# Female Dopers: Do you shave/wax your legs in the winter? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 5, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694 "2009-10-05T16:39:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/41 "2009-10-06T09:52:04Z")
People shave their armpits every other day? Really? how fast does your pit hair grow? ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/42 "2009-10-06T10:01:24Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > People shave their armpits every other day? Really? how fast does your pit hair grow? I shave my pit hair every day! (And my leg hair about every 2 days in summer, every four days in non-shorts weather.) It’s not that my hair grows so fast, but that I have curly hair: Ingrown hairs are no fun! Unless I shave pretty regularly, new growth tends to curl back in. That’s even less fun in an area like the underarm than on my legs! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/43 "2009-10-06T12:22:11Z")
Oh, I see - my hair is so straight it makes most rulers look crooked, maybe that’s why it’s not such an issue for me. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/44 "2009-10-06T14:19:32Z")
So does hair growing in when you shave it hurt? I’ve never shaved mine, I only wax, and it doesn’t hurt when it grows it. It just grows in like normal hair I guess. It annoys me to see the hair but I never actually feel it. ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/45 "2009-10-06T15:14:38Z")
Always! I shave at least every other day, if not daily. Since you can wear shorts here year round, seasons have nothing to do with it. But I’d still shave regardless of outside temps. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/46 "2009-10-06T15:19:09Z")
I may be E. Indian, but I have really light skin for my race. Still, my hair is black, and shows up really well, so I do tend to shave. I shave my armpits because being Indian, as I said, means I sweat a LOT. Not ladylike I know, but just my lot in life. As for my leg hair, I am lucky there - it is very sparse - but if it gets too long, it definitely bothers me. I wouldn’t say it hurts but it feels weird to wear socks/pants with it. So I keep it trimmed even in the winter. In the summer I probably shave every day or every other day. In the winter - once a week, or even every two weeks. Thankfully while a little comes back almost immediately, it slows down after that and takes a long time to grow. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/47 "2009-10-06T15:31:31Z")
I chose the last answer. I don’t have much leg hair and it grows slowly. Also, my body hair is fine, like my head-hair, and so grows out pretty soft. I don’t really have stubble issues or that pants-pulling-the-hairs issue (for which I am glad, because it sounds like a pain) I also never bother shaving my legs above the knees no matter what the season. I have about a dozen hairs on each thigh, if that many, and if they bug me, I pluck them; if I wear shorts, they are never short enough that unshaven thighs, did I have more hair, should really be a problem. I do tend to keep my armpits shaved because armpit hair bothers me. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/48 "2009-10-06T15:34:59Z")
My legs don’t go untouched because it’s cold outside. My legs go untouched because I’m married. _Boo yah!_ ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/49 "2009-10-06T15:52:33Z")
I only ever shave when I plan to wear a skirt, either in the winter or the summer. I wear skirts less in the winter, thought. ---
**Author:** ![MissIntent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/97f17d/32.png) [@MissIntent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissIntent)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/50 "2009-10-06T15:57:48Z")
I shave my pits every day, just because I have some mental hang up that I perceive hair and it bothers me. Legs… I’m in a long distance relationship now. I shave when I’m going to see him, so about once a month lol. I still wear shorts to the gym every day. If someone is offended at my leg hair that’s their problem, not mine. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/51 "2009-10-06T16:14:34Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Really? > > I’ve got more leg hair than most men I know, yet that has _never_ happened to me. > > As for shaving - only bother when I’m going to be wearing pants or skirt/dress. Otherwise, no, because it really irritates the crap out of my skin. I have pretty sensitive skin, so the irritation factor creeps in after a couple of weeks. I also get really bad razor rash on my thighs in the summer or whenever it’s unseasonably warm. > [@Maastricht](#): > > Ducht women will mostly shave their armpits and lower legs in summer and if they plan to wear dresses. Otherwise, no. Shaving here is seen as somthing optional, not seen as practicing hygiene, like the US seems to feel it is. I get the impression that in the US, shaving or waxing is something like brushing your teeth. There’s bigger societal pressure to have shaved legs and armpits. Personally, shaving my armpits is more important than shaving my legs, but I do prefer the look of my legs without dark hair covering them. > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > There’s just that point in the growth cycle where it’s longer than stubble but shorter than arm hair. Like **nashiitashii** said, it just gets prickly and you feel it being prickly on your skin. I find it’s worst when I’m in bed, trying to get comfortable, and I can _feel_ my prickly leg hair and I can’t sleep! The worst I can remember when I’d let the leg hair go for more than two weeks was swimming; the hair going against the pressure of the water felt bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/52 "2009-10-06T16:35:49Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’m guessing I’m not going to start shaving again regularly till I’m getting laid way more regularly than I have been. You beat me to it. That’s my answer. I’ll add that since chemo a couple years ago, there’s less leg hair than there used to be. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/53 "2009-10-06T23:36:12Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I can’t stand to have any hair, and I also never assume no one’s gonna see, so I chose “always”. That can’t be true. I’ve seen your photo on here before. I saw plenty of lovely hair! ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/54 "2009-10-06T23:57:34Z")
Pits everyday regardless of the season. It’s not that they’re really hairy, it’s just a habit. Legs every other day in the summer and whenever I remember to in the winter (or have a hot date). ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/55 "2009-10-07T12:31:48Z")
I tend to go longer between shavings, but I still do. I mean, during the summer, I’ll shave every day or every other day, but during the winter, I might only do it once a week when it gets long and nasty. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/56 "2009-10-07T17:56:18Z")
I haven’t shaved my legs for years. I like having hair on my legs. It feels great when the wind blows through it. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694/57 "2009-10-07T17:59:11Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I may be E. Indian, but I have really light skin for my race. Still, my hair is black, and shows up really well, so I do tend to shave. I shave my armpits because being Indian, as I said, means I sweat a LOT. Not ladylike I know, but just my lot in life. Is that so? I’m S. Asian but I never heard of the sweating a lot thing. I don’t sweat more than most people. Er…I don’t think. ::gets paranoid:: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-do-you-shave-wax-your-legs-in-the-winter/512694.md?page=2)