Leg Hair Question

[Amy Fakley]

Hello everyone,
My wife (Anna Fakely -- who has requested an account here, and will hopefully meet all of you soon -- yay!) has asked me to post a question to the community.

It goes something like this ... I want to shave my legs for the winter and let it grow back before summer. My wife has reservations about this. She says that at the end of the winter, it's going to be exceedingly gross as I let the leg hair grow back ... which is you know ... true. Truthfully, I'm not sure if it really is just that this crosses a line, as in she just doesn't want to see me in that way, or if it really is the end of summer grow-back that gives her pause.

Anyhow, she has asked me to ask y'all ... for those of you who do shave, and are married, how do your wives feel about this? Does it cross a line for them as well?
As far as I'm concerned ... while I would love to do this, if it crosses a line with my wife, than I am more than content to stay on the right side of the line. But the both of us are quite curious as to how others in the community deal with this issue.

-Amy

[Katey888]

Clarification point, Amy - for the benefit of those who reply later...

Is it just through the period of growing back that Anna (Sweet.. ;)) has a problem, or would she prefer you shave and stay that way?

If the former - for me, my leg hair would probably be 60-70% back in about 2 weeks and virtually fully back in under a month - so it's not a hugely long period to tolerate, I'd suggest...

Alternatively - stay shaved... I fully shaved my legs back in January (I think) - took my wife (who I am with on a daily basis at home) THREE months before she even noticed... :facepalm: I've got used to going out in shorts virtually exclusively here and if anyone has noticed I'm not aware of any strange looks - although I would recommend a subtle self-tanner if you don't have around-the-year sun... nothing worse, imho than pale, pasty legs... English legs can be particularly dire, I feel... :)

Even closeted, my wife has got used to them very quickly... I suspect she might actually like it a little... ;)

Katey x

[Nadine Spirit]

I like shaving everything. My wife has not always appreciated that. I understand her viewpoint on it, it is a turn on for her for me to be hairy, especially my chest.

I asked her to try growing out her hair, and living life a bit more hairy than what she is used to. She made it maybe about 2-4 weeks before flipping out and insisting she had to shave it all. Pretty much after that we have had a good understanding, how we each want to keep our body hair is our own choice.

[JessicaJHall]

Manscaping is vogue!! Body hair is gross, IMO, and nobody said a word to me except my SO, and I told her it was grossing me out so I shaved it all off. She, and others keep saying I lost weight because no more hair layer under the clothes! It's worth it just for that! I waited 58 years and I'm never going back. It does make other things look bigger though, in a good way.;)

[Anna H]

I never had much to begin with...so nothing looks too very
different....but it sure feels different...lol!

Mine doesn't care one way of the other. She's even recommended
that I get my own VEET to save myself some trouble. And I will
soon!

:)

[Gretchen_To_Be]

Hi Amy. If you look through some of my posts you'll see that my wife and I reached a compromise that works. I stop dressing for half the year and she gets her hairy man back. The other half year I am smooth. She does like the smooth legs under the covers.

In my experience it's 6 weeks to look fairly hairy and 8 weeks to full return.

Good luck!

[Marcelle]

Hi Amy,

I shave complete and my wife is fine with it. The one hitch when it comes time for close moments :D I can choose to soft and furry or smooth. If I show up prickly . . . there will be no joy for boy me . . . that includes my face.

Hugs

Isha

[Tiffany Jane]

First, congratulations on having a supportive wife who is willing to be a part of this with you. My wife signed up two days ago and will be joining me here as well.

She doesn't mind the shaved legs and probably wonders why I hate shaving my face daily but will try to keep legs shaved and toes painted.

I will let it grow out for months and then shave for a few months. Just depends on how I feel about it at the time.

I started when I looked at my legs and saw hair poking through the nylons I was wearing. Just didn't look right.

[mechamoose]

Sorry, didn't get that. I was too busy braiding my leg fur....

