Speed-skating and shaved legs

Why would you shave, wax or epilate your legs?

What is hair removal?

The aim of hair removal is just the goal to have no more hair on the skin. Sometimes it has hygienic, aesthetic or religious reasons too.

Is hair removal healthy?

In the internet you will find a lot of articles that address this subject. Hair removal is in fashion and the nature seems to reject more and more the hair growth… but why do we question the beneficing of hair? Many people say it has hygienic reasons. In multiple articles you can find the social pressure as a main reason too.

Hair has an important protecting function. For example it is a great protection of germs, bacterias or fungus. In some parts of the body it prevents friction when moving. Further it provides protection of heat, cold, ultraviolet rays or dust.
On the other hand it increases the sensitivity for the environment. For example you can feel the wind blow through your hair or the contact of an insect.
Further, body hair helps the sweat to find a way to run over the skin without bothering any other function. The removal of hair does not stop the production of sudoral.

Summary

If you want to remove your body hair for sporting reasons, there is no risk included. But don’t forget that in some parts of your body it can be very useful!

Advantages for athletes

Ease of massages

When you do many kind of sports like biking, running or speed skating the rest becomes a big issue of your week. The regeneration can be enhanced with massages, especially during competition periods. There is nothing more uncomfortable then trying to put massage cream on a hairy leg… and we are not talking about the massage itself yet. It gets very uncomfortable not only for the masseur but also for the athlete, because hair gets pulled in all directions. After the massage the hair keeps the massage cream so it can’t move into the skin. After this information you can see that massages get comfier without leg hair.

Ease of wound care

The remove of hair simplifies the wound care after a crash. It is easier to clean and disinfect the wounds. Further it is better for putting creams on or stick a bandage- specially for removing it. Did you ever strip off a piece of tape off a hairy ankle?
Maybe some of you already made the experience at an emergency when the nurse shaved the wound before stitching it!

Different ways of hair removal

Classic: wet razor

In short terms the wet razor is for sure the easiest way to take off hair. All you need is a razor, water or shaving foam. It is for sure the fastest and painless way. Tip: Don’t shave without water or shaving foam, it increases the risk of cutting and desiccation of your skin.
Costs for a razor: 8 to 15€, the price depends on the brand and model

Tip: To reduce skin irritation, better shave during running water. You just need to make sure the hair is not going straight into the drain.

The electric razor

The electric razor works the same way as the wet razor. Same as above it is a fast and painless way to remove body hair. You need to use it frequently to keep your legs hairless. The advantage of this variation is that it causes less skin irritations and does not cause the ingrowth of hair.
Costs of an electric razor: 30 to 50€

Advantages

– Fast
– Cheap
– Efficient
– Painless

Disadvantages

– Frequently use
– Hair grows back harder
– Hair root keeps existing
– Spiky legs

The electric epilator: an efficient but painful alternative

The principle of the electric epilator is easy: it pulls out every single hair including its root. The result is perfect and lasts long: more or less 3 to 4 weeks. But this method is not only painful but also needs lot of time to be done. The back part of the leg is by far not as painful as the front part or calfs. A good thing is that the pain gets less because the hair will get skinnier and the skin desensitizes (which is not very positive).
Price of an electric epilator: 30 to 90€, depends on the model

Tip:

– Epilate after having a hot shower when the skin is dry again. Then the pores will be wider which makes it easier to take them off.
– Stretch your skin with using your hands so there will be no little wrinkles which could be draft by the epilator.
– Put some mineral oil on the epilated part of your skin to prevent the burn.
– Optional you can epilate in different stages.

Advantages

– An impeccable result
– Long lasting
– Take off the roots
– Cheap

Disadvantage

– Painful
– Needs a lot of time
– Maintenance

Peel- off creams: efficient and completely painless:

The principle of peel-off creams:
Sulfur compounds will dissolve the keratin of your hair and skin so the hair can be removed without any pain. Disadvantage is that hair roots will not be removed. It means that peel-off creams are less efficient then waxing or epilating. Furthermore, your hair will grow back suddenly faster.

Advantage

– Painless
– Fast

Disadvantage

– Hair roots will not be destroyed
– Does not last long
– Frequent buy of peel-off cream
– Can be expensive
– Not ecological
– Chemical product

Waxing

Waxing is a famous, common and probably the oldest way of hair removing!
The principle: the hot wax has to be put on the skin with stripes. After the wax hardened you need to pull the stripes so it takes off the hair. Waxing is one of the most efficient and fastest methods, but also one of the most painful.

One advantage: the warm stripes widen the pores on your skin which easies the process. Exactly like the electric epilator the hair roots will also get pulled out.

Note: The hair needs to be long enough so the wax can pull it off.

Costs for a hair removal in a professional studio: 30€ for the legs.

Tip: it is possible to create your own oriental wax with water, sugar, lemon juice and honey.

Advantages

– Fast
– Long lasting
– Efficient

Disadvantages

– Relative painful
– Costs of sessions in the studio

Hair removal with a laser

The ultimate solution to get rid of your hair which is used more often by women.

The principle

The heat of the laser is burning the hair with ist roots. (There will be no more grey shadows anymore because the roots get destroyed. This method is only working for dark and not for blond or bright hair.)
For a complete remove of body hair (250€ each session) will cost around 1500€. Furthermore, you will need to avoid sun contact. Keep in your mind that the heat of the laser will spread also on the skin beside the hair. 

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