Thread: the pits :(

hi everyone,

so my least favorite part of the body...the arm pit, so least-favorited, we have two! LOL. Seriously though, I am very fair with very dark hair. I shave now, but there is still discoloration from the surrounding skin to the pit.

Would waxing solve that problem? Is there anything else I can do to make it blend? Baby powder? A better lotion? I don't know, just looking for options here...I've tried waxing other body areas before, and it wasnt my favorite thing to do...

Any help would be much appreciated! ..g.:

Is the skin darker because of new hair growth?

I had darker skin but I was actually traumatizing my armpits. The skin is very sensitive so if you scrub a little too hard you could cause something close to bruising. Also my doc advised me to not wear deodorant while sleeping to give my skin time to breathe.

I personally like to wax. I'm Asian so I don't have much hair growth anyway and waxing is a simple solution that I won't have to worry about often. If you have hair that grows back quickly then maybe waxing would not be a good idea.

There's also laser removal but I don't have any experience with that so I could help ya there.

Originally Posted by Khaleela

Is the skin darker because of new hair growth?

I had darker skin but I was actually traumatizing my armpits. The skin is very sensitive so if you scrub a little too hard you could cause something close to bruising. Also my doc advised me to not wear deodorant while sleeping to give my skin time to breathe.

I personally like to wax. I'm Asian so I don't have much hair growth anyway and waxing is a simple solution that I won't have to worry about often. If you have hair that grows back quickly then maybe waxing would not be a good idea.

There's also laser removal but I don't have any experience with that so I could help ya there.

Hmmm, you know, I've tried to wax at home but can never find a kit that actually works. They never grab the hairs firmly enough to withstand the tug. Or do you go to the salon? For me, it does grow back fast...but maybe i am scrubbing too hard :(

I have very dark and course hair and must shave everyday. Just after Christmas I purchased an epilator (Braun or Epilady) for my legs. I was a little nervous about using it under my arms, but I have to say it's been awesome. The hair growth only needs to be about 1/8th of an inch long for it to get a hold and pull them out (by the root). It does hurt (but you get use to it), it took me 2 attempts to get the job done. Now I am hair free and do touch ups (3 or 4 hairs) about once a week. No more rash and bumps from shaving!..g.:

Originally Posted by Zahrah65

I have very dark and course hair and must shave everyday. Just after Christmas I purchased an epilator (Braun or Epilady) for my legs. I was a little nervous about using it under my arms, but I have to say it's been awesome. The hair growth only needs to be about 1/8th of an inch long for it to get a hold and pull them out (by the root). It does hurt (but you get use to it), it took me 2 attempts to get the job done. Now I am hair free and do touch ups (3 or 4 hairs) about once a week. No more rash and bumps from shaving!..g.:

REALLY!??!! Because if that is the solution I will definitely try it! I just heard that, and it is probably an urban myth, that it caused bleeding and bruising :(

I am health care provider and see a lot of things. So when you say discoloration? how big is it? Did the skin turn dark? is there a defineable ring/circle?

Sometimes cause there is a lot of moisture under the arm pits it is possible to pick-up a fungal infection or yeast infection, but I am not saying that it is, but if it is anything close to what I described I would suggest seeing a dermatologist to get a proper diagnosis.

Originally Posted by AngelaDiCaprio

I am health care provider and see a lot of things. So when you say discoloration? how big is it? Did the skin turn dark? is there a defineable ring/circle?

Sometimes cause there is a lot of moisture under the arm pits it is possible to pick-up a fungal infection or yeast infection, but I am not saying that it is, but if it is anything close to what I described I would suggest seeing a dermatologist to get a proper diagnosis.

sorry, probably poor choice of words when i used discoloration. it is jsu tthat you can tell there is some hair just waiting to grow back in...under the surface...does that make sense? it happens on my legs too..in the particularly sensitive areas it seems to just look like the equivalent of a 5 oclock shadow...oh geez, i dont think i am making any sense...i am sorry :(

I've had laser hair removal on my tummy (happy trail) and I loved it. It hurts and my skin had a bad reaction to it the first time, but now I have a hair free tummy. It was worth the $ (and pain).

Electrolysis is a viable option for small areas like the underarms. I think Deelight mentioned her experiences, maybe she will chime in.

