I just wanted to know, seeing as this forum is about shaving, how many guys out there shave or have shaved their legs. Also, what do the women out there think of it. I have shaved them from time to time because I hate having fur on my legs. I like to keep them trimmed but at times I will shave. I workout so I have been complimented that they look good but that is not why I do it. just wanted to get some feedback from others out there.

Thanks.
Tallman36

Although I don't personally shave my legs, I know that it is not a problem if you do. Bicyclists, bodybuilders, skaters and other athletic men all shave their legs. These days most would just ask you what activity you participate in that you started shaving them in the first place. It is sort of like tatoos and piercings. The first question most people ask is when you got your first, not why you do it in the first place.

Of course, if I continue to train electrologists, I won't need to shave my legs. they will be completely bare from test patches.

I shave my legs i do full body also. I cant stand body hair hate the way it looks. I get good and bad responces from people mostly good. Most girls iv found like it who wants all that hair. I even had some ask me what i used becase mine looked good. When people first realize i shave i just exsplane why let them know its no big deal and also that i dont care if they think its weird. Most people i know dont even realize i shave case i started shaveing when i first started getting body hair so they dont relize till they see or feal stuble or i tell them. I work out all the time thats anouther reason i shave every thing off looks much better to be tanned pumped and smooth. No better fealing then totaly smooth or better look...............

JMan

At the same time, like tattoos, you're also going to find that there *are* people who're going to see the very fact that you do it, and consider it a fairly large turn-off.

It is, in the end, an individual choice, but when you get away from the societal norms, you can't expect universal acceptance, the same way a woman who *doesn't* shave her legs would be. And reasoning might well come into it. I'd be okay with a guy who shaved his legs and so on in order to swim competetively--but someone who did it 'just because'? No thanks.

Having a real issue with a perfectly natural feature of your body--that's not necessarily attractive. Maybe it's hypocritical that what's expected for women isn't what's expected for men, but that's the way life goes. Men aren't generally expected to wear heels and pantyhose, so it probably works out in the long run.

I shave everything. Legs too.

I like it. I think my wife loves it more than I do. There really is a stigma out there about guys and shaved legs, as though it's somehow less male. Nothing could be crazier.

I love it.

I don't shave, but wax almost my entire body... Your question seems to be more about being hairless than the method used to get to that state, so here is my take on it...

It is personal choice, just like you can decide to grow a beard or not, to have long hair on your head or not, to stay trim and toned, or to be fat and flabby...

A lot of people do it for specific purposes such as sports, or body building contests, and I think that as these people have a good body, they have a better body image and it is natural for them to want smooth skin to increase their satisfaction with 'their' look...

Others do it because they don't like hair... or have a professional reason to do so... I used to be a catalogue model way back and I was told by my agency I would get a lot more work if I had the hairless look... (and with a light tan and no hair, work rolled in) - so that was my initiation to total body hair removal... after that, I continued because I like the look and feel... I know a surgeon who has his arms waxed because he finds it easier to scrub up... I still ride my mountain bike, so I suppose I have some excuses or reasons if other people feel compelled to categorise me and question why I do such things... It is for their benefit to be a 'sports smoothie', rather than trying to justify to them any other reason... I don't feel compelled to justify myself, but human nature is what it is...

It comes down to your own body image.. some people like the smooth look and don't even give a second thought to the removal of all hair, some hate particular hair and want just a more 'normal' look, without going totally smooth...

People get images from many places, and often they try to live up to them... if you could look like a supermodel does, you would be one... us ordinary folks should just come to terms with it within ourselves... I don't care what people think (though I mostly get positive vibes) I care what I think, and I am happy to be hairless... I make the effort to look better than my 'natural self' - it is no worse than ironing your clothes, brushing your teeth or anything else that shows you care about yourself, you have a positive self /body image, and you are prepared to make an effort to look good... and feel good about yourself... How many times have we read people on this board who hate their hair, and have real problems in relationships or other social settings because of the hair... Leg hair on males is not as bad to most as upper lip or chin hair on females, but they are all about our self image, and that is what allows us to go out in the world and be who we want to be... if hair is holding you back from your true self, then do something about it...

Shave, wax, whatever... hairless is best IMHO...

David

[ April 10, 2003, 05:32 AM: Message edited by: IHH ]

Thanks for all the input. I guess shaved legs on men is one of those things that part of society still thinks of as non-masculine or feminine. Men are somehow not supposed to take care of their appearance. But I have found that women that I know have commented that they wish their boyfriends/husbands took care of themselves as I do - I work out and take care of myself. I don't dress like a slob but I don't "dress up". Some people see shaving legs as going "over the line". Frankly, I hate being hairy and I love the look and feel of being smooth - especially being tanned. I work out also and as JMan said, being smooth, tanned and pumped can't be beat!
*A question for IHH: in regards to waxing your legs, do you get alot of ingrown hairs?? I wax my chest/abs, back and buttocks. I get more ingrowns by far on my chest than anywhere else but very few anywhere else and I love the completely smooth feeling - and it is smooth longer than shaving! How do your legs react to waxing? I had the tops of my thighs waxed as just a continuance from my abs and I had more ingrowns but the upper thighs are more sensitive to shaving also. I would love to be smooth longer without having to shave. I would appreciate any input you could give, or anyone else out there.

Thanks,

Tallman36

As for ingrowns, the only place I get them is the upper abdominal area, occasionally a few on the chest... and I am generally slack with exfoliating like I should... Legs are one of the easiest places to wax on my, less painful too... though there is little pain most of the time, even the back of the neck or top of chest... and it only lasts a second... I think if you get red bumps after waxing, then you may have to watch that area for ingrowns...

As for effeminate, well even if people thought so, they wouldn't tell me... I am 6' 5", over 200lbs and with a shaved head, can look rather menacing... if I don't shave my head, I can still look menacing... LOL

I am glad the place I have my waxing done at does not charge by the square foot... LOL make sure they wax your feet and toes... I can tell you, smooth is great, I know you will soon be waxing your arms/hands and armpits... if you want to see your body looking it's best...

Go for it, it is great to be smooth... waxing is a small investment, big pay off... if only it was permanent...

David

IHH,
About how long does it take after waxing for the hair to grow back for you? Cause I hear a lot of people say their hair doesn't grow back for about four weeks. Though, I also heard that the hair could grow back in as early as about a week. I have used an epilator on some areas, and it's very very painful. Plus, it seems to break some of my hairs in half, which sucks. The hairs that did get pulled out by the root still seem to grow back pretty fast. Thanks.

On most men, hair should begin to show in about 10 days to 2 weeks after waxing. You may need to let it grow for about a week to 10 days before the next waxing. Women have much finer hair and can go longer (4 weeks +) before the hair starts to show. Just remember that most hair removal discussion and stats are usually oriented to women and you need to adjust any info to the fact that men usually have thicker hair that our hair grows much faster.

Having said that, I have been removing my leg/body hair most of my life (now 37) and I've had more positive responses than negative, but the negative responses can sometimes be intense. And I've talked with many normal guys that have expressed interest in shaving their leg hair; but it seems most of them are too afraid of how people will react.

So one thing I do is to encourage men to act on their desire to go hair-free. I think that once enough of us normal guys force the issue, society will no longer frown on men with smooth legs. Don't cower. You only live once.