs.
I don't have the pain threshold necessary to do any of these treatments. I also don't want to do laser. I hate shaving, and I also don't want the itching and red bumps and all that. Here's what I do:
First, recognize that the red bumps and irritation are a combination of the damage the razor does to your skin and the freshly shaven hairs (which have a sharp edge from the razor) in-growing. If you keep everything smooth, then over a short period of time the ingrowns will reduce significantly. Alternately, you can keep everything short but not shaved, and that will also reduce ingrown hairs.
I have legs that are medium fuzzy, but my leg hair is relatively light. From just above the knees downward, I use Veet. This is a depilitator like Nair, which I find works well for me (some people do not react well to depilatories - try on a small area first). I do it once a week - it gets the hairs better than shaving so by the end of the week I am just becoming a tiny bit fuzzy. Also, because Veet dissolves the hairs (icky, I know) they don't have the sharp edges that shaving causes. That means fewer ingrowns.
From midthigh up I use a "beard trimmer" set on the closest setting. That thins the hair out to an acceptable level under stockings - and you can't see my thighs in a skirt anyway. If I am going to be wearing a miniskirt or short dress, I use Veet as far up as needed.
If you do not react badly to depilatories, they are the way to go - take as long as shaving but last three times longer, no cuts, no razor burns. But like I said - try it on a small area first. People who react badly to them tend to react REALLY badly. Also, be sure to read the instructions on the box. They are not printed there to take up space!
Good luck :)
Shaving is OK..but there's some problems if you are inconsistent with doing it.
If you get the rash, just treat it topically...I like that Aloe Sunburn Pain Killer jell as it has a local anesthetic in it and the relief is pretty quick.
What the rash means is that somehow you got it wrong.
RULES:
1) HOT WATER TREATMENT....use no detergent soaps which is what most of them are these days. You need a fine castille soap or at the least something like Ivory as they leave no residue. I like to use shampoo to cut the oils...more on that further down.
2) A FRESH RAZOR...I suggest NOT buying those multi-bladed swivel head toys.
3) Use real shaving cream...not a bar of soap, not baby oil or shampoo..but a real men's shaving cream...and don't go cheap here either. Get a brand name..and look for the sensitive face label if you want.
4) Do NOT shave lying/reclining in the tub in a bath. Stand up in the shower using the hot and moist air in the shower but make sure that you don't allow the water to remove the shaving cream.
5) Shave in whatever way you think feels best..but keep the return passes over the area to a minimum...more passes will dig deeper into the skin creating exposed areas that are not ready to be exposed on the never ending assembly line of replacement skin cells.
6) Rinse the shaving cream and hair off with a nylon loofah or scrunchie-type thing..don't dig at it, but use some pressure. This helps pull out any ingrown hairs.
7) Towel dry by patting, not rubbing.
8) Apply Witch Hazel to the entire shaved area. If you get some stinging more that a slight bit, you went too hard with the razor and need to lighten up on your technique.
You might get a rash the first few times, but if you follow these rules carefully, you'll stop them after a short while and the skin can be shaved without any discomfort at all.
If you insist on the use of a multiple bladed razor, try to get ones without the lubrication strips on them .This is that white or blue or green bar behind the blades that are supposed to give you a better shave...baloney! They just give you a false sense of security and you will shred your skin. I use the "Good News" dual blade ones..but more than two blades is just a gimmick.
Holding the razor handle too parallel to the skin will make you use more pressure than necessary..as the blades aren't making a good contact to the skin and you think you have to press harder to get a clean shave. Hold the handle more vertically to the skin. This is especially important on shins, ankle bones and toes if they heed it.
If when you are shaving you feel more hair showing up or popping up from the skin surface, you didn't get the skin clean enough or allow it to get wet enough. Human oils will resist the water and keep it from penetrating the hair and the skin itself will actually be dry under the immediate surface and won't push the hair to the surface so it can be cut off.
Shave as the last step in your showering process..but be careful of hair conditioners getting on the hair you want to remove. It will make it rubbery and it will not cut off cleanly.
Sometimes I use a cheap-o hair shampoo without conditioner to strip the skin of natural oils before I lather and shave. Those shampoos are designed to remove human oils and they work quite well...just don't shave with them as they are the wrong product for that.
(PS: shampoos without conditioners also remove human oils from things like collars and clothing that have that "ring-around-the-collar" problem. That ring is just human oils.)
I have a trick for shaving around the nipples if you have any strays there.
Just use the index finger on the hand not holding the razor to push down on the nipple...into the chest...and then shave around your finger. It protects the very sensitive nipple and raises the hairs to full height to make them easier to remove. Press the razor rather gently as you are now opening the skin up a lot and it can get razor burn!
coolies jodie, that is some amazing advice, I will have to try all that
Quote from: Calisti on January 09, 2007, 11:30:35 PM
Um, hi everyone...
My legs look like a shag-pile rug, so getting rid of the hair is a top priority of mine. I'm shaving them while I look something a little more permanent (and get up the guts to try it,) but I can't shave above my knees without getting a huge, horrible rash. Does anyone have any tips for me?
P.S: I'm sorry if this is the wrong board to be posting this in. I've never used a forum before this one...
Exfoliate before shaving, this will weaken the little nubs of dry skin close to the pore and remove the scaly stuff that will clog your razor (and decrease its efficiency). Also, try to keep your legs moisturized as much as possible so the skin becomes more elastic and less brittle and use sharp razors carefully doing several passes in different directions for the difficult spots (if you go against the grain, do it very carefully). Consider that if you hurt yourself while shaving you may not notice it right away so be vigilant of shaving habits that hurt you and avoid them until you become proficient in those difficult areas.
Hi Calisti,
I can't comment on ripping out any hair. I'm not big on pain and can't even think about tweezing.
If you haven't shaved before, I'd highly recommend a "pre-shave" to whack off the heavy stuff first. A small hand-held trimmer works great. I'm not sure "the grain" makes a difference at this stage as you don't really hit the skin. This can be done wet or dry though you migh want to have a bath towel to catch the hair. Be sure you stretch out your leg so the nooks and crannies are flat.
Once this is done, choose a warm shower or bath tub....apply some lubricant (I find bath soap works great), and shave with a razor. (I use a 5-blade, men's or women's are equivalent for me). Here grain makes a difference. And go sloooowwly. Chopping motions will bring bad things. And you don't want to go over the same area too many times. Though sometimes I'll sweep over an area from one direction followed by a sweep at 90 degrees.
Long ago I tried Nair but that stuff gave me nasty burns and terrible stubble.
Once shaven, if you keep up with it before it gets to be stubble, you should have less problems. The challenge is getting past the stubble.
For me, the key points are: micro-razors (ie 5-blade...which are, unfortunately, NOT inexpensive), use a two-step procedure (at least for the first time), and take your time.
Happy shaving. :)
why dont u all use veet hair removal cream??www.veet.com