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weech
03-03-2011, 10:00 AM
What do you shave?
What do you wax? And how often?
Have you gotten [semi?] permanent hair removal? Was it worth it?
Tell me about your other methods, too!

Spring is coming, and I'm *so* dreading having to shave every other day (I can get away with much less in the winter!). I also think pregnancy has given me some uh... upper lip hair :bag How do I get rid of it?!

lizzywednesday
03-03-2011, 01:48 PM
I wax the upper lip hair, have the brows threaded (when I can get to a salon that offers it) and deal with shaving.

For "special occasions", I've gotten waxed (legs, forearms & underarms) but I don't feel that it's the best course of hair removal for my legs, which are long and chunky. (You could describe my lower body as "Reubenesque" - full, chunky and squishy.)

I've shaved beyond the bikini line, occasionally removing all hair because the weather was hot or the SO at the time liked it or whatever, but I have no interest in doing that again because the ingrowns I get from regrowth are just nasty.

I've tried depilatory creams like Nair, Veet and Neet but I am violently allergic to them (I break out in painful hives) and they smell like rotten eggs to boot.

I had an epilator but it hurt too much for me to be consistent about using it.

And, yes, I've considered laser hair removal, but it's not in the budget right now.

Twoboos
03-03-2011, 01:58 PM
I have pale Irish skin and dark Italian hair. I've dealt with unwanted hair for-ev-er!! The current breakdown:

Shave: Legs, pits, top of feet/toes. (DH claims I have "Hobbit Feet." NICE.)

Wax: I do my own eyebrows, about every other week. Or when I notice how badly I need to wax them. (ETA, I also do some tweezing cleanup in between waxes.) I go in for a bikini wax. Very infrequently in the winter, about once every 3 weeks or so in summer. Kinda depends on what activities I'm doing - lots of pool/beach means more often.

Other: I currently have my upper lip and chin lasered. I used to wax my upper lip myself. Got sick of it, wanted more long term solution. I need to go in for another round. But I do love how long the lasering lasts.

If you're considering laser, definitely watch Groupon. I have seen two really good deals lately at real places with real doctors. (EX: 3 sessions for $119, usually I was paying alot more than that for ONE session.) I am considering having my bikini line done. A friend had her underarms and bikini done and LOVES it.

Oddly, I think my hair is growing faster now. I feel like I need to shave my legs every other day - which I NEVER do in winter. But I shave then it's beyond stubble already on day 2. Also lip seems to be growing in heavier. I think I am starting pre-menopause as my period has also been messed up lately. Good times.

Myira
03-03-2011, 02:01 PM
I get the eyebrows and upper lips threaded at places that offer them. I have sparse eyebrows and only threading gives a good shape.

My skin does not do well with shaving nowadays, razor bumps and ingrowns and what not. But I feel paying 70+ for waxing legs or arms and such a bit too pricey to have it grow back in a month or so. I have tried ethnic places that do wax for less but was really concerned about the quality of wax and hygiene.

I only trim down there, I shaved once and swore never again. I am too chicken to get a Brazilian or anything like that.

weech
03-03-2011, 02:22 PM
What's threading like? I've never had it done.

I see that some of you wax yourselves. I've always been afraid to do that. Is it difficult? Am I going to accidentally rip my face off? :ROTFLMAO:

eta - Also, with waxing, don't you have to wait until the hair is long enough to waxed again? So I have to let my eyebrows get all furry before I can do anything about it?

pinkmomagain
03-03-2011, 02:45 PM
Eyebrows - I tweeze every day. There is always something new appearing and it is truly my pet peeve.

Lip - wax myself or tweeze sometimes too.

Sideburns - in process of having laser treatments.

Bikini - wax for vacations, shave in summer

Legs, Arms, Pits - Shave

sariana
03-03-2011, 02:57 PM
(DH claims I have "Hobbit Feet." NICE.)

Are we married to the same man? :rotflmao:

I shave only, for the same reasons (allergies to creams, pain and lack of patience with Epilady). I try to avoid shaving the bikini area because I get horrible ingrown hairs. Unfortunately I also have pale skin and dark hair, and it grows a couple of inches down my inner thighs, to boot. So if I want to wear a swimsuit or even some shorts, I have to shave pretty intensely. Fortunately I rarely wear either.

sansdieu
03-03-2011, 03:34 PM
Are we married to the same man? :rotflmao:

I shave only, for the same reasons (allergies to creams, pain and lack of patience with Epilady). I try to avoid shaving the bikini area because I get horrible ingrown hairs. Unfortunately I also have pale skin and dark hair, and it grows a couple of inches down my inner thighs, to boot. So if I want to wear a swimsuit or even some shorts, I have to shave pretty intensely. Fortunately I rarely wear either.

