How to Be a Hairy Woman

Co-authored by Karina Villalta and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: September 2, 2022 References

Having excess body hair as a woman can feel frustrating and may have affected your confidence in the past. Growing up, you probably learned that being hairless is a beauty standard for women. However, that trend is changing as more and more women embrace their body hair. It’s up to you to decide if you want to remove any of your body hair and how you want to care for it. Hairy is beautiful, so don’t let anyone tell you differently.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Embracing Your Body Hair

1
Set your own beauty standards because your opinion is what matters. Many women remove their body hair out of habit because of conventional beauty standards. However, there’s no one way to be beautiful. Plus, beauty standards differ across the world, so it’s okay to be different. Decide which beauty standards feel right to you and which don’t.^{[1]
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- For instance, European women often allow their body hair to grow and it’s considered beautiful.
- Don’t worry about someone finding your body hair unattractive because it doesn't matter what they think.
2
Celebrate your body hair as a sign of your womanhood. Women naturally sprout body hair as they go through puberty and become an adult. That means there’s nothing weird or abnormal about being hairy! When you look at the hair on your body, remember that it’s part of growing into the woman you’re meant to become.^{[2]
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- In addition to leg and armpit hair, many women also have fuzzy upper lips and hairy arms, stomachs, and backs. This is totally normal!
- It’s totally okay if you want to go hairless, and removing your hair won’t make you any less of a woman.
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3
Recognize the benefits of not removing your body hair. It takes time, energy, and personal care products to maintain a hairless look. Additionally, you might experience pain while waxing or shaving. Embracing your body hair allows you to save time, energy, and money that you can use for something you really enjoy or care about.^{[3]
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- For instance, you might spend several minutes in the shower shaving your armpits and legs, as well as the time you spent getting the supplies. Additionally, razors and shaving cream or soap can be really expensive.
Tip: If you currently remove your body hair, track how much time, energy, and money your currently use on upkeep. The results may surprise you!
4
Connect with other hairy women to help boost your confidence. Talking to like-minded people is a great way to get support for your decisions. Try to make some friends who’ve embraced their body hair, or look for other hairy women on social media or online forums. Reach out when you need a confidence boost.^{[4]
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- Look at hashtags like #bodyhairdontcare or #leghairdontcare to find women who’ve embraced their body hair. You might even post your own photos using these hashtags.
5
Draw inspiration from celebrities who show off their body hair. Celebrities often set the beauty standards, so it’s important that many famous women show off their body hair. If you start to second-guess yourself as a hairy women, look to these powerful women as an example that hairy is beautiful. Here are a few celebrities who are known for sporting body hair:^{[5]
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- Rihanna
- Bella Thorne
- Amandla Stenberg
- Adele
- Halsey
- Julia Roberts
- Frida Kahlo
6
Use positive self-talk to remind yourself that you’re beautiful. Everyone struggles to have confidence at times, and positive self-talk can give you the boost you need to feel good. Every morning, tell yourself how beautiful you are before you leave home. Then, counter any negative thoughts that arise with a positive truth. This will help you be a confident hair woman.^{[6]
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- Every morning, tell yourself things like, “I look beautiful today,” “I’m so proud of who I am,” and “I feel confident and powerful today.”
- Confront negative thoughts with statements like, “Someone else’s opinion doesn’t define me. I’m me, and that’s not changing,” or “I don’t need to look like other girls to be beautiful. I’m unique, and that’s amazing.”
7
Show off your body hair if you feel comfortable doing so. Don’t be afraid to wear shorts, skirts, or sleeveless tops. Hairy legs, armpits, arms, and such are just as beautiful as hair-free skin. Wear clothes that make you feel confident, and don’t worry about what others might think.^{[7]
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- Most of the time, people aren’t noticing your body hair, so don’t worry about it.
- Don’t feel like you have to show off your hair if you prefer not to do so. Only wear what makes you happy.
8
Ignore any negative comments you get from others. While society is starting to embrace hairy women, there are people who aren’t comfortable with it yet. Unfortunately, sometimes people say hurtful things when they don’t understand something. When this happens, remind yourself that these people are just sharing their opinions, not facts. Then, remember that your opinion is all that really matters.^{[8]
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- Tell yourself, “I know that I’m beautiful, and that’s what matters,” or “I’m not trying to impress that person, so it doesn’t matter what they think.”
- It helps to remember that there are people all over the world who see your hairy body as beautiful. It doesn’t matter if some people don’t understand your body hair.
9
Practice responding to questions about your body hair. After you decide to grow out your body hair, some people might be curious about your decision. It helps to prepare for questions in advance so you know what you’ll say. Then, you can quickly explain why you’re hairy and confident.^{[9]
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- Practice saying things like, “I used to spend a lot of time removing my body hair, but now I use that time to make art, which is important to me,” “Some people think that being hairless is unhygienic, but body hair actually protects your skin,” or “While some people think being hairless is beautiful, I think my hair is a symbol of my womanhood.”

