A few tenths of a second can make a big difference between finishing first and second, and that is why swimmers often remove body hair before a big race. This is done to decrease drag in the water and it is also believed to give swimmers a psychological boost. It has become a tradition in swimming since the 1956 Olympics when Jon Henricks and Murray Rose shaved before their races and won gold medals for Australia. Today, we are going to take a look at the best swimmers hair removal method:
Shaving
This is one of the most common methods of swimmers hair removal, but it’s also temporary.It’s recommended that you trim down the hair on your chest, arms and legs before actually shaving. It is a cheap method of removing body hair and can be done at home before a swimming event, but if you have a lot of hair it can require several razors.
Is this the best swimmers hair removal method?
Shaving remains a popular choice for many competitive swimmers, but the hair is only cut off at the surface and will quickly return. Ingrown hairs and folliculitis may also become a problem. However, it remains a cheap, effective way of making yourself more aerodynamic for gliding through the water.
Waxing
This is a good, albeit painful swimmers hair removal method of pulling out large amounts of hair. It is a method where warm wax is applied to the hair and then pulled out with a piece of wax strip paper. You only need to see the scene with Steve Carrell in The 40 Year Old Virgin and know that it was real to understand how painful it can be. Still, the results will last longer than shaving and it is possible to do it at home or get professional treatment.
Is this the best method?
Waxing can prove a good way of removing body hair before a swimming event or competition, but you will need to have a good pain threshold. It’s also important to note that the hair must be a certain length (0.25–0.5 inches) for the wax to grab and pull it out.
Swimmers Laser Hair Removal
There is limited pain in the case of laser hair removal and it can treat just about any part of the body. You will need to visit a trained professional to receive treatment, though, because it is essentially a laser burning away unwanted hair follicles at their roots. The treatment is not cheap compared to the two methods mentioned above, potentially in the region of $1,500 or more for a series of treatments, and the hair will grow back.
Is this the best method?
It is a method that is being used by more swimmers, but whether or not it is the best will depend on individual discretion. The cost will also need to be taken into account and can differ depending on where you go.
IPL (Intense Pulse Light)
IPL is different to laser hair removal as it can treat an area in one go and can do so for a larger area. This makes the treatment quicker and reduces the level of pain. It takes a couple of treatments to see results and it works best on darker hair and paler skin. Professional treatment can be expensive, albeit generally cheaper than laser treatment, and there is the money saving option of purchasing a home IPL system.
Is this the best method?
Once again, it’s going to be down to individual preference whether or not IPL is a swimmer’s best method of hair removal. Repeat sessions will be required, but these can be carried out at home with a professional bought system.
