And my new number one reason to remove my body hair......

[Karren H]

To save my life!

That's right.... shaving off your body hair.... mainly chest hair could save your life in an emergency!.... I took my mandatory government part 48 safety retraining all us coal miners have to do every year and in the first aid portion I learnt something interesting.... The cute little EMT who taught us started telling us about heart attacks and issues when using the AEDs ( Automated External Defibrillators) on men with chest hair.... and even though they supply a razor to shave the chest it usually doesn't work and they have to use one of the two sets of electronic pads to effectively wax off the guys chest hair. That leaves just one set to use and has wasted lots of valuable time that could be used to restart your heart and save your life.... the survival rate with just cpr is like 8%.... add and AED and it goes up to like 40%.... if used within the first few minutes.... every minute delayed drops the survival rate big time! So by having you body hair removed you could be helping the EMTs save your own life if you have a heart attack.... I can think of no argument that could possible trump "I did it to keep from dying" .. Totally made the 12 hour retraining worth every minute!

[nhlighthouse]

Thanks Karren....I knew there was something I had to get off my chest!

[Kandy Barr]

Exactly my reason for keeping shaved.:brolleyes:

[Tammy Nowakowski]

Wow I did not now that
thanks for sharing

[Stephanie47]

And, that is a reason for shaving your legs and forearms???

[Erica Marie]

Holy balls heart disease runs in my family. Now I know I have been taking this one important step all these years to protect myself.
Thanks Karen!!!

[Rachael Leigh]

Never liked body hair and when I finally said Im going to keep it off all the time it just makes me feel better about me. So sounds like another good reason for sure

[linda allen]

I suspect that excuse will be about as believable as the ones about removing body hair for swimming or bicycling.

Just ask where they normally put the pads and shave just that area.

[EllieOPKS]

Seriously Linda? So you take your shirt off at the beach or the gym and you have a couple of bald spots just in case you have a heart attack? I would laugh hysterically if I asked a guy what's up with the bald spots and he says "landing zones for shock pads IF I ever have a heart attack". I guess you could shave a couple of strategic spots on your head in case you have a brain hemorrhage too. This could be a good mini series for doomsday preppers. LOL!

[Karren H]

I suspect that excuse will be about as believable as the ones about removing body hair for swimming or bicycling.

Just ask where they normally put the pads and shave just that area.

I didn't say excuse? Reason... BIG difference....lol

[stacycoral]

Good information to know, and besides you stay cooler without all that extra hair, I been almost hair free for a few years, and I don't care what people think anymore, Karren you be careful at work girl, there is too much you need to play hockey to get hurt at work, thanks for the story, happy Halloween to you girlfriend, hugs.

[Beverley Sims]

Oh! I can't think of a more vailid cover up for removing body hair either.
Okay down to Boots & CV to buy some Veet. :)

[Celina]

It'll be known as the "Karren Hutton" Technique :P Who knew retraining would benefit the world of CD'ers!

My GF likes, and I like myself best without hair on chest and various other places, so I am lucky to not need reasons :P

[Alice B]

That's a hair raising story.

[docrobbysherry]

Good tip, Karren. Altho, if I had to deal with crap like shaving and nail maintenance I probably would never have started dressing in the first place!

[Marleena]

We had one guy at work that used to take his shirt off on hot days while we were loading trucks. He was so hairy it looked like he had a mohair sweater on (even his back). Sounds like he would have no chance of survival then.

[Stephy]

And, that is a reason for shaving your legs and forearms???

Well, you need to look balanced. Nothing worse than a carpet of hair on the arms and legs when your chest is smooth as silk!

[Shirley Anne]

Ive shaved all my body hair for years, had a serious heart attack last year and had to be revived by defib, thank god I was shaved, seconds were actually critical in my case.

[chrissy111]

Never needed a reason but it's nice to have a medical one.

[Karren H]

Ive shaved all my body hair for years, had a serious heart attack last year and had to be revived by defib, thank god I was shaved, seconds were actually critical in my case.

That's awesome! Living proof!

[giuseppina]

Thank you Karren. Cardiovascular issues are on both sides of my family. Males are typically buried by their threescore and ten.

[NicoleScott]

So you tell your wife about this, and she comes home from work and says:
"I did some research on this. I asked a paramedic. You are correct. He showed me where they attach those contacts. You may shave those little areas."

[S. Lisa Smith]

Thanks for the info Karren, I'm staying shaved!

[Penny2325]

I always keep my chest shaved since my chest hair doesn't grow well (luckily enough) so if I didn't it'd look terrible.

[Jilmac]

I was never all that hairy to begin with but I shave the majority of the miniscule chest hair I've got, (except for a small landing strip I keep for my SO). It' s good to know that a shaved chest can save my life in the event of a heart attack but the way my luck runs, I'll probably croak in a car accidant.

