PSA: You Aren’t Gross Because You Don’t Shave Your Armpits

Hello everyone! I really hope you’ve been doing well and staying safe and healthy. I thought that today, I would discuss the elephant in the room - armpit hair!! But before I can discuss that, I have to talk about my armpits and what triggered this article, to begin with.

As you probably are already aware, I’ve had 3 surgeries for my Hidradenitis Suