Hairy thing

Kathrin Rothfischer studied microbiology and genetics in Regensburg after an excursion into German studies. Presenting complex issues in an easily understandable way was her passion even then. That is why she turned this passion into a profession after graduating: After various positions in the medical specialist publishing house and in the public press, she finally found her journalistic home at

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The great sprouting begins in puberty: hair suddenly grows under the armpits and around the genital organs, and in the boys the first fuzz heralds the growth of beards. The reason for this are the hormones that not only change the figure, but also the body hair. How strong the hair growth is and what color the hair is, as with scalp hair, depends primarily on your genes.

How you deal with the new body growth is up to you. Removing your hair in one area or another is a question of fashion, culture, but also individual taste. Many girls and women shed their armpit hair and depilate their legs. Even the pubic hair is trimmed by many - up to the "Hollywood cut" - the complete clearcut in the genital area.Incidentally, this is not uncommon among young men.

Shave, wax, epilate

There are several methods available to get rid of hair:

»Shaving: This method is probably the most widely used. It's simple and painless. At least if you don't cut yourself. You can use an electric razor (dry shave) or a disposable or gel razor (wet shave). You won't injure yourself easily with electric shavers, but neither do they cut your hair as thoroughly. In order not to cut yourself when shaving wet, you should always use fresh blades. Always shave your hair in the direction that it is growing.

If you use shaving foam: please do not use shaving foam in the intimate area, but rather special products for intimate shaving. Razors can irritate the skin, causing small pimples. This is due to the flakes of skin that hinder hair growth. You can't completely prevent the pimples - especially if you have sensitive skin anyway. With the appropriate skin care (for example with baby oil, balm or a lotion) immediately after the shave and by only lightly pressing the razor open, you can ensure that they appear less severe. Regular exfoliation to remove the flakes of skin can also help. The disadvantage of this method: the hair grows back quickly, you have to shave every one to three days.

»Epilation: Here you pluck the hair and the root, similar to plucking eyebrows. The only difference is that the tweezers are in a special device when epilating. If you switch on the device, they start to rotate and pull out the hair. So that you don't accidentally pinch skin, you should tighten the respective area with your fingers and apply the epilator at a certain angle. It takes some practice. Epilation is a thorough method of getting rid of hair and the effect lasts for up to four weeks; however, the procedure is very painful.

»Depilatory creams & Co: Chemical hair removers like those contained in depilatory creams or foams make the hair and hair roots unstable so that they fall out by themselves. It is sufficient if you lightly run a spatula, which is included with most creams, over the appropriate area. It's quick, painless and you only have to repeat the procedure about once a week. However, such chemicals can cause skin irritation and allergies. Before you use a depilatory cream, you should definitely test whether you can tolerate the product. You should be careful when applying it, being careful not to get any of it into the vagina, under the foreskin, or on the glans penis.

»Waxing: Cold or warm wax is also suitable for hair removal in the intimate area. You can do this at home; for example, you can buy sets for home use in the drugstore. When dewaxing, take a strip coated with wax, press it on the area that you want to depilate, let it take effect for a short time and then pull it off with a jerk against the direction of hair growth.

The effect of this method lasts for a long time and pimples also appear less often afterwards. But: the whole thing can be very painful. It is best to have a professional do the waxing. If only because the inhibition threshold to tear the wax strips from your skin yourself can be quite high. The beautician or special “waxing studios” are good places to go. By the way, a similar, but somewhat gentler, method is sugaring. Instead of wax, you apply a mixture of water, sugar (hence the name) and lemon.

»Laser treatment: You can also have unwanted hair removed with the laser. The goal is to get rid of the hair permanently. In fact, you have several years of rest after laser treatment. The laser treatment should only be carried out by a specially trained dermatologist. Young people need the consent of their parents for this. Laser hair removal takes a long time and is expensive. In addition, nothing is known about long-term effects.

Tags:  diet skin therapies