<3

- MM

[charlenesomeone]

Been shaving for months. Here in FL shorts are standard uniform for both
GM and GG. No one notices or says a thing.
Have to agree with Isha, prickly is a no no.
Char

[devida]

I am clean shaven from my scalp down. I was never particularly hairy. My wife could not care less. It's a non issue.

[Fi Evo]

Have shaved for years, SO likes smooth legs.

[vallerie lacy]

Funny you should ask. I just finished shaving my legs about two hours ago. When it comes to my girlie side, my wife loves it all. She loves me in whatever covering, hair or lingerie, that I wish to wear. Life is too short to be concerned about such trivial things. Pass the razor.

[prettytoes]

I've been shaving my legs (and pits...armpit hair is just gross!) for over two years now. I have only ever had a few comments...all positive. I ride my bike every day, as well as help teach Scuba, so I am in and out of wetsuits all the time...both very good reasons if I was ever asked why I shave my legs. No one has ever asked why; in fact I have been noticing more and more men that have smooth legs.
My wife doesn't seem to mind, in fact she got me a pack of women's razors in my stocking one year. I keep my chest hair...she likes rubbing my chest at night, so that stays. I have also found that I am much cooler when it's really hot without the fur on my legs.

[Tina_gm]

I suspect my wife actually likes the feel of smooth, but doesn't like why I shave. Society says she should not like this. Society says I should not like this either. Society doesn't know everything, it just thinks it does.

[Laura28]

I have always shaved from the eyebrows down in the winter this spring I was letting it grow back and my wife said " oh your going to grow it back? I love u smooth please stay smooth from now on." So we purchased a home laser and now there isn't a hair below my eyebrows she loves me smooth and so do I. I live in CA. And wear shorts 9 months a year. We also go to nudist resorts on vacations and nobody said a word. In fact I noticed this year there were a lot of men with no body hair except under arms. One of our friends noticed and said something my wife said it is great you should have him shave as well ( they have no idea about my crossdressing) well they tried it and now love it as well.

[Sara Jessica]

As I sit here admiring my smooth legs on this 100 degree near-the-end-of-summer-but-not-quite-close-enough day...

I guess DADT runs both ways. I didn't ask, I didn't tell. It has been more years than I can remember since I went from a winter-shaver to a year-round-smoother and I didn't ask, I didn't tell, I just did. For better or worse, it has been a non-issue and I will never go back to the days of putting up with NOT shaving or waxing whatever I desire.

In fact, I cannot even remotely relate to what the non-shaving crowd has to go through. A bit of empathy based on SO perceptions, yes, but I'm so far removed from that world that I cannot fathom why one would not shave if they desired to do so.

[JamieG]

Hi Amy,

First, kudos to you for discussing this with your wife. My wife has told me that I shouldn't shave my legs if I want to be intimate with her. One time she felt the prickliness as I was growing it back and it was a huge turnoff for her. However, not so long ago, she felt my legs when they were still fairly smooth, and admitted that she might be okay with them that way. I've never kept them shaven for more than a few weeks at time, so its hard to say how she would feel about long term.

Jamie

[Leslie Langford]

I used to be a "winter shaver" as well, but since buying an epilator about 5 years ago (love it! - although removing that initial furry growth was a real b*tch, and I'd take a root canal instead any day), I've stayed shaved year round. Initially, my wife didn't notice (or else, didn't let on), and it made me realize that the real answer to flying under the radar is consistency - either stay nominally hairy, or else stay smooth year round. It's the "in between" stage that looks the oddest, and is the most likely to attract unwanted attention.

My wife isn't crazy about me shaving all over, but has gotten used to it, and it is now no longer a major issue between us. Yes, she came of age in the 60's and 70's when hairy dudes with lots of chest hair, blow-dried, fancy 'do's, and the requisite porn star 'stashes were all the rage, and so she was socially conditioned to consider that to be what was defined as being "manly" back then. Now the tide has turned, and "manscaping" is no longer the preserve of the metrosexuals.

When my wife does mention the odd time now that she misses her former hairy man and playing with my chest hairs, I remind her of all of her friends and relatives whose husbands have lost either all or part of their hair by now, have gone completely gray (or both), and in some cases sport massive guts as well. I then ask her how much they now resemble the strapping young men they once married. Same difference...everyone changes physically with time, and not always for the better. Neither do women, for that matter. So if these women can forgive their mates the ravages of time and still love them even if they look like substantially different people today, then surely my removing my body hair should be no more traumatic and by default, fall into the same general category.

I mean - think about it logically...for us to remove our body hair is hardly in the same league as deciding to transition, taking female hormones, lasering off our beards permanently, and in some cases, ultimately going the full SRS route. Shouldn't THAT justifiably be a whole lot harder for the average married heterosexual female to deal with?

And let's face it...when was the last time your wife or SO asked you for your "permission" when she decided to change her hairstyle because she was getting bored with the current one...?

[flatlander_48]

Never a problem as I don't have body hair, save for what is covered by panties and underarms...

[WandaRae2009]

My wife actually suggested to shave my legs. She said the hair made her itch in bed. It was actually before she even knew about Wanda. Now she knows why I did it so eagerly. I have kept them clear since by epilating most of the time now.

[Susie Mack]

I used to have a fair amount of hair on my legs, but as I get older, it has thinned and disappeared to a large extent. I figure, what the hell, by the time I'm 90, the entire question will have resolved itself. :-)

[Cheryl T]

I've been shaving (actually) epilating everything for 10 years and when I first did it I made the decision not to let it grow back.
I haven't, no one has ever commented and my wife is fine with it.
After being hairless for so long I know I never want to go back to being covered in hair again (unless I can put it on my head).

[Babette]

My wife actually insists on me shaving. The few hairs I naturally have tend to be short and prickly. Their color is naturally light and somewhat unnoticeable. So why not shave them? The end result certainly creates more comfort for all.

[Teresa]

I started shaving my legs two years ago, my wife didn't notice, this year I asked her if she minded me wearing shorts, when she asked why, I said because of the lack of leg hair ! She does now make the odd sarcastic comment about getting a nice tan on my legs and be careful I don't scratch them !
She didn't persue the question of why I shave my legs ! If I say the stockings look better, it means I wear a suspender belt and then what else am I wearing ?

[Jenniferathome]

... Anyhow, she has asked me to ask y'all ... for those of you who do shave, and are married, how do your wives feel about this? Does it cross a line for them as well? ...

No line crossed. She is quite used to it now but I think she prefers my leg hair as it is more "normal" for men. I have shaved for years and have never had an odd question about it.

[Kris Avery]

I personally like nothing in the way of hair from the eyebrows down (which are more and more waxed BTW).

I'm left to shave, am good for overnight, and then need to shave again within 24 hours if I don't like stubble.

What steps/methods have people used to lengthen this time. I have heard such terror of epilation that it makes me think this is NOT for me.

My rural area basically precludes professional hair removal.

What other options work for people? I heard someone say home laser hair removal and have looked online but the market is flooded with a ton of equipment.

[Amy Fakley]

"If you ask a bunch of crossdressers about shaving your legs you will get unanimous support" I said ... "you might as well ask them if nasty work pants are their favorite piece of clothing while you're at it" I said :-)

ROFL.

Any GG's care to chime in?
That is a perspective both of us would greatly appreciate.

In all seriousness though, thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments. It is so amazing to have a group of people to be able to talk to about odd things like this!

-Amy

[Trishpdxcd2]

Well being closeted that is my last barrier to cross. I started shaving my chest over a year ago and my wife likes it. I have dropped hints about shaving my legs and I think this winter I will. I do shave my nether regions and have for sometime. I also started trimming most of my under arm hair. But my desire to completely shave my legs is so strong that I am thinking about coming out to my wife.

[ReineD]

I prefer my SO to not shave at all (especially the lower legs), but not so much as to deprive him from shaving all over, all year long. I guess it's a question of priority. I think it is a bigger priority for my SO to be completely hair-free than it is for me to have a hairy SO, in other words I accept the shaving.

I do not like the prickly in-between stages. I don't know why.

