Question:
Strange question for ladies, re: shaving our legs :)

Okay I know this may be a strange question, but my friend and I were discussing the hair on our legs (no we weren't drunk,bored maybe but not drunk) lol Anyway...both of us are overweight and we both have noticed that we can shave our legs and then the very next day or even sooner, the hair has already started to grow back and needs to be shaved again.I think that this is weight related because I think that if you are overweight, you can have excess body hair problems.She disagrees...but we are both jealous of the women who can shave their legs and not have to worry about shaving again for a few days or week, especially since we live in AZ. where it's short season almost all year round.And at 260 and 300 pounds it's a project just to get them shaved in the first place.Can anyone relate or are we just crazy? ;)    — jennifer A. (posted on February 26, 2003)

February 25, 2003
Sorry, but skinny or fat, I still need to shave my legs about 12 hours after shaving them the first time.
   — Patty H.

February 25, 2003
Sorry, but skinny or fat, I still need to shave my legs about 12 hours after shaving them the first time.
   — Patty H.

February 25, 2003
I don't think weight makes a difference. My mom is overweight, but yet, her legs are totally hairless, I swear!! My sister, the beanpole of my family, is like that too. I, on the other hand, am an ape(lol), I have to shave every other day, if not EVERY day.
   — Cat S.

February 25, 2003
I agree with the others...not weight related, but probably genetic.
   — Leslie F.

February 25, 2003
The only difference I have noticed, from fat to skinny, is the boney prominences on my legs that I cut all the time b/c I'm not used to them being there. I shave just as often:~( Oh, one upside, there is less leg to shave!
   — Cheri M.

February 25, 2003
I stopped shaving my legs when I realized it was a white, American culture thing. Other cultures in Europe and African American culture don't see the need to create hairlessness, why should I...
   — merri B.

February 25, 2003
I also don't think it has anything to do with weight (although anorexics often grow a downy coat of hair all over)...I've always been overweight, and have always had really fine body hair; I have never needed to shave my legs more than twice a week, if that. And I can be obsessive about it. I'm not complaining; believe me.
   — Tamara K.

February 25, 2003
The only difference I have noticed is that it is a lot easier to shave your legs thin! I am one of the lucky ones thin or MO I only have to do my legs about once a month.
   — Linda A.

February 25, 2003
I have 5 o'clock shadow by about noon. LOL This is genetic, sorry - can't blame the weight for this one. The hair growth problem you are referring to is facial hair growth being driven by things like PCOS. It is called hirsutism. However, again it depends on your ethnic background as some women of middle eastern decent will have mustaches and not have hirsutism. For me the hirsutism is way more than a mustache it is excessive hair growth on my chin and neck. I do understand the chore to shave legs of a large size. I started at 442 lbs.
   — zoedogcbr

February 25, 2003
As a nurse I can tell you the following. In some obese women elevated Estrogen levels may cause excessive hair growth. Some are not as severe as others. They range from mild increase in facial hair all the way to Hirsutism where one may have excessive facial hair growth as well as excessive growth of hair between the thighs and upper lip and breasts. It is due to an increase of male hormones called Androgens.
   — Teresa B.

February 26, 2003
I know for me it's got to be non-weight related. Although I find that my hair grows faster when I'm good about eating right and taking my vitamins and I think that has something to do with it (I'm still pre op). The solution my friends is WAXING!!!! The first time might hurt, but it gets better and better...it's beats shaving anyday fat or thin!
   — chickiewickie

February 26, 2003
I don't think that this is weight related, but here are some reasons that hair will grow faster on legs, underarms and faces. The more you shave the more the hair follicle is stimulated and that will cause more growth. Also if you get goose bumps that also stimulates the hair follicles which again causes hair to grow. If this is a major problem I would try waxing since it will take longer no matter what to grow the hair back and it will come in softer because you won't have a blunt end that has been cut coming out of the surface of the skin. My sister weighs 105 and she shaves everything, everyday, I only shave my legs once a week and my underarms every other day. Another thing to try would be the new Venus razors(little expensive men's MAch 3 is a little cheaper) that have three blades they do get closer and will last through many shaves before becoming dull and they don't nik the skin quite as much even in the boney places.
   — S C.

February 26, 2003
Hi there, Jennifer! I always thought of it more of a genetic thing. Being Italian, I find that my family, with the exception of my Mom, is super hairy. My Mom shaved her legs once, when she was a teenager and never had to do them again. She has 2 strands of hair on one leg and she is proud of those. I, on the other hand, when I was born, had so much hair, that they had to literally put a ponytail on me, to take the hair out of my face! My Mom said she thought they handed her a baby monkey! LOL!! I have been hairy ever since. :-( I am petrified to wax, but I use Caress, body wash "Nature's silk" and use that instead of shaving lotion and it helps a TINY bit, instead of having to shave everyday, I can go 2 days without it. Vi open RNY 9/23/02 down 109 lbs.
   — Vi F.

February 26, 2003
Hi Jennifer! I think it's a genetic thing, because I am at goal weight and am just as hairy as I was when I was fat. The hair is a little finer, though, so it seems like it's easier to shave. Also, use a triple-blade razor (I like the Venus for Women) because it gives a closer, longer-lasting shave. :)
   — Brittany C.

February 26, 2003
My mom is pretty overweight and is a once or twice a monther. I am an every other dayer. Same now at 152 pounds as it was at 314. I doubt it's weight related.
   — PaulaM

February 27, 2003
Ha! This question made me smile. I am extremely obese and I think as I got fatter I had less hair. I use to shave my legs every week if not sooner when I was 200+ now at 400+ I shave every month or two. I thought my fat had overcrowded my haircells. The hair just doesn't grow like it use to.
   — Kimmie C.

February 27, 2003
I can only say I have always had excessively hairy legs. I started shaving in about 5th grade after a boy told me I had the hairiest legs he had ever seen on a girl. I was bone thin and barely into adolescence so I don't think it was hormonal in my case. Now as menopause is lurking I think the hair is thinner than it used to be.
   — **willow**

February 27, 2003
I don't know about anyone else, and I haven't seen it mentioned, but some of it I thing is weight related. Depeding on when you shave your legs. Some people are more prone to swelling then others in the morning if you shave then and the swelling goes down by night then you probably will need to shave again due to the puffyness going down(I can tell this because my rings are looser in the evening)...anyway....just MHO (my humble opinion) ;-)
   — Robin J.

February 27, 2003
Thanks for the input....I also thought that maybe another reason for the hair on my legs growing back so fast might be due to nutrition....not only does my leg hair grow back fast but also the hair on my head.
   — jennifer A.

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