That's Fit

A lot of the laser hair removal commercials I hear make shaving sound like it's just the worst thing in the world. And let me be honest -- I'm not exactly a fan of shaving my legs, but I don't find it to be the horrible imposition that some people obviously do.

However, that doesn't mean I'm not open to new and improved hair removal techniques, so when I saw this article on "things I might not know about hair removal" at Shape.com, I read it top to bottom. Shape claims that some new techniques might turn hair removal into something you look forward to (I highly doubt that), but they do have some good suggestions for things to try.

Check out the gallery to see seven hair removal suggestions from Shape, and be sure to share your best tips in the comments!

Whether it's on your face or your legs (or elsewhere...), razor burn is downright unpleasant. Interested in finding out how you can stop razor burn in its tracks? I recently came across this article with some helpful tips on how to prevent it:

• Make sure you're using a clean, sharp razor. Ditch the one you picked up years ago, and only use a disposible one when it's absolutely necessary.
  
• Don't go against the grain -- shave in the same direction the hair is growing.
  
• Shave in or after the shower, and make sure the area you're shaving is thoroughly wet--dry hair is too difficult to shave
  
• Try using a shaving cream or oil -- soap and water shaves are too harsh.
• Don't shave run the razor over the same area over and over -- this will lead to irritation.
  
• Don't shave immediately after getting up -- the skin is too puffy to get a good shave. On the other hand, don't spend too long in the bath before shaving -- your skin gets too wrinkly
  

Of course, if you do get razor burn, it's not the end of the world. Apply an Aloe Vera lotion twice a day and your skin should be rash-free within a couple of days. Or, try using a tea bag, as Bethany suggested a while back.

essRemoving body hair isn't exactly high on most people's "fun things to do" list, but alas, for most of us it's just something that has to be done. I suppose the good news is that there are so many different hair removal methods out there (whether you're talking eyebrows, underarms, legs or bikini line) that we at least have some choice about how we'll free ourselves of excess hair. If you want to take a look at the long list of what's available, as well as know all of the pros and cons of each method, take a look at this article which gives a rundown on shaving, waxing, tweezing, removal creams and threading.

I admit that I've always been afraid of waxing pretty much any part of my body. Pulling hair out at the root just doesn't sound appealing to me -- although I suppose I'm somewhat of a hypocrite as I do enjoy tweezing my eyebrows. However, I know that there are tonnes of devotees out there that wouldn't think of using any other method. According to the piece, the pros really outweigh the cons as, even though it hurts, the pain is fleeting, the results are excellent and long-lasting, and it's cheap.

Before reading this article from the NYT, I never realized how much men detested the act of shaving. (I guess my husband just isn't much of a complainer.) But apparently, for some of you guys out there, shaving isn't so much a daily ritual as it is a constant battle to keep unwanted stubble at bay.

Some men are turning to products that claim to slow the growth of their facial hair, using natural plant extracts like palmatine and saw palmetto. Though the products as a group haven't really taken off yet, two -- Clarins Men Skin Difference and Origins for Men Fire Fighter Plus -- are enjoying a growing popularity among their male customers. Some men claim that the products put their 5 o'clock shadow off until later in the evening, and that they enjoy smoother skin with fewer ingrown hairs.

Dermatologists say the science behind these products is sketchy, so whether or not they really work is up for debate. If you're a man who's tried these products, did they work for you? And if you haven't tried them, would you? Tell us what you think!

Men have been shaving for thousands of years and here's an interesting statistic for you: the average man spends 9,000 hours of his life shaving.

That's a lot of shaving. And a lot of chances for razor burn and nicks.

But what if all those products you use to make the process easier (and to avoid the razor burn and nicks) are actually causing you more harm than good? Do you really need all that to get a good shave? Some doctors believe the increased incidence of skin and respiratory conditions like dermatitis, rashes, and even photosensitivity are a direct result of too many artificial ingredients and chemicals found in shaving products.

Consider looking for products that have natural ingredients you know (and can pronounce) like aloe vera, honey, and witch hazel, and avoid chemicals with obnoxiously long chemical names whenever you can. And remember this is something you use every day -- it's worth the effort to make sure you're getting the healthiest choice!

If you asked me to list a bunch male habits that might be distantly linked to stroke risk, shaving once a day would be the very last thing I would have guessed. But this 20-year study will really make you think twice about it. Apparently shaving less than once a day increases our risk of having a stroke by 70 percent!

Over 2,000 men aged from 45 to 59 were studied in South Wales. You must be asking yourself how this link originates. Well, some of the infrequent shavers were found to be smokers, which automatically put them in the club for high risk. But when they took away those risk factors, the hormonal links ended up showing through regardless! Just like the relationship between baldness and heart disease, infrequent shaving and strokes were found to have a biological link.

So next time the long weekend rolls around, think twice about sporting that five o'clock shadow.