That's why God made swim shorts! We go to the pool a couple of times a week, and I'd be covered with bumps and ingrowns, had it not been for shorts! ;)

Dream
03-03-2011, 03:46 PM
I really hate having to do it, my hair is pretty thick and grows very fast.

I have to thread my upper/lower lip area every other week.

Shave pits at least once a month.

In the winter I shave but in the summer I wax legs and bikini area about every other month. I've only waxed once, more than the bikini area as I feel so shy to let someone do it.

For me hair grows back so fast when I shave so while painful I have to stick to waxing during the summer.

DrSally
03-03-2011, 04:06 PM
Eyebrows--used to tweeze myself, didn't have time anymore w/kids, so I go to Fantastic Sams and get them done for $10 every 3 weeks or so. It's hard to deal with the growth in between waxes, but so nice not to spend time tweezing. I do have to clean it up a bit myself at home. I would love to find a threading place. Thinking about electrolysis...

Upperlip--bleach myself on about the same schedule as eyebrow waxing. Would love to have it lasered.

Legs--shave nearly every day (less in winter)
Underarms--shave, would love to get laser there
Bikini--I do nothin, but am able to wear a regular swim suit wo/problems.

weech
03-04-2011, 08:57 AM
Ah, there's a groupon for laser hair removal in my area (lip, chin or underarms) but it's kind of pricey still. $115 for 3 treatments. You can buy two packages, but I'm not sure I'm ready to shell out $230 bucks! :shrug:

Twoboos
03-04-2011, 10:25 AM
Ah, there's a groupon for laser hair removal in my area (lip, chin or underarms) but it's kind of pricey still. $115 for 3 treatments. You can buy two packages, but I'm not sure I'm ready to shell out $230 bucks! :shrug:

Honestly, this is a great price for laser. Usually single treatments are at least $115, or more. I think the last place I was going to I was paying $150 per visit, after my first 4 visits, which were $175.

I just jumped on a similar Groupon, $119 for 3 treatments, I got two.

lizzywednesday
03-04-2011, 12:15 PM
What's threading like? I've never had it done.

It's kind of like tweezing combined with rolling dental floss across the unwanted hair.

Waxing is a bit more, um, "hands off" for the client, but a threader will often ask you to hold your skin taut as they have to handle the threads with two hands.

Honestly, I prefer it to waxing because it doesn't leave a residue, my skin doesn't get raised bumps, I've never yet had an ingrown show up after a thread ... and I don't leave with the feeling that baby oil is running into my eyes.

It stings a little more than waxing, IMO, but I think that I just have very sensitive skin.


I see that some of you wax yourselves. I've always been afraid to do that. Is it difficult? Am I going to accidentally rip my face off? :ROTFLMAO:

eta - Also, with waxing, don't you have to wait until the hair is long enough to waxed again? So I have to let my eyebrows get all furry before I can do anything about it?

At-home waxing is pretty tricky. I've tried the "Aussie Nads" product, plus some Nair microwave wax as well as cool-wax strips.

The hardest part is heating the wax. You want it just hot enough to be spreadable but not so hot it'll burn your skin.

Then trying to apply the wax & remove the fabric strip correctly takes practice.

All told, I would not do at-home waxing again myself. I am simply too uncoordinated! I'll go to the pros every.single.time.

mctlaw
03-04-2011, 11:58 PM
I am getting laser hair removal on my lower legs and I am loving the results. I have/had coarse dark hair on my legs. I just had my 5th treatment and it is all but gone. It is expensive, but with the time I have spent shaving over the years, it's totally worth it in time/hassle savings. I used last years bonus for this splurge.

I agree with a PP to use a doctor if you go this route.

weech
03-07-2011, 11:35 AM
I bit the bullet and bought two laser hair removal packages. I think I'll have my underarms done. Woohoo!

I'm also going to look into threading - sounds better than waxing. Thanks for all the tips and advice! :bowdown:

mctlaw
03-09-2011, 01:03 AM
Just saw your update - I hear the underarms are one of the most painful areas! Not trying to scare you...just something to be aware of. I grit my teeth and get through the legs but the bony areas around the ankles just kill. At least the underarm area is relatively small. GL!

Elilly
03-09-2011, 06:45 PM
I'm getting my bikini line and chin lasered tonight. A friend of mine holds laser parties at her home :)

Twoboos
03-09-2011, 10:53 PM
Just saw your update - I hear the underarms are one of the most painful areas! Not trying to scare you...just something to be aware of. I grit my teeth and get through the legs but the bony areas around the ankles just kill. At least the underarm area is relatively small. GL!

IMO, the upper lip is so painful.... so so bad. I've never done underarm but I can't imagine it's worse than lip. A friend did underarm and said it's not bad.