[Teresa]

Trish,
I found I wanted my legs shaved before my chest, the final straw was when I bought my first pair of heels and tried them with my stockings, the forest growing through had to go ! I feel my legs look and feel healthier now without hair !
Annoyingly chest hair grows nearly as quick as facial hair !

[bridget thronton]

I have never been very hairy, but once I shaved everything but my head I have no desire to let it grow out (has been 6 years and no one has asked me about it for at least 5 years)

[GemmaK]

I've been shaving from below eyebrows for years. My wife is fine with that except if it gets to feel prickly as it grows back. Only one friend has ever commented, and that was when I was sat next to him whilst wearing shorts. Shaving is now common for a few reasons. For me/us, it's a non-issue.

[StarrOfDelite]

Trish,
I found I wanted my legs shaved before my chest, the final straw was when I bought my first pair of heels and tried them with my stockings, the forest growing through had to go ! I feel my legs look and feel healthier now without hair !
Annoyingly chest hair grows nearly as quick as facial hair !

Ain't it the truth! Chest hair seems to grow faster than anywhere except the face. I shave everywhere below the eyebrows 2-3 times a week, and my legs and arms usually don't have any growth which would even merit the name "stubble," but my chest is nubby and prickly after three days.

I have been shaving my entire body (except for the bikini area where I tend to get follicular dermatitis) for about fifteen years. I think that shaving my arms and hands was probably a more noticeable appearance change than either my legs or chest.

I do wish it was easier to shave my back. I live alone and don't have anyone to help with either shaving, waxing or depilation between the shoulder blades. It can be done, but requires a pair of mirrors and flexible wrist, elbow and shoulder joints.

[cosmolovesph]

I've been doing it for a few years now and more of a clean shave vs. short trimmed (initially) and I also shave my arm pits, tops/backs of my hands, and upper/center of my chest (she likes some left vs. entire chest bare). I wear shorts almost year round here in AZ.

[Genny B]

The first time I shaved my legs (VEET) was in November with the agreement from my wife we would try it to New Years. And I have been shaving since. Must not of been much of an issue.

Genny B

[Connie.Marie]

Amy,
I hate to bring up a "negative" response but I have a non-supportive / hostile SO. I shaved under my arms & my upper chest & she went berserk. Screaming & hollering..
Needless to say, to keep peace in the home, I still have all my hair. The upper chest hair came back in all grey, so less noticeable.
I do take scissors & chop my underarm hair back once in a while - She doesn't seem to notice that.

As far as leg hair, I've found that a a pair of pantyhose over flesh colored tights hides all my leg hair. Too hot for the summer here but fine for winter..

Hugs, Connie Marie

[kimdl93]

It wasn't an issue in the least. I have shaved my legs for more than 15 years no...no one cares, my wife or anyone else.

[darla_g]

my wife always says its your body not mine! So no issues here

[JayeLefaye]

I prefer my SO to not shave at all (especially the lower legs), but not so much as to deprive him from shaving all over, all year long. I guess it's a question of priority. I think it is a bigger priority for my SO to be completely hair-free than it is for me to have a hairy SO, in other words I accept the shaving.

I do not like the prickly in-between stages. I don't know why.

Reine, you are so cool in your coping, thanks for hanging in there with your SO & us!!!

I do the below the eyebrow shave about 3-4 times per week, and have comfy pajama bottoms for the prickly days/nights...Oh, and I've worked construction and never had any comments. The shaved look is very much coming into vogue.

Jaye

[MarisaRose.]

Initially my wife was a bit reluctant about it, especially the in between stubble, but over time as long as I'm consistently smooth she could careless. It doesn't even warrant a response now.

[wearingtanpantyhose]

I'm not sure why, but after the last time I completely shaved my hair didn't grow back like before. When I don't shave, it's now very sparse. I often wonder if it's because I wear pantyhose and tights so much, or if it's simply because I'm growing older. If you look close, there is some hair. But in hose, I look like I just shaved. Fine by me!

[lexivanderpump]

My wife doesnt care that I shave my legs. They are always shaved and smooth all year round. (Keep in mind I live in Southern California and I always wear shorts). She tells me as long as I dont use her razors, she is ok with it.
PS I cant stand hair on my legs!