Originally Posted by jengal55

sorry, probably poor choice of words when i used discoloration. it is jsu tthat you can tell there is some hair just waiting to grow back in...under the surface...does that make sense? it happens on my legs too..in the particularly sensitive areas it seems to just look like the equivalent of a 5 oclock shadow...oh geez, i dont think i am making any sense...i am sorry :(

Actually that does make sense. I would say that lazer removal would be the best option. It is quicker and a lot faster. Electrolysis is actually more painful and takes more time and money in the long run.

If you want to try waxing again make sure that your hair is long enough (I know it kind of defeats the whole idea of being hairless) and that the area is free of soap, lotion, deodorant and sweat.

I do mine at home since I'm not very patient when it comes to making appointments and having to wait.

Laser hair removal does not work if you have heavily pigmented, coarse hair. Belieeeeve me, please. It is too expensive to mess around with to be disappointed.

With waxing the trick is proper angle of rippage. It is difficult to do it on oneself (more power to you, Khaleela!) b/c it's hard to get that leverage so going somewhere to have someone do it for you would probably be the most effective.

If you go with waxing, exfoliate regularly to prevent in-grown hairs, but not the night before getting waxed.

As a last resort, you can use a Ben Nye product called "5 O'Sharp" which is a concealer for 5 o'clock shadow. If you perspire a lot, though, you may need to seal it with a fixative.

Originally Posted by Azhia

With waxing the trick is proper angle of rippage. It is difficult to do it on oneself (more power to you, Khaleela!) b/c it's hard to get that leverage so going somewhere to have someone do it for you would probably be the most effective.

yes, i tried a couple of times to wax at home, i felt like i was imitating a pretzel..i couldnt get the right angle ...mor epower to khaleela!!! Thanks for the advice, Azhia! good to know about the laser removal...

Originally Posted by Azhia

Laser hair removal does not work if you have heavily pigmented, coarse hair. Belieeeeve me, please. It is too expensive to mess around with to be disappointed.

oh man - I hate to hear this ... I have been dreaming of laser hair removal for a while now ... are there any other permanant options that do work in those situations?

LOL. I had lots of practice before being able to fully do my own armpits plus tons of owie moments.

When I do mine I put my hand behind my head and rotate my elbow out and back to create tautness. I also flex as if I was doing pilates.

Originally Posted by Khaleela

LOL. I had lots of practice before being able to fully do my own armpits plus tons of owie moments.

When I do mine I put my hand behind my head and rotate my elbow out and back to create tautness. I also flex as if I was doing pilates.

Hi Khaleela! Do you have a prefered brand of wax? I've tried the typical ones you find in the pharmacy but they werent strong enough. The cloths wouldnt even stick to the stuff... :(

I use a Gigi warmer and their brand of wax. I recommend the sugar and honey recipe. You can buy a small warmer if you don't plan on using it that much but it doesn't come with a lid. Get some soothing lotion too. It helps take the sting out as well as disolve any left over residue. Most of this stuff can be found at hair care stores like Sally's.

I had a bad experience with the tea tree wax so I don't recommend it. It does not clean off easily especially when you really need it too. There's a lovely story behind that:)

Yeah I was in the same situation as the OP: light skin, dark hair, 5 o'clock shadow under my pits if I shaved that morning and was exposing my arms in the evening.

I did get electrolysis done and while I LOVE the results it is probably too time-consuming for a lot of people. The process took 3 years of going every 3-4 weeks to an electrologist. At first my sessions were an hour and a half each, then they gradually diminished, finally down to maybe 10 minutes every 4-5 weeks. I offered myself up as a practice model to students at an electrolysis school, so it didn't end up costing me anything. If you were to pay full price the total cost would be as much or slightly more than laser.

However, unlike laser, electrolysis is permanent and works on all types of hair. I never shave anymore and I really love it.

If you have the dedication to go through with the multiple treatments I would highly recommend it. As far as the time involved, I told myself that some people spend more time watching TV in an evening than I spent on electrolysis in a month. It just became part of my regular beauty regime for awhile. Now I'm hair-free and happy!

I am hair removal dumb - just a plain ole razor for me. What is the difference between laser and electrolysis?

With electrolysis a tiny needle-sized probe is actually inserted into the hair follicle and a current of electricity is sent through it which destroys the hair at the root. The entry of the probe into the skin is painless because it is entering through an existing opening in the skin. The current feels like a quick little sting. Your skin is red and a little hot to the touch (like a sunburn) immediately after a treatment, it usually gets back to normal within 30 minutes or so.

Anyway, each hair is treated individually, rather than a whole area at a time, which is why it takes so long at first when you have a lot of hair.