I've waxed for years and years, and that upper lip is KILLER!! And yet I'll be going back to get more, lol. I'm hoping they can "touch up" my lip and I can use the rest for bikini.

mimosa
03-10-2011, 10:11 AM
I got a Groupon for six laser treatments for $99. Actually, four Groupons (the max allowed), so I'm doing underarms, bikini and lower legs (they required one Groupon per leg).

So far I've had one treatment. Pain was not bad at all, I thought. Legs hurt the most, but I have very pale skin and dark hair. My legs were very splotchy for a few hours after the treatment. The tech did mention turning it up next time on my underarms and bikini...

The results after one treatment are great. Not all the hair has fallen out, and it's been a gradual process (couple weeks). But the hair that is left is growing so slowly. I shaved my legs on Saturday and they are just getting a little prickly five days later, about what I'd expect after one day, before the laser.

weech
03-10-2011, 02:43 PM
I got a Groupon for six laser treatments for $99. Actually, four Groupons (the max allowed), so I'm doing underarms, bikini and lower legs (they required one Groupon per leg).

So far I've had one treatment. Pain was not bad at all, I thought. Legs hurt the most, but I have very pale skin and dark hair. My legs were very splotchy for a few hours after the treatment. The tech did mention turning it up next time on my underarms and bikini...

The results after one treatment are great. Not all the hair has fallen out, and it's been a gradual process (couple weeks). But the hair that is left is growing so slowly. I shaved my legs on Saturday and they are just getting a little prickly five days later, about what I'd expect after one day, before the laser.

Are you only doing two treatments per area or did I misunderstand? Everywhere I've read says you need 3-6 treatments per area for lasting effects. Maybe that's not true and I can do two different areas with what I bought!

weech
03-10-2011, 02:51 PM
Just saw your update - I hear the underarms are one of the most painful areas! Not trying to scare you...just something to be aware of. I grit my teeth and get through the legs but the bony areas around the ankles just kill. At least the underarm area is relatively small. GL!

Uh oh :bag Hopefully I can do it! Thanks for the heads up - maybe I'll take some advil before I go.

mimosa
03-10-2011, 06:04 PM
Are you only doing two treatments per area or did I misunderstand? Everywhere I've read says you need 3-6 treatments per area for lasting effects. Maybe that's not true and I can do two different areas with what I bought!

Oops, maybe I wasn't clear...I got four Groupons to do four different areas (underarms, bikini and both lower legs). Each area gets six treatments.

I've only done one treatment so far, and I see a big difference, but will definitely need more.

american_mama
03-12-2011, 02:23 PM
That's why God made swim shorts! We go to the pool a couple of times a week, and I'd be covered with bumps and ingrowns, had it not been for shorts! ;)

Or swim skirts! I own two including one just to cover my one-piece suit so that I don't have to shave. Using DH's clippers on the bikini area works better than shaving, reduces the itchiness and ingrown hairs. Generally, I'm happy with the swim skirt solution and when I'm not, I use the clippers.

ohiomom1121
03-16-2011, 06:00 PM
Of course I didn't see this thread until I just bought a Groupon for 3 treatments. Is that enough for a bikini line? I read several sites that said 3 to 4, but now I'm reading 6.

theriviera
03-16-2011, 06:36 PM
Eyebrows/lip/sides of face: threading, every 3 weeks or so
Legs/Underarm: shave every day
Bikini: shave when i need to

I wish I could do laser but I have a dark complexion and I've heard that lasers don't work on darker skin tones.

kcampbell
03-25-2011, 11:48 AM
I shave my legs and have finished 6 txs of lasering for my underarms and bikini area. Highly recommend the laser tx. It is pricey but I always broke out really bad after shaving the bikini area and would forget to shave my underarms only to be headed out in the hot summer with a tank or bathing suit and need to run back in to address the isssue!

HIU8
03-25-2011, 12:59 PM
Eyebrows: waxed for special occasions, otherwise I tweeze daily
armpits: shave daily
bikini line: shave daily
legs: shave daily

I have done leg waxing but it just doesn't take off enough hair in my case. My leg hair is thick, dark and very coarse. I find by shaving daily (armpits and bikini area in the shower and legs once out) that I save time and am able to keep the hairy beast at bay (if I even go every other day I wear out razors very fast b/c my hair is so thick and coarse. by doing it daily it goes much faster and the razor lasts longer).

I have never considered laser removal. If I did it I would want it done to pits, bikini area, legs and my big toe (yes, my big toe has a hair tuft that I shave daily as well--again thick).

I should thank my father's genes for my thick coarse body hair (and DS will be thanking him soon b/c the boy is a gorilla already at 6).