[Jolene Robertson]

Hi Amy,

Glad that everything is going so well at home. I have kept my legs shaved for the last 4 years (since comming out to my wife) and it is a non issue for her. I wear shorts all the time in summer and never had a negative comment from anyone, I do get some looks because of the length of my hair though. Hope your wife enjoys the site.

Hugs
Jolene

[Donna St. Marten]

My wife minds when I don't shave my legs.

[Ashlynn Marie]

I shave mine. My wife has been close to me in the shower, bed, couch and other places.
Has not even noticed. I guess I am kinda lucky.
Never been a problem, though never said anything either.
Just shave late at night when she is sleeping and don't let it get too long so she notices.

[DonnaT]

My wife shaved mine shortly after we married in 1975.

No one notices (or they don't mention it), and I swim at the gym almost every day.

Lots of guys shave, and I doubt that half of them are CDs.

[Jane G]

I have little body hair any way, but do shave my legs every few weeks. Having been a cyclist and a swimmer no one has ever questioned it. My wife has gorgeous legs so no green goblins there either.

[terrianncd]

I shave from the eyebrows down as well, and my wife encourages this. She has always admired the dedication required to stay smooth all over. That said, her legs are hairy....
Once you slide a pair of real FF nylons up your freshly shaved leg, there is no going back, I'm afraid.

[fun4metoo2004]

I shave because it feels better. Less Itchy. and looks much better overall. Once you start, you will like it that way all the time, so don't bother going back after winter. Sounds like the wife is accepting, and NO ONE will ask you about it.

[mechamoose]

From a furry person perspective, having shaved legs felt *weird*. A good breeze felt different. Socks & stockings felt different. My fur grows in at a very low angle to my skin, so ingrown hairs are pretty common (ouch). Because I'm used to being a fur covered beast, I shampoo and condition my whole body. I'm not scratchy, I'm soft.

But I'm not trying to look female. Perhaps it would more important to me if I were.

(To show you how I'm *not* gonna present as female. Forgive the crappy phone-cam)

231894

Sometimes I'm so jealous of you smooth little things!!

- MM

[Vala]

I am doing a full body shave for a while now and have been shaving my legs, armpits, genitals for many many years now. When o started my girlfriend (now my wife) found it odd but now I will get commented that it's time to shave again :)

[Aprilrain]

My ex boyfriend would shave his legs sometimes. The worst part about it was about 2 days to 2 weeks when he was like sleeping with a Porcupine! Before and after that were fine

[DanielleJean]

Hi Amy,
I keep everything from the eyebrows down smooth and my wife likes. Fortunately she hates body hair. I've been waxing my back and chest for 8 years, shaving my underarms for 5 and shaving my legs for a year and a half. She knew about the waxing before I did it. I just did the legs and underarms on my own without telling her. She didn't notice the legs for 9 months. Only 1 person, a female friend of hers commented about my legs. Told her I did shave them. Wife told her the less hair the better.

Hopefully one day I will be able to come out of the closet about my dressing with her.

Good luck and have fun!

[pink.switch.love]

I have been shaving for a few years and Nobody said anything to me but my kids. I don't think people care at all.

I will tell you that it most make some women that don't shave their hairy arms a little uncomfortable in meetings. ..

[SANDRA MICHELLE]

I have shaved for three years now, and don't ever let it grow back. legs are silky smooth and when I miss a shave I get just a little stubble after 4 days or so. I guess everyone is different but it would surely grow back in a couple weeks for "short season" if that's what you are aiming for.

[ericalynn]

I shaved the lower half of my calves, about 3/4 of the way around. For some reason, most of it never grew back. (it's been over 3 years!) So test a patch to make sure that it will grow back, it's not a given.

Erica

[Marsha My Dear]

I recently got permission to shave my legs. Come spring I will hate to go hairy. The only body hair is the 'love trail' from mid-chest to the pubes. I love the way clothing, and everything else just slides along my skin.