Shaving Legs: What do you do????

[Anonymous]

I usually just take a plastic handheld razor to my legs in the shower, but I find that I am just not getting close enough and I have super thick hair that grows back what seems overnight! So if I shave on Friday, by Sunday it looks terrible and if I shave it again it gets red and bumpy, and looks worse. My Husband suggested an electric razor, would that be better? I really can't get to a spa and wax, so I just shave. What do you do??

[Anonymous]

I simply shave every day. As a freshman in college I was only shaving every other day and I got horrid razor burn. Shaving every day with a decent razor is a pretty good exfoliator and prevents razor burn and gator skin. And if I shave every day it isn't as noticeable if I miss a spot.

I like the Venus razor. The blades stay sharp for a long time. I use Dove sensitive skin body wash to wash and shave.

[Anonymous]

I use a good quality razor (Mach 3) and a decent shaving cream. I also shave in the shower. My legs are prickly less than 24 hours later. But I usually don't have red bumps (only when the razor gets dull).

[Anonymous]

Perhaps consider laser hair removal. It is expensive, but I decided the cost/aggravation of shaving every.single.day. was worth the high price (I only did lower legs).

[Anonymous]

Use a mend razor i like the hydro 5. It gets close, is heavier in your hand, and I shave every other day

[Anonymous]

I wax because I can't shave - I get horrible itching and hives when the hair starts to grow back. But, like you OP, I find it difficult to get to the spa regularly, so I have spent most of this summer in pants. In September, after letting things grow for four weeks, I am going to my dermatologist for laser hair removal (lower leg; the hair on my thighs is blonde). I can't wait! It will cost a small fortunate, but frankly will pay for itself in a couple of years because of the cost of the wax.

[Anonymous]

I also have very dark, thick hair that grows fast. I had to shave every day. In addition, I am very fair skinned. So, even after I shaved with a good razor (every f-ing day), it looked like I needed to shave because you could see the dark hair under the skin. I thought about laser removal, but it just seemed like it would a million visits for me. So about two years ago, I got an epilator which is basically like the old school Epilady I had way back when. The technology has not improved much over the years, but it is slightly less painful and slightly less loud. I got one made by Braun.

I have been pretty pleased with it. It hurts at first, a lot. But eventually, the hair becomes much thinner and it doesn't hurt as much. My hair has thinned to the point that I can now expose my legs even if I have some hair growth which was not an option for me before because I had so much hair. I also like that I can use at night before bed. It doesn't last a long time for me because my hair grows crazy fast -- I have to use it several times a week -- but that's still longer than shaving lasted.

If you go the epilator route, I suggest shaving one last time before you use it, and then starting to use it every day or every other day as your hair grows in. There will be less hair that way and so it will be less painful. Be prepared - it hurts it first - and the skin on your legs probably will be irritated. That's why it is a good idea to do it in the evening. By morning, your skin should be better.

[Anonymous]

If you use the epilator, be sure you are diligent about exfoliating your legs every day. I got tons of ingrown hairs when I did it, and the ugly red bumps meant that I was too embarrassed to wear skirts or shorts -- so I had all the pain, none of the gain. And if the ingrown hair gets infected, it hurts like a bitch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wax because I can't shave - I get horrible itching and hives when the hair starts to grow back. But, like you OP, I find it difficult to get to the spa regularly, so I have spent most of this summer in pants. In September, after letting things grow for four weeks, I am going to my dermatologist for laser hair removal (lower leg; the hair on my thighs is blonde). I can't wait! It will cost a small fortunate, but frankly will pay for itself in a couple of years because of the cost of the wax.

Are you doing this so your derm can see what your hair is like? You're supposed to shave before getting laser hair removal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wax because I can't shave - I get horrible itching and hives when the hair starts to grow back. But, like you OP, I find it difficult to get to the spa regularly, so I have spent most of this summer in pants. In September, after letting things grow for four weeks, I am going to my dermatologist for laser hair removal (lower leg; the hair on my thighs is blonde). I can't wait! It will cost a small fortunate, but frankly will pay for itself in a couple of years because of the cost of the wax.

Are you doing this so your derm can see what your hair is like? You're supposed to shave before getting laser hair removal.

Those were the instructions he gave me. You would have to ask him why he said that - I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

I had to let mine grow before lasering it off too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had to let mine grow before lasering it off too.

Odd. Any time I've gotten laser I was told to shave before. It hurts a LOT worse when the laser zaps the hair because I didn't shave well.
sorry...didn't mean to hijack the thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had to let mine grow before lasering it off too.

Odd. Any time I've gotten laser I was told to shave before. It hurts a LOT worse when the laser zaps the hair because I didn't shave well.
sorry...didn't mean to hijack the thread.

I had laser hair removal done about 4 years ago and they said to not shave. I went again recently and was told to shave this time because they have new lasers that work differently and more effectively when the hair is shaved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also have very dark, thick hair that grows fast. I had to shave every day. In addition, I am very fair skinned. So, even after I shaved with a good razor (every f-ing day), it looked like I needed to shave because you could see the dark hair under the skin. I thought about laser removal, but it just seemed like it would a million visits for me. So about two years ago, I got an epilator which is basically like the old school Epilady I had way back when. The technology has not improved much over the years, but it is slightly less painful and slightly less loud. I got one made by Braun.

I have been pretty pleased with it. It hurts at first, a lot. But eventually, the hair becomes much thinner and it doesn't hurt as much. My hair has thinned to the point that I can now expose my legs even if I have some hair growth which was not an option for me before because I had so much hair. I also like that I can use at night before bed. It doesn't last a long time for me because my hair grows crazy fast -- I have to use it several times a week -- but that's still longer than shaving lasted.

If you go the epilator route, I suggest shaving one last time before you use it, and then starting to use it every day or every other day as your hair grows in. There will be less hair that way and so it will be less painful. Be prepared - it hurts it first - and the skin on your legs probably will be irritated. That's why it is a good idea to do it in the evening. By morning, your skin should be better.

I also use an epilator every 2 weeks or so. Usually after my period and then depending on circumstances. I agree with the above, but would suggest that for your first time you splurge on getting them professionally waxed, and yes, the first time hurts, but the speed with which they do it at the spa would mitigate the pain, and after that start doing your own epi. After over 15 years of waxing / epi the legs feel painless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wax because I can't shave - I get horrible itching and hives when the hair starts to grow back. But, like you OP, I find it difficult to get to the spa regularly, so I have spent most of this summer in pants. In September, after letting things grow for four weeks, I am going to my dermatologist for laser hair removal (lower leg; the hair on my thighs is blonde). I can't wait! It will cost a small fortunate, but frankly will pay for itself in a couple of years because of the cost of the wax.

Are you doing this so your derm can see what your hair is like? You're supposed to shave before getting laser hair removal.

Those were the instructions he gave me. You would have to ask him why he said that - I have no idea.

He might have meant to make sure you wait at least 4 weeks from your last wax (that's what I had to do, since I was a waxer also). Depending on the type of laser, they might dry shave you there.