Shaving and waxing your armpits on an ongoing basis can get old real fast, especially when it seems as if your armpit hair is growing at an accelerated rate. You may have tried a few tricks for slowing the growth, but all your tactics have seemed unsuccessful. So, the question that you may wonder is why does armpit hair grow so fast?
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The reason armpit hair grows faster than other parts of the body
Due to the fact that your armpits are exposed to more heat and moisture, the hair in this area grows faster, as heat and sweat create an ideal environment for hair growth. So, it’s not just your imagination that your underarm hair seems to grow back overnight, because it literally is. In fact, your armpit hair grows about 50% faster than the hair on your legs.
How fast does armpit hair actually grow?
Armpit hair grows approximately an inch a month, so after about a week, or even sooner, you will notice that stubble is present. After a few months, if you decide not to shave for some reason, you will have a full “fro” under your arms by then, which many women (and men) find unattractive and even disgusting. There are some ways to decrease the rate at which your armpit hair grows, so you don’t have to feel as if it’s a chore to constantly remove the hair.
How does your armpit hair growth rate compare to other body hair
Before we find out more about armpit hair and show you some solutions for reducing armpit hair growth, let’s compare how fast your armpit hair grows compared with other body hair. This comparison is interesting because it gives us an idea of the rate at which some body hair grows faster than other hair and gives us an idea of whether our hair growth is normal compared to the average person.
As you can see in the chart above, your Armpit hair grows at approximately 0.27mm per day. This is much faster than your eyelash hair growth rate which is between 0.12 and 0.14 mm per day and eyebrow hair growth rate of 0.14 – 0.16 mm per day. Your fastest growing hair is on your head. Head hair grows a little bit faster than armpit hair with your head hair growth rate being around 0.35mm per day. According to Gillette, your beard hair will grow approximately 0.27mm per day which is the same speed as your armpit hair grows.
Does armpit hair grow faster in the summer?
Yes, all hair grows faster during the summer months because of the heat, so you will notice that you need to shave your armpits, legs and bikini area even more frequently. Fortunately, during the winter months, hair removal isn’t necessary as often, because your hair will regrow at a slower rate. However, armpit hair will likely continue to regrow faster than hair does on other parts of the body, due to the heat and moisture.
How does shaving affect the speed of armpit hair growth?
Many people wrongly believe that if you shave, that you’re stimulating the further growth of hair. While this may appear to be true, the truth is that shaving has no affect on how fast hair grows, and it doesn’t directly stimulate the hair to grow thicker or faster. The rate at which your hair grows as well as the thickness is determined by genetics.
How to stop armpit hair growth naturally
There are many over-the-counter hair inhibitors available that can slow or even stop hair from growing back. There are numerous formulations available that have different active ingredients, depending on what you’re looking for. For instance, one formulation has active ingredients such as Decelerine, Telocapil, Pilisoft, Allatoin, and more. These ingredients work synergically to not only thin existing hair, but to also prevent future hair from regrowing.
Is shaving or waxing more effective for armpit hair?
This is a matter of personal preference, as each method can work effectively to keep your armpits silky smooth and free from hair. However, if you prefer shaving, it will likely be necessary to shave on a daily basis. Waxing can keep your underarms hair-free for longer periods of time, but for some women, waxing can be a real pain. Not only is there a high probability of irritation, burns, redness and even bleeding, but waxing is a lot more in-depth than shaving. You can shave in a matter of 30 seconds, but waxing takes time as well as skill.
If you wax your armpits for the first time, you will want to be sure to read the instructions very carefully. Don’t hurry through the process, as it can increase your chances of sustaining injury. Most hair removal wax is hot, and it’s not difficult to burn away the top layer of your skin if you leave it on too long or fail to follow the directions properly.
What if a woman simply stops removing her armpit hair?
If a woman stops removing her armpit hair, then it will eventually grow out completely. It may not be as full as it would have been had you never shaved or waxed before, but it will be a lot hairier than you’re used to. So, if you’re on a no-shave movement, then you can expect your armpits to become somewhat itchy as the hair starts to regrow. Once you get past the itchy period, the hair will continue to grow until it reaches its maximum length.
Is electrolysis a viable option for removing armpit hair?
Many women who have graduated from daily slaving over the razor and burning themselves with hot wax have opted for electrolysis. Electrolysis is an alternative option for removing hair from any part of your body, whether your upper lip, armpits or some place else. What exactly is electrolysis? Electrolysis is a process that utilizes heat and electricity in order to permanently stop hair from growing in a certain area of the body.
Some women look for options besides electrolysis, however, because this process can be quite painful. There are ways to minimize the pain that you feel during the sessions, like taking over-the-counter pain medications prior to a session, or requesting topical numbing agents like lidocane.
Multiple sessions are necessary in order to ensure that your hair won’t regrow, so you can expect to undergo the process anywhere from 8-12 times. So, while electrolysis is definitely a viable option, if you’re sensitive to pain, you might want to choose another hair removal method, such as hair inhibitors.
Options for slowing armpit hair growth
If you’re tired of shaving and waxing in order to keep your armpit hair under control, you should be aware that there are other options. Whether you opt to purchase one of the many hair inhibitors currently on the market, or electrolysis, you don’t have to feel overwhelmed by the rate at which your armpit hair is growing. Regardless of the hair removal method that you ultimately choose, hopefully you will feel beautiful, sexy and completely satisfied with the chosen method.
