Armpit hair or axillary hair is one of the natural parts of your body. Some people choose to grow it, others prefer to trim or shave it. Either choice is completely subjective.
When dealing with armpit or underarm cleanliness, it’s important to consider the hair as an integral part. Keeping the hair clean will reduce the body odor that emits from the armpit.
Underarm hair usually starts growing around the ages of 10 to 14. At that time, the pituitary gland triggers sex hormones called androgens and causes the apocrine sweat glands located in the armpit to actively operate.
With the sweat glands activated, the hair follicles in the armpits (axillary) and pubic area start to grow. Hence, armpit hair is often referred to as the sign of puberty.
Now that we know what armpit hair is, let’s delve deeper into its role in our body and learn how to maintain its cleanliness through various ways of shaving. Check it out!
What Is Armpit Hair for?
Our bodies experience many physical changes as we get older. As it stands, there are three kinds of hair based on our growing phases.
Lanugo hair appears in the baby phase, vellus hair grows during childhood, and terminal hair develops as we grow.
Naturally, as the body gets more mature with age, the hair on the body becomes darker, thicker, and stronger. That’s why hair tends to become coarser after puberty.
Aesthetically, armpit hair may look unpleasant, but there are actually legit reasons as to why it grows there, such as:
- Traps body odor, which contains pheromones that can amplify sexual attraction.
- Minimizes skin-to-skin contact when doing active movements.
- Avoids any skin irritations that can be caused by friction.
Is it Good to Remove Armpit Hair?
As stated previously, people tend to have their own preferences when it comes to maintaining hygiene in the armpit area.
Just as keeping armpit hair has its perks, shaving or getting rid of it can have some positive side effects, like:
- Less sweat because there are no hairs that hold onto moisture excreted by sweat glands.
- No natural body odor because cleansing products can get into follicular openings and eliminate bacteria that causes armpits to smell more easily.
Want to get rid of armpit hair for good? You should definitely try our hair removal services. See our services here!
Read also: How to Whiten Armpit: Causes, Treatments, and Useful Tips
7 Armpit Hair Removal Methods You Should Know
When it concerns armpit hair, the thing that you should pay attention to is how it affects you. If you feel uncomfortable with the bushy armpit hair, then you can get rid of them altogether.
Learn how to remove armpit hair by picking one of the following methods below:
1. Plucking
Body hair is like a plant. To effectively remove it, you can pluck it from its root. Doing so can slow hair regrowth.
Some people choose to pluck because it’s mostly effective and quick. However, it can be pretty painful for most people who haven’t done any hair removal before.
Plucking can be done with a tool called tweezers. Before doing it, make sure to clean it thoroughly to minimize the risk of dirt or bacteria coming into contact with your skin.
Read also: Why Should You Not Pluck Armpit Hair? Find the Answer Here
2. Shaving
One of the most common ways to get rid of armpit hair is to shave. Usually, people shave their armpits using traditional or electric razors.
There’s no intense pain associated with shaving armpits, but it’s safer to use proper shaving creams or moisturize the skin first before directing the blade to the skin surface.
Note that if you have sensitive skin, it’s better to reconsider this method. Having razor burns or razor bumps won’t make your skin issues any better.
Read also: How to Shave Armpits Right: 7 Ways to Keep Underarms Clean
3. Threading
Moving on to a more professional hair removal procedure called threading. This method uses a special string to pull hair from the underarm area.
In the process, the therapist will use more than one thread. They will throw away every thread after its use immediately to avoid any contact with bacteria that may cause skin irritations later on.
4. Waxing
Just like shaving, waxing is considered one of the most common hair removal practices. To do it, you can get a waxing kit or simply book an appointment at a salon to have a beauty expert do the job.
Just as the name suggests, waxing uses the application of a hot wax to help pull hair from its root in an area all at once.
However, this method can be quite painful while being relatively quick. If your skin type is sensitive to heat, then you should try another method to remove hair from your armpits.
5. Depilatory Cream
We are now entering the realm of chemical hair removal. By using depilatory cream, you can cover the entire underarm area and pull the hair there all at once.
Let the cream stay on the skin for a while before removing any hair that gets stuck there. Afterward, rinse it off with clean water.
Unlike plucking, which targets hair follicles directly, depilatory cream can only remove hair near the skin’s level. Hence, the regrowth will be a lot faster than any other method mentioned above.
Read also: Ingrown Hair: What Is It and How to Safely Remove It?
6. Electrolysis
Today, hair removal thrives with the application of any advanced invention, such as electrolysis. This method uses electric current to thoroughly destroy the root of the hair.
It can be used effectively on thick and coarse hair. Each hair strand will be targeted by the electric current. As a result, it’s been removed completely from the root.
The downside of electrolysis is that it takes a long time and can be quite expensive. Additionally, some people may not be able to tolerate the stinging pain caused by the current.
7. Laser Hair Removal
Removing hair using laser technology can effectively remove hair from its follicle while lightening the skin at the same time.
Some laser hair removal techniques are more effective on people who have fair skin because the tools can detect the contrasting pigment.
Doing arm laser hair removal will also help you minimize the pain of having your hair pulled out.
To achieve optimal results, you should attend 6 to 12 sessions of laser hair removal.
Read also: 7 Types of Armpit Hair Removal Methods You Should Know!
Armpit Hair Laser Removal with SHR at Clean & Tidy
When it comes to a pain-free hair removal experience, laser hair removal is one of the best options you have.
One of the gentle laser hair removal methods you can try is Super Hair Removal (SHR).
At Clean & Tidy, we offer professional SHR treatments to remove body hair painlessly, including on the armpits.
SHR uses low-energy light with rapid pulses to destroy each hair follicle without causing intense burning sensations.
If you’re interested, you can reach out to us and book an appointment at Clean & Tidy Bugis or Jurong Hair Removal right away.
That marks the end of our discussion about armpit hair. While it’s normal to see it grow, it’s also fine if you want to remove it altogether.
We have special offers for underarm hair removal sessions at our outlets. If you want to try our professional treatment, then don’t waste your time.
Book a session with us and liberate yourself from unwanted hair right now!
Read also: How to Naturally Whiten Underarms: 10 Tips to Do It
FAQ about Armpit Hair Removal
1. What is the best way to remove armpit hair?
Popular best way to remove armpit hair include shaving, waxing, depilatory creams, IPL, SHR, and laser hair removal. Each offers different results and comfort levels.
2. Which armpit hair removal method lasts the longest?
Armpit Laser and SHR treatments provide the longest lasting results, with permanent hair reduction after several sessions.
3. Is laser armpit hair removal safe?
Yes, when done at a licensed aesthetic or hair removal clinic like Clean and Tidy Singapore, it’s safe and effective for most skin types, including darker tones common in Singapore.
4. Does armpit laser hair removal hurt?
You may feel a mild stinging or warm sensation, but modern SHR and diode laser systems are designed to be virtually painless.
5. Can I use hair removal cream on my armpits?
Yes, but choose creams formulated for sensitive skin and avoid applying on broken or irritated skin.
6. How often should I wax or shave my armpits?
- Shaving: every 2–3 days for smoothness.
- Waxing: every 3–4 weeks for longer-lasting results.
7. What are the side effects of armpit hair removal?
Frequent armpit shaving can cause darkness due to irritation or friction. Switching to waxing or laser can help reduce pigmentation over time.