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Caring for Your Body Hair

1
Use gentle soaps and cleansers to wash your armpits and genital area. Wash your armpits with your regular soap or body wash to keep them clean and fresh. Use a fragrance free soap or feminine care wash to cleanse your genital area. Don’t worry about using shampoos or conditioners on your body hair.^{[10]
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- Think about how guys typically wash themselves. They don’t have special products to clean their hairy bodies, so why should you?
Did You Know? Using fragrances and other personal care products on your genital area can upset your body's natural pH. This can trigger a yeast infection or skin irritation.
2
Exfoliate your body once a week or biweekly to prevent ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs are still a concern when you’re letting your body hair grow, especially if you have a lot of hair. Exfoliating regularly will remove the dead skin cells and oils that can clog your hair follicles. Use a commercial body scrub or make your own. Then, scrub your body once a week before you shower, then rinse it off with warm water.^{[11]
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- To make a simple body scrub, mix 2 parts brown sugar with 1 part carrier oil. Great carrier oil options include sweet almond oil, grape seed oil, and almond oil.
- Your body scrub may get stuck in your hair, but don’t worry. As you cleanse your body, the body oil will dissolve and rinse away.
3
Soften your hair with jojoba oil, grape seed oil, or clary sage seed oil. It’s normal for body hair to be coarse, especially pubic hair. If you want to soften your hair, massage a pea-sized amount of carrier oil into your body hair. Add more oil as necessary to cover all of your hair. Let the oil dry before you put on your clothes.^{[12]
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- Your best options include jojoba oil, grape seed oil, or clary sage seed oil. These oils are safe to use every day and will make your hair feel softer.
4
Trim your body hair if you want it to look neater. As an alternative to removing your hair, you might decide to just trim it. Use a pair of scissors or an electric hair trimmer to cut your body hair whenever you think it's too long. Watch yourself in the mirror to help you trim your hair to the desired length.^{[13]
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- This works great for armpit hair and pubic hair! Simply cut it shorter to minimize the look of it, if you prefer.
5
Bleach dark face or body hair that you want to be less visible. Bleaching helps you minimize the look of your body hair for 1 to 2 weeks without having to remove it. Look for a face or body hair bleaching kit at your local drug store or online. Then, follow the instructions on the bleaching kit to apply the bleach, let it sit, and rinse it off.^{[14]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- You’ll likely need to retouch your hair every 1 to 2 weeks.
- Bleaching is best for facial hair and patches of body hair on your stomach, chest, or back.
6
Try body hair trends if it’s something that interests you. With so many women growing out their body hair, it’s starting to become a trend to style it. Look for body hair trends on social media and women’s magazines. Consider trying 1 if that seems fun to you. It might help you enjoy being a hairy woman!^{[15]
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- For instance, you might dye or put glitter on your underarm hair.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Excess Body Hair