[Genny B]

Had my first heart attack a couple weeks ago and I am also a medic. As for the little pads, you may want to look again. Defib pads are about 4X7 inches. Oh, and if they do a 12 lead, guess how many wires they will hook up? And the initial 4 lead is usually done with two electrodes on the forarms and two on the legs, if you need more reasoning to shave, lol!

[Teri Ray]

Thanks for the excuse Karren. I knew there was logic behind my shaving.

[alice clair]

I have ben shaving mine for years. I also had a heart attack 6 years ago and I was shaved so I guess it works, they defibbed me 4 times before I woke up. Thanks Karren

[BLUE ORCHID]

H Karen, That sure works for me.

[Christie ann]

Not sure if my wife will buy this one...

[Judith96a]

We had one guy at work that used to take his shirt off on hot days while we were loading trucks. He was so hairy it looked like he had a mohair sweater on (even his back). Sounds like he would have no chance of survival then.

I feel his pain (not quite that bad myself but...) :eek: !

[Marcelle]

Always hated body hair . . . damned genetics. Could have inherited my father's lack of body hair (basically nothing - native side) . . . Nope had to get my mother's side of the gene pool . . . all my uncles are hairy mountain men types. So when I took up UFC fighting and had an opponent rip (yes rip) chest hair out of my body . . . body hair be gone. Been that way for about 5 years now.

BTW, my wife bought the UFC excuse but now that she knows about my CDing I get the "UFC . . . right" :heehee:

Hugs

Isha

[BobbiHall]

Isha -

I know what you mean about hating body hair. I worked at it, but now am completely hairless and just love the feeling. I'm not married so staying this way is easy for me to handle.

Bobbi

[Kate Simmons]

That reason is as good as any I guess, even though I don't need a "reason" to do anything.:)

[BobbiHall]

Kate -

Thanks for replying. I must say you look great. No hair except where it belongs. Love your hair! Is it all real?

Bobbi

[Kate Simmons]

I just put a new pic up Bobbi. I actually come to a close second looking like Shelley but no they are all wigs my friend.:battingeyelashes::)

[PretzelGirl]

And those armpits have to be clear for a resuscitation!

[robindee36]

Since I don't have any chest hair to start with, guess I'm good to go for the paddles. Actually, pray I never need to have that done, but at least the area is prepped.

Any additional 'medical' reasons for removing hair from other parts of the bod? Seems the paddles might be a bit painful in some areas ;)

Hugs, Robin

[Sarasometimes]

If dressed when the unthinkable happens and time is critical, you will lose the bra you're wearing to a pair of trauma shears. And yes the razor in the AED kit is not adequate. Now what we need is for the American Heart Association to endorse this reason to shave.

[CONSUELO]

I have my whole body waxed for aesthetic reasons. It feels so much better and more feminine, as everyone here on this site knows. I am also an enthusiastic cyclist and within that community there is common agreement that shaved legs are much better in case of an accident. Cuts and road rash following accidents are easier to clean on hairless skin than otherwise. I also read a few days ago of some poor man in China who suffered from extreme B.O. and the cause was bacterial infection in underarm hair. So, lots of practical reasons to be hairless but the prime one is that I cannot stand the look and feel of body hair with my clothing.
That said, I wish there were a simpler and cheaper way to remain hairless than the ones available today. A pill would be lovely or some way to kill all of the hair follicles in the desired places without the pain, expense and time of electrolysis. Whenever I see a male who is practically hairless I am envious. Of course, he and his SO are probably wishing that he had a hairy chest. We can never be satisfied!

[Caitlin_85]

He was so hairy it looked like he had a mohair sweater on (even his back).

Yuck! I've seen things like that before and I just have to look away...It's just disgusting. My gosh.

[MindeeGurl]

Good to know. Thanks Karen!

[Daphne Renee]

Sounds like a got reason to me. If anyone asks I can say Karen Hutton reccomends it. Everyone knows Karen. :)

[Chickhe]

Yes...as long as the ERT is not sitting there stunned staring at your chest, saying...did he already wax his chest? ;-) ...I have naturally no chest hair, same as many men, so its not going to be an issue, go for it.

[Daryl]

That's good to know but I never had any chest hair. But I do keep the rest shaved off. I have been hooked up to EKG machines by EMT's
when I was hit by a car four years ago. Now I get hooked up once a year at my cardiologist for a EKG. I also think the Ultrasound tech likes
it whenever he checks my arteries, but he's never said anything about it.

[Sarah V]

I just had laparoscopic abdominal surgery two weeks ago, and I am sure the OR tech's appreciated me saving them time, when they saw that they didn't have to shave my chest or stomach first as part of the prep for surgery.