When You Don’t Want Hair There
Puberty brings on a whole host of issues with personal grooming, and that might even include hair that now grows in new places! Some of it may be wanted, but some may not.
Hair removal can be tricky for anyone, since it can sometimes be painful and even dangerous, especially when it comes to razor blades. Be sure that you’re only removing hair if, and when, you want to. For most people, hair removal is a totally personal choice. It may have a lot to do with your culture, society, or friend group. But living on your own as an adult means that you get to make a lot of decisions for yourself, and this is definitely one of them. If you don’t want to remove or trim your hair, don’t!
If you are considering removing hair, such as brows, underarm hair, leg hair, facial hair, or pubic hair, there are many salons and hair-removal businesses where trained professionals can do this safely and with minimal pain, and it is often quite affordable. If you can afford it and are willing to try it, consider this solution rather than doing it yourself. Hair removal can not only be painful but also potentially dangerous and difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing.
How to shave
Even a small, accidental nick with a razor can be very painful and cause a lot of bleeding. Be sure that you have a good grip for grasping the razor; if you have dexterity issues with your hands or have trouble reaching the hair in question, look for assistive devices such as wide or long-handled razor grips or electric razors, which may be helpful for people with disabilities.
Always use warm water or steam when shaving to soften hair; never shave on dry skin. This can cause razor burn, and it also means you likely won’t get all the hair. Warmth and moisture open the pores of your skin, allowing you to get the most possible hair with the fewest strokes of the razor.
Once your skin is damp, apply shaving cream or lotion on the area to be shaved. Holding the razor carefully by the handle, use downward strokes to slowly and gently drag the razor along the chosen area. Follow the direction of the hair to avoid irritating your skin. Longer strokes are safer than short ones.
Never, EVER touch the blade end of a razor with your fingers or any other part of your body. Even a casual touch can slice a finger! Keep razor blades covered when you’re not using them; most come with covers that snap on, and razor blades can usually be replaced with the touch of a button so you won’t need to touch and pull it.
It might be helpful to have a parent or someone who has experience with shaving to show you how to do it before you try it. You could even practice by applying shaving cream to a balloon, then practicing the downward strokes without the balloon popping. Once you have the technique down, then try it on a portion of your own skin.
Hair-removal creams
There are also creams, called depilatories, that remove hair. You might feel more comfortable trying this method rather than using a razor if you aren’t sure that you can shave safely. Follow the instructions on the bottle, then rinse the cream off — the hair goes with it! It may not remove all the hair as cleanly as a razor, but it also won’t cut you! Try it on a small area of skin first to be sure the chemicals in the cream don’t irritate you.
Tweeze, please
Small, isolated hairs can be removed easily, one hair at a time, with tweezers. These are small, metal pinchers that grab individual hairs, usually from the face, that you want to remove. Just squeeze the hair tightly between the pinchers, give it a tug, and the hair pulls out! It will probably hurt for a second, but you will get used to it. Tweezers are good for grooming small areas of hair, such as eyebrows or the occasional random chin hair. Since tweezers are small and take a bit of hand dexterity to use, you can also try adaptive tweezers that are easier to grip; some even have lights!