1
Recognize that there’s no medical or hygiene reason for removing hair. If you decide to let your body hair grow, you might hear comments about how it’s “unsanitary” or “unhygienic.” This is simply not true. Body hair is normal and healthy, and may even protect your skin from damage. Remember that removing your hair is a personal choice that has nothing to do with your health or cleanliness.^{[16]
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- If someone tells you it’s unhygienic, say, “You probably don’t know this, but body hair is natural and healthy. There’s nothing dirty about a woman being hairy, just like it’s safe for men to be hairy.”
2
Decide what, if any, body hair you want to remove. Just as you should never feel pressured to remove your body hair, don’t feel like you can’t remove hair that bothers you. How much hair you have on your body is a personal choice, so it’s okay if you want to remove some of it. Do what makes you happy, and know you can change your mind at any time.^{[17]
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- For instance, you might decide to let all of your body hair grow, or you may decide to just shave your legs. Similarly, you might grow out your hair most of the year but remove it during the hotter months of the year.
- If you don't want to shave, but want to thin out your arm hair, try sugaring it. This is a process that involves using a sugar paste to remove the hair.
- In order to make your own sugar paste at home you'll need sugar, lemon juice, and water.
Tip: Some women are hairy all over their body, including their stomach, back, arms, and face. You might decide to remove some of that hair if it bothers you, but it’s really not necessary. You’re still beautiful even with your hair!
3
Shave your face or body hair daily to control excess body hair. The easiest way to remove hair is to shave it. Apply a shaving cream or soap over the skin you plan to shave. Then, drag a razor over your skin to remove the hair. Go against the direction of your hair growth to remove it effectively. Then, rinse your skin to remove the shaving cream or soap.^{[18]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- You may need to shave some areas twice a day if your face grows very fast. For instance, you may notice a 5 o’clock shadow that reappears in the evening. You may prefer to touch up visible areas.
Tip: Rinse your razor after every pass to remove hair and your shaving product. This will prevent buildup in your razor and help you get a more even shave. ^{[19]
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4
Pluck or wax hair to be hair-free for 1-3 weeks. Both plucking and waxing pull your hair out by the roots, so it takes longer for it to re-grow. Plucking is best for small areas, while waxing works well for any area on your body. Pluck facial hair and stray body hairs at home using a pair of tweezers. If you want to wax, use a waxing kit from your local drugstore or visit an esthetician.^{[20]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- Plucking works great when you have a few stray hairs, like facial hair or nipple hair. You might pluck your eyebrows, upper lip, chin, and breasts.
- If you want to achieve a natural brow look, your best bet is to work with an esthetician who can create a fuller brow. You can also use minimal products such as brow gel to fluff up the brow.
- You can wax hair on any part of your body. Do it at home or see a professional.
5
Try a topical hair remover to be hair-free for 1-2 weeks. Over-the-counter topical hair removers dissolve your facial or body hair to remove it for about 1-2 weeks. Follow the directions on your topical hair remover to apply it to the area you want to treat. Let the product sit on your skin for the amount of time directed. Then, use a bladeless razor or a cloth to wipe away the hair remover. This will also remove the hair.
- The best time to use a topical hair remover is right after a shower when your hair is soft.
- Look for a topical hair remover at your local drug store or online.
6
Get electrolysis or laser hair removal to permanently remove hair. If your hair really bothers you, visit a dermatologist to learn about electrolysis or laser hair removal. Electrolysis treats your hair follicle with a chemical to destroy it, while laser hair remover treats each follicle with a laser. Both of these procedures take several treatments and are very slow because they target each hair individually. However, they can thin your hair or permanently remove it.^{[21]
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Trustworthy Source
American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists
Go to source}
- Electrolysis is appropriate for all hair types and skin tones. However, you typically need weekly treatments until your hair is all gone.
- Laser hair removal is best for light skin with dark hair. Unfortunately, darker skin can get bleached during treatments. Typically, you’ll need 6-8 treatments, which can remove about 80% of your hair.
- You can get an at-home laser hair removal device. These can only be used on body hair and may be expensive. Additionally, they can burn or blister your skin if you use them incorrectly.

Community Q&A

Question

I am eleven and I have a lot of body hair for my age. I have coarse, brown hair all over my arms and legs, which is very visible. I am insecure about it. How do I become more confident?

Riin07

Community Answer

Accept yourself for who you are. You are beautiful and need to remember that. Every time you feel self-conscious, just remember all the good things about yourself. Hair is not the only thing about you, so focus on the other things that make you who you are.
Question

I am 10 and I have a ton of pubic hair. Is that natural? I went through puberty when I was 8.

Community Answer

Yes, it is normal. Some people just have more pubic hair than others. You can trim it with small scissors if you'd like, just be very careful.
Question

I am 11 years old and have upper lip hair; I've been bullied several times. My mom is scared to try and bleach it. What can I do?

Community Answer

Bleach can be dangerous so close to the mouth, a better option is to wax it off. If you cut a strip of wax down to a fitting size, it should remove it instantly. The more you wax it, the thinner and sparser the hair will become.

Warnings

Don’t try to force other women in your life to grow their body hair. Let them decide what they want for themself.

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Some people are going to be rude about your body hair. However, that’s their problem, not yours. Don’t let someone pressure you into going hairless.

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