'However much body hair a woman has, it is too much.'

[Ms DD]

hairy women

by Patsy Westcott

 

Peta has had virtually every scrap of her body hair waxed away every two weeks for the past 15 years and has never seen herself in her 'natural hairy state'.

 

Lynn is a self-confessed 'hair removal addict' who spends £120 a month on defuzzing. She admits, 'Body hair is on my mind most of the time' and says, 'One of the top five things I want to do in life before I die is to get rid of my body hair.'

 

 

Rebecca, a glamour model voted the fourth sexiest woman in the UK by a men's magazine, routinely shaves, waxes and tweezes herself to air-brushed perfection, although she insists, 'I'm doing it for myself not for men.'

 

Fiona's hairy chin is a close-kept secret from friends and family, and she gets up every morning hours before boyfriend, Craig, to pluck out the excess hairs. 'It rules my thinking all the time, every day,' she says.

 

Although, arguably, only Fiona has a real problem with surplus hair, all four women are obsessed with hair removal, as is a vast proportion of the female population of the UK. No surprise then that the women of this country spend a cool £280 million in the quest for silky smooth legs, arms, face and more. As Germaine Greer has observed, 'However much body hair a woman has, it is too much.'

 

But what sparks an obsession with body hair? Dr Tony Carr, head of clinical psychology at the University of Plymouth, has carried out several large-scale surveys looking into the prevalence of concern with appearance. He says: 'An unkind remark at a vulnerable stage such as early adolescence may trigger a preoccupation with a particular feature.'

 

Once such a preoccupation has taken hold it can be perpetuated by faulty thinking along the lines of, 'In order to be loved or successful I have to be attractive,' he adds.

 

According to Carr, some 30% of women and 12-15% of men are overly concerned with some aspect of their appearance, although an obsession with facial and body hair is fairly uncommon.

 

As Carr points out, we are all faced daily with a barrage of pictures in magazines, on billboards and on our TV and cinema screens depicting society's preferred body image. And that image is unequivocally young, attractive, healthy – and fuzz-free.

 

depilation methods

method pros cons

 

shaving

Pros: Safe, Quick, Easy.

Cons: Need to shave every day to avoid stubble

Risk of shaving rash.

 

 

depilatory creams

Pros: Easy to use, Leaves smooth finish.

Cons: Messy, Smelly, Creams may irritate skin or cause allergic reactions.

Most useful for small areas of skin.

 

waxing

Method: Hot or cold waxes are used to pull strips of hair off the skin either at home or at a beauty salon.

Pros: Longer lasting, Leaves smooth finish, Gradually weakens strength of hairs.

Cons: Risk of skin irritation and infection

Have to wait several weeks for hair to grow long enough to be waxed again, Ingrowing hairs a risk

Shouldn't be used by people with diabetes, circulatory problems or others who are at increased risk of infection.

Not to be used over varicose veins, moles or warts.

 

sugaring

Method: Ancient method in which a sticky paste is applied to the skin, then a strip of cloth or paper is pressed on then pulled off (OUCH!), taking the hairs with it.

Pros: Inexpensive, Can be done at home or salon

Smooth result.

Cons: Messy and time consuming,Hairs can break off at or below the surface. Can be hard to get right consistency of paste.

 

 

threading

Method: An age-old method now widely used in Asia and the Middle East. Involves using a strand of cotton thread which is twisted and pulled along unwanted hair, lifting hair directly from the follicle.

Pros: Clean, quick and less painful than plucking, Best for eyebrows and facial hair

Results last two to four weeks.

Cons: Has to be done by a trained beauty therapist,Not widely available outside big cities though becoming more so, Can be expensive

Risk of infection in the hair follicles, skin reddening, puffiness, changes in pigmentation.

 

 

rotary epilation

Method: A device with a rotating head is used to pluck the hairs out at the root

Pros: Useful for large areas such as legs and arms,Results may last for weeks.

Cons: Many people find excruciatingly painful in sensitive areas, eg, back of legs and bikini line

Can cause skin irritation and ingrown hairs.

 

 

electrolysis

Method: A small electric current is applied to the hair follicle, destroying the hair root. The hair is then removed with tweezers.

Pros: Eliminates hair permanently.

Cos: Expensive and time consuming as each hair root must be treated separately, You will need several sessions to completely rid skin of hair as 50% regrow after treatment. If the needle misses the mark or insufficient current is applied the hair root may persist. Risk of infection.

 

 

laser treatment

Method: Laser light is used to zap the hair follicles causing the hair to fall out and preventing the hair from growing back.

Pros: Long-lasting although not permanent results.

Cons: Expensive, You will need several treatments over a number of weeks or months as laser can only eliminate hair currently in a growth cycle

Where excess hair is due to hormonal imbalance or genetic disease new hair may continue to grow

May cause side effects including redness, darkening or lightening of the skin, and scarring

Not suitable for eyebrows as can damage eyes.

 

 

intense pulsed light

(also known as flashlamp; intense light source (ILS); full spectrum, non-coherent, and broadband light; and variable pulsed light) Filtered light is delivered to the skin, where it damages the hair follicle causing the hair to fall out. Safe in the hands of an experienced operator

Pros: May produce lasting or even permanent hair removal, especially over large areas such as the back or legs. If hair does regrow it is often lighter and/or finer

Best if you are light-skinned with dark hair.

Cons: Long-term safety or effectiveness not yet established. Not very effective for blondes and redheads or people with dark skin – either natural or tanned. Can be expensive. Some people find it painful. Improper use may cause side-effects including burns, skin discolouration, patchy regrowth.

 

http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/0-9/4health/body/whe_hairywomen.html

[Jacaylbaro]

I like the hairy women ,,,,,,,,,

[nuune]

^^ lool

[Ms DD]

Back home, we never had worries like this! There is new rule added to the ever-growing book every day.

[JUSTICE]

there was a time when I used to wax the hair on my arms, but I heard that its a sign of beauty in somali culture, so I don't touch that area no more.

[roobleh]

Not only a sign of beauty but increases the sensual 'haah' feeling too.

[Ms DD]

loooooool@haah

 

Waar miyaad gubatey? Shaahi miyaa kugu daatey?

[JUSTICE]

Roobleh are you alright walal.

 

and I thought that this was women issue, like women are supposed to be posting their own experiences with hair removal rituals. I remember back in Khaleej waxing was a big thing, but here you hardly ever hear girls talking about it.

[Pujah]

well, I cant stand hair anywhere on my body except on my head. by the way it is sunna to remove unwanted hair

[JUSTICE]

yeah it is sunna to remove uwanted hair, but what about facial hair,hands, legs

[Pucca]

“The fitrah consists of five things: circumcision, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, plucking the armpit hairs and shaving the pubic hairs”(Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

 

the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said, “He set us a time limit of no more than forty days for trimming the mustache, clipping the nails, plucking the armpit hairs, and shaving the pubic hair” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

 

 

i cant find the hadith right now, but i've read somewhere that after 40 days a person's salat isnt accepted.

 

~peace and bless