Recently had a flea infestation and the fleas would sometimes hide in my congo-grade leg hair. So... I shaved it off. It's not the first time I've done but I've received some backlash from coworkers and family members about it. It ranges from people thinking I'm gay and being awkward around me to others literally wanting to touch my legs to see how smooth it feels.

I wasn't expecting any of these reactions. Has any other male shaved their legs or other body hair? For the ladies, how do you feel about men shaving their legs or other body hair?

Professional swimmers shave their body hair to be more aerodynamic in the water. Some men have hair that grows out of control so they shave and or wax on a weekly/monthly basis. Sounds like your coworkers and family haven't quite caught up to current times.

I have not actually considered shaving my legs. I do, however, have to start shaving my feet. I somehow think it would be more awkward if I didn't.

I have extremely hairy legs if I let it grow... so I run an electric over them once every couple of weeks to prevent me from looking like a sasquatch.

I always wear pants, though... so nobody notices. But I wouldn't care what they think -- I think I look better with no/less body hair. Body hair is gross.


If people think you're gay... run with it. You know you're not... and if they're insecure about being around someone who's gay (or someone who they think might be gay), then they're an asshole so who cares what they think. I have extremely low tolerance for homophobes.

NoXzema wrote:
It ranges from people thinking I'm gay and being awkward around me to others literally wanting to touch my legs to see how smooth it feels.

Good God! Your funny posts will be my undoing!

Back on topic I'll just say this: good hygiene is nothing to be ashamed of. If those other people deserve an explanation, give it to them, then ignore their tomfoolery just the same.

Ha ha! "Congo-grade leg hair"! You'll kill me if you keep this up.

Looking at this topic title, I thought this was a spam topic at first...>_>

But seriously:

if they're insecure about being around someone who's gay (or someone who they think might be gay), then they're an asshole so who cares what they think.

I also have "congo-grade" leg hair, as well as chest hair. Whenever I consider the possibility of me shaving it off, I always am reminded of that Seinfeld episode where he shaves his chest and practically turns into a werewolf when it grows back.

BHX wrote:
be more aerodynamic in the water.

Hydrodynamic?

I used to practice Juijitsu, and I had shaved my leg hair once for that as getting it ripped out from the mat is never fun.

I just went straight at it with a regular face razor. The next few days were just awful. I never shaved my legs again after that.

Grey Wolf wrote:
Hydrodynamic?

That is what I thought too, but everything I keep finding online says aerodynamic.

[EDIT] Typos.

ResidentBiscuit, I've never experienced that the two times I've done it now. Although, I'm not inexperienced with a razor really... so things like cuts and in-grown hairs are minimal.

Also, I'm not insulted by the reactions I got. Living as an atheist in a Christian family has pretty much desensitized me to poor and illogical reactions from anyone. I just thought it interesting and was curious if the reactions elsewhere were similar.

Living as an atheist in a Christian family has pretty much desensitized me to poor and illogical reactions from anyone

Heh. I know how you feel there.

Why in the world would a man shave their legs? I'm not questioning you goal here but rather your means of accomplishing it. It's one of the few body parts that those hair remover creams don't cause chemical burns and here you are running a cheap metal blade over it again and again, about every other day am I right? For what you know will be a shorter lasting and inferior result every time.

I was in a similar situation to ResidentBiscuit, I wrestled in middle school, high school and the summer before college and you can't take a proper shot with fur growing out of your leg.

As for the people who are giving you crap over it. Remind them that hair is in fact a waste product. I found that usually shuts down their tyraid.

Basically, I don't want the cream anywhere near above my knee and it does irritate my ankles/feet.

I used Nair on my legs before. Got *crazy* ingrown hairs when the hair grew back. My legs got super, super itchy... and it lasted for days. It was horrible. I never touched the stuff again.

Girlfriend naired all my body hair it was some kind of female hygiene solidarity thing to her, it wa sjust fun for me, wasnt itchy either and I was nice and smooth for ages.

EDIT: fleas jump out the carpet they dont live in your leg hair

devonrevenge wrote:
EDIT: fleas jump out the carpet they dont live in your leg hair

@devonrevenge

Actually there is a flea that feeds on human blood (species name is Pulex Irritans, fleas have over 2,000 species (yes over 2k)). Fleas of dogs can and will use human hair as a way to transport from one animal to another. Found that in two seconds of googling if fleas can live in human body hair.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_flea

Not saying they live in my hair, they would jump onto my leg and I couldn't pick them off. With my legs shaved, I can visible see them and get them off e.g. before I go into my house. Well, lessens the problem anyways.