Shave it or Leave it?

The other day, a reader asked that I share my opinion on a topic that coincidentally has been on my mind frequently, as of late.

I am sure it is one that many of you consider, at least from time to time, as you see those new hairs sprouting through your external layer of skin… Body hair: Do we remove it, or leave it?

Some say, no matter the area, it is a nuisance for them. Physically uncomfortable for others… Might even feel too unconventional. Not to mention, I know there are Women out there who are embarrassed of it, while others feels hair in the armpit region draws uncomfortable attention to themselves. Some Men have corporate jobs where they are required to appear clean cut and “professional” looking. Hmm… Another demographic of people refer to the hair growth in the various regions of their body to giving them a sexy, primal feeling when they let it grow freely. Some Women I know do it because it feels natural, and feminine – Men have told me it gives them the look of age, and they enjoy that feeling. So, what do we do about this naturally occurring bodily function?

Personally, I am in controversy about this subject. I feel it to be so natural to leave it, so more commonly than not, I do let it go wild… All over. However, I can resonate with the Women out there who find that it may draw attention to our bodies, especially in the warmer months when our light clothing exposes the areas with hair, that others are used to seeing bare. With the “norm” for Women in society today, to be to shave our armpits, legs, yoni’s, etc. An image of cleanliness and femininity is associated with shaving. I guess it all depends on how much what works with our lifestyles and comfortability. I personally, am a part of a very accepting community and work scene, where visible body hair in not-so-common places is not out of the ordinary. It feels comfortable to have the natural hair present on my body… Not to mention the fact that I am way too engaged in other areas of life to worry about saving time for shaving. To be honest, I often forget it is even there… Let alone think about ridding myself of it! When I first began letting hair grow on visible areas of my body, I felt some self-consciousness come up, wondering if people wold think it was “gross” or “weird”. Those feelings passed quickly, as I moved on from caring what other people thought about me, in terms of my physicality. This past week I have contemplated the concept of peoples decisions to leave it or remove it, as I move further away from modifying my body hair. It really interests me, how others feel about it and what works and doesn’t work for them… Because as always, we are each so unique to one another!

With that being said – For all others… Do what feels best for you! I do not think there is a right or wrong when it comes to shaving. It is all about what feels most comfortable for you as a human. Traditional cultures left and removed hair from parts of their bodies. To the best of my knowledge, I think that most was kept intact, though. I would, however, like to point out that body hair IS a natural part of our physical creation as humans. This doesn’t mean that Woman or Man needs to keep it on their bodies if it doesn’t feel right to them, but no one should feel embarrassment because of it. The Creator manifested our physical beings to produce hair, all over ourselves, and in the deepest, darkest regions. It is a natural process. We all have it. I feel a twinge of pain for Women who feel they are required to get rid of armpit hair because “only Men should grow it there”. Or further, that leg hair takes away from their femininity. And for those hairy Men out there, who feel that they may be perceived as “gross” for having an excess of chest or back hair. No matter the extent, color, or location of your hairiness… It is all beautiful!

My one suggestion for those who do choose to remove body hair, wherever it may be… Please consider the process you use in taking care of the hair. Know that when you shave, you are opening up the pores on your body which you drag the shaving blade across, substantially increasing the amount your largest absorber – The skin – Is taking in. Be aware of the products you use. If you choose to use shaving cream, check the ingredients. Did you know that the Men’s shaving cream “Barbasol”, and the Women’s shaving “Skintimate”, contain propane in them? Propane, the derivative of petroleum gas, used to fuel engines, stoves, heating systems, etc. Hmm… And people are feeding that to their bodies via their major absorber? Just for clarification, ingesting propane is NOT a good a idea. Would you drink a glass of propane? I doubt it, as it would severely harm your system. Yes, there is a diluted amount in the shaving cream, but it is definitely still having a negative affect on your system. My feeling is this – If you choose to shave, try an organic, all natural cream. Coconut oil or Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap both are great natural alternatives.

If you feel compelled to share you thoughts, feelings, or own practices regarding body hair… Feel free to comment below or e-mail me personally at <strong>gaiascouts@gmail.com</strong>
I honestly would like to hear more feedback from people on this, because I think it is a suppressed topic in need of attention!

To growing and knowing…