Dark/thicker hair on arms??

Lisa75 · 06-30-2003, 02:19 AM

The one thing that bothers me the most is that in the past 6 years the hair on my arms had became thicker and darker. It drives me crazy and has gave me such a complex about it. It jumps out at me in pictures etc. I hate it with a passion. Does anyone else have this problem and if so what do you do? Last night I bleached it. But that gets old because as it grows out so fast you have to do it every couple days. It looks better, but I wish there was another way. I seen that some women said they shave it and stuff, but does it grow back stubbly like your legs do if you do this? Does anyone nair or put anything on them and if you do how does it do when it starts to come back? I'm just looking for some solutions here. Will it ever go away? Is there a way to make it better? Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks for you time. Lisa75

so confused · 06-30-2003, 03:29 AM

well i can tell you that from shaving my arms it did grow in stubbly and thicker and darker... grrr, if only i would've known I would never have started shaving in the first place. The hair on my arms wasn't even that bad what was I thinking? it was light and fine and barely noticable (oddly enough it's the only place on my body where the hair is not running rampant) but now it's disgustingly thick and dark, I totally regret doing it... of course this is my experience with shaving, I guess others might have different experiences...

Dara · 06-30-2003, 10:19 AM

I use an electric razor to deal with mine and if I don't stay on top of it, yep, there is stubble. The shaving hasn't made mine darker/thicker. I just wish the darn stuff didn't grow so quickly.

I know some people wax theirs with good results. Haven't had the nerve to try it.

Musigurl · 06-30-2003, 10:42 AM

My skin is very pale, and my arm hair is very dark and thick -- ugh! For years I have just put up with it, and tried to wear long sleeves whenever I can (rather difficult in the hot summer though).

Maybe it's my imagination, but it seems to have gotten worse (thicker/darker) in the last year or so. So this past February, I finally got up the courage to try waxing. It didn't actually hurt very much, and my arms looked amazing! I kept staring at them.

However, subsequent to that, here's what has happened: in order for the hair to be long enough to be waxed again, I have to let it grow longer that I am comfortable with -- I think the regrowth/stubble looks worse than the original hair. Soooo, I tried shaving, but because I'm right-handed, my left arm always looks more closely shaved than my right -- also, I've cut myself on the bone at the wrist more than once! But.......regardless, I still prefer the hair-free look to the hairy one. I tried Veet (like Nair & Neet), but it gave me one BAD chemical rash -- no more of that -- beside, it's the same problem as waxing -- you have to wait for the hair to be long enough =(

So, the method I'm using most often these days is shaving -- EVERY DAY -- what a pain! Usually with the new "intuition" razor, just because it takes less time. I would however, recommend a product "Avon Skin-So-Soft Hair-Minimizing Lotion" -- like I was saying, I have to shave EVERY day, but after using this lotion for about 5 weeks, I'm shaving every other day woohoo!

Good luck -- I know what a pain it can be!

Lisa75 · 06-30-2003, 01:37 PM

Thanks for the replies ladies. I think I'll stay with bleaching...I guess it would be better than shaving "everyday" if I bleached 1 a week. I appreciate you replying and explaining in detail how it would be.

Thanks a bunch.

Lisa75

Erin31CA · 07-01-2003, 03:15 AM

I had extremely hairly arms. I had them lasered. The hair was not completely eliminated, just the dark ones. So, now I still have hair on my arms, but it's just the blond ones that are left. The dark hair has remained gone since I completed my laser treatments about a year ago.

If you have the money, I recommend laser hair removal.

phantine · 07-07-2003, 11:12 AM

I too have very dark hair on my arms. I got sick of it and began shaving back in January. I shave about every 2-3 days in the winter and in the summer it's every other day. I have found that the stubble is dark, but the hair was dark too and I felt more embarrassed by it. The stubble isn't really noticeable unless you're really close up.

I think that is a great idea about the hair minimizing cream. I will have to try that.

I've tried the bleaching thing and know exactly what you mean about having to bleach after a week. I just hated getting out all the stuff and mixing it up and then having to wait for 15 minutes and you couldn't leave the bathroom. It just became easier for me to shave.

KatrinaAnne · 07-11-2003, 01:46 AM

~*Lisa*~

Hi hun! I read your post and I know EXACTLY how you feel! I wanted to write to you and tell you what I have been doing recently because it has caused me to be happier and less self conscious. This is going to sound weird but it works for me! I brush the hair on my arms to lay it down next to my skin. Then I trim the hair on my arms with scissors and then I bleach the hair! This really seems to work well for me....and it is easy!!! I hope this helps!!!

Your friend and cyster,
Katrina

bandanna · 07-15-2003, 08:53 PM

i have a lot of hair on my arms too. it is now spreading and i am getting hairs on my upper arms as well. knowing that if it is not because so many other women have the same problem, the waxing, laser and electrolysis industry would not be such a booming business. i think the problem is that in our culture, society make such a big fuss about it. i try to remember that on days when i feel down about the hairs.....

waxing is really good... i like the results of waxing far more than shaving.

Rachell4ever · 07-15-2003, 09:15 PM

I have also noticed thicker or longer hair on my arms in the past year, but nowhere else. It's even on my fingers and knuckles. Yuck!!

I have electrocuted hair everywhere else on my body, and I'm in the process of lasering my lower legs. When I'm done with that I'll finish the upper legs, and finish the bikini (which I started but never finished).

I'm not sure what would be a good treatment for my arms. I had them waxed when I was in high school, but the ingrown hairs in my elbows literally took years and years to work out. Shaving is not an option - it will grow back too durn fast.

I'm hoping that some of the treatments I'm doing will lessen hirsuitism for the arms, but to be honest I'm not terribly hopeful. Although my testosterone levels are high normal, I've got fiercely mediterannean blood in me, which I believe makes my skin react strongly to any kind of testosterone levels. I also have read in a few places that once the hair follicle is stimulated, it is unlikely to "go back." That's probably not the case for everyone, but it will probably be the case for me given my genetics.

Having said all that, my mother was also always pretty hairy, and she said that it lessened a lot after her two pregnancies.

Maybe I'll try a round or two of laser therapy for my arms just to make it appear less dense - and get rid of all the hair on my arms. I'm just afraid that it will look weird or unnatural. My mother says that hairless arms don't look young. Thoughts?