Originally Posted by deelight

Yeah I was in the same situation as the OP: light skin, dark hair, 5 o'clock shadow under my pits if I shaved that morning and was exposing my arms in the evening.

I did get electrolysis done and while I LOVE the results it is probably too time-consuming for a lot of people. The process took 3 years of going every 3-4 weeks to an electrologist. At first my sessions were an hour and a half each, then they gradually diminished, finally down to maybe 10 minutes every 4-5 weeks. I offered myself up as a practice model to students at an electrolysis school, so it didn't end up costing me anything. If you were to pay full price the total cost would be as much or slightly more than laser.

However, unlike laser, electrolysis is permanent and works on all types of hair. I never shave anymore and I really love it.

If you have the dedication to go through with the multiple treatments I would highly recommend it. As far as the time involved, I told myself that some people spend more time watching TV in an evening than I spent on electrolysis in a month. It just became part of my regular beauty regime for awhile. Now I'm hair-free and happy!

whoa..that is a lot of effort...good point about the tv watching though! thanks for describing the process....

WOW! I just got another star! Hurray!!! Too bad i was talking about arm pits at the time! ..g.:

..l;, I'm sure it was during the times I went OT that I got my stars...

I really really like the results I get with Moom and the following procedure (aestheticians who know what they're doing will often do it this way):

Remove the lid and put the jar in a saucepan and heat to a honey-like consistency (or use Gigi and heat in warmer).

Clean & dry the area to be waxed, spread extremely thin layer of baby powder over it.

Dip the stick in, wipe excess from ONE broad edge, and ONE thin edge. The remaining amount is all you need for an area (it should be a very thin layer of wax).

Apply the wax to ONE plane, IN the direction of hair growth. Meaning, if you have lots of curves and crooks/crevices, you have to accommodate all of them in it's own separate ripping.

Apply dry cloth over it, firmly wipe in direction of hair growth three times to adhere wax to the cloth, pull the skin taut where you will start to pull the cloth, and pull ACROSS (not UP) & OPPOSITE direction of hair growth.

Laser is the only way to go!!
I have very dark and course hair, I had that shadow all the time, not to mention razor bumps and stinging. So I did laser hair removal, also did my bikini area. I tried different lasers, if it hurts, find another technician, they have some great lasers out now that DO NOT hurt due to a cooling system in the wand!! I haven't had to shave for over a year!! It's expensive, but well worth it, and my skin has gone back to being soft and healthy, not beat up by razors or other harsh treatments!! You may need to have a few sessions of maintenance every 1-2 years, but again it's the best, I can't wait until I can afford to do my legs!!

I'm blonde (well, light brown as time goes by) and I have very dark, thick hair everywhere you shave (which I did at age 14, twice before I started waxing exclusively). I waxed everything for 17 years and had the best results on my armpits. Last year I finished 5 treatments of laser hair removal on my legs - amazing!
If you choose this option (it is very pricey) don't go to a spa, go to a doctor (or medi-spa). They are more expensive but they are allowed to carry stronger lasers (since a doctor is overseeing eveyrthing) so you end up needing less treatments and paying less in the end.
Although many people do it, I've heard words of caution (from naturopaths, etc) that we should be cautious about using laser on hormonal areas (underarms, bikini) because of the proximity of lymph nodes and glands. But, as one friend and health practionner added, if a compromise on your health will help you feel great about yourself, give you confidence and find it easier to love who you are and minimize "complexes", then it can be beneficial for your health. I hope I'm expressing that right. I certainly feel more confident and less stressed about needing to show my legs and would consider doing my underarms too.
Good luck with this tough decision. Listen to what feels like the best thing to do for you.

If you aren't ready to commit to permanent solutions, you may want to try Magic Shave. It is in the "ethnic" section of haircare for men. Lots of women use it for smooth and long-lasting bikini area clean-up.

I've wanted to do laser hair removal for years so yesterday I booked my appointment and this morning I went in, looked over the price, which wasn't bad, IMO, asked a bunch of questions, and less than an hour later they had zapped my underarms. The right side stings more than the left...and the doctor said it's normal for the right side to be more reactive. No pain or sensitivity or even redness after the treatment. I'll probably be doing ice packs right before because I don't want to do the numbing medication.

My particular treatment is spaced out every 10 weeks for 5-9 sessions. The package includes lifetime hair removal to the specific area so if I ever need to come back, no worries. I'm really excited to see the little hairs fall out in a few weeks.