Woman who stopped shaving ‘down there’ revealed every surprising thing she noticed
She took to Reddit to open up about her experiences
A woman who stopped shaving 'down there' opened up about every surprising thing she noticed after ditching the razor.
For many of us, removing hair can be a time-consuming, expensive and at times, seriously painful chore.
Without going down the rabbit hole about unrelenting patriarchal beauty standards when it comes to the female body, many of which revolve around women being completely hairless from the neck down despite this making no biological sense, it's clear that we're all very different when it comes to our personal grooming habits in the pubic region.
Whether you wax everything off, trim down the sides or leave things au natural, your body = your choice - simple as.
Advert
And one woman proved exactly that after taking to Reddit to share with the 'TheGirlSurvivalGuide' thread a little more about her experiences when she 'stopped shaving some things'.
"This post is purely expository on my experience, this is not a pro/con list, this is not advice. I just thought it might be interesting," she disclaimed before getting into the rundown.
She began by explaining that she stopped shaving her underarms and pubic area 'as a kind of test'.
"I found out that not only is my husband an unobservant saint, but that my feelings about my body completely changed," the Redditor shared.
Less sweaty
"My underarms don't sweat as much. Or maybe the hair just wicks it away?" the woman wrote.
"Regardless, this has been a major bonus because I was always a stinky pit kind of gal, no matter what I did."
No more razor burn
She continued: "Going months without razor burn or any irritation has been so relieving.
"I hadn't ever considered it as a stress factor in my life before, but due to my sensitive skin I was never really able to shave my underarms or pubic hair without feeling some kind of irritation."
More empowered
"I feel so much more empowered with regards to my body," the Redditor gushed. "I never really felt feminist before, if that makes sense. I always knew I fell in line with feminist values, etc., and never for a moment did I think I wasn't one.
"But taking control over my body and actively doing something that is considered a little wild and out there hasn't weakened my resolve, but strengthened it."
She added: "I don't think this is a feeling that relies on unshaven armpits or anything, I think it's just that this kind of experience forced me to personally internalise those values. I feel much more connected to other women and myself."
More self-love
"Along the same vein as the above point, I'm loving my entire body more," she went on. "I'm talking more about my period with people, and poop, and body odour, and all those other faux pas things that are completely normal but no one likes to discuss.
"I mean, I don't bring it up at the dinner table or anything, but I try to point out obvious inequality when it happens in front of me and I'm breaking down my personal barriers. I want to know what is normal for my body, so I can love my body."
She added that her husband's reactions were 'minimal'.
"I love him," she beamed, "He just said 'It's your body, do what you want, I think you're beautiful regardless.' Can I marry him again?"
Feeling more mature
According to the woman, not shaving helped her feel 'more mature'.
"If we were going to go by the cycle of Maiden, Mother, and Crone, I feel like I've stepped into the Mother phase. This is fitting, because I hope to become a mother quite soon, but more interesting is just the shift in perspective," she shared.
"I don't feel 'sexy' and youthful like I used to, but it's not a negative change. I feel powerful and strong. I think I prefer this feeling, personally."
Opting for clippers
While she may have done away with the razor, the woman explained: "I definitely need to get a pair of clippers for my pubic hair. Either that or I'm going to have to start a trend of elaborate tiny braids down there."
"I'll just bite the bullet and get the clippers," she joked.
Anxiety over people's reactions
"I'm still nervous about wearing sleeveless clothing," the Redditor revealed. "I've been testing out different clothing items and postures, raising my arms in the mirror to get used to what it looks like.
"I still have anxiety over how people will react. I know I touched on this before, but it keeps cycling back in my mind. I refuse to let this be a reason why I start shaving again, but I haven't quite jumped through that hoop of not giving a f*ck yet. I'm kind of just sitting in the hoop, teetering one way and the other," she added.
The woman also opened up about the fact she hadn't told her mother yet, confessing: "I tell my mother everything."
Final thoughts
"Ultimately," the woman said, "I don't think I'll shave those parts of my body ever again. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm lazy. I don't like doing things I don't want to do, and I shouldn't have to shave.
"If I do, it will be because I want to, or because I'm in a wedding or something and I've been asked, because I'm not going to cause a bride further stress. I've thought a lot about it, and I love my hairy pits, because they are mine."
She continued: "I think our bodies are amazing, that's the biggest takeaway I've had. I think how we treat our bodies directly impacts how we feel about ourselves and our life, and it's important to identify what makes you feel good and what makes you feel bad.
"Shaving didn't make me feel good, it was an unnecessary addition to my grooming routine. However, I still shave my legs, pluck my eyebrows, do my makeup and all that other stuff."
The Redditor rounded off by pointing out that 'grooming isn't all or nothing'.
"Passing on one aspect of what's normal doesn't means you're whole life will change. It might, but that's really up to you," she assured before offering a final message to anyone reading. "If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be this: Don't underestimate the power of doing right by yourself, even in a small way."
Topics: Advice, Explained, Health, Life, Reddit, Sex and Relationships, Social Media, Women's Health, Beauty, Skincare, Hair
Rhiannon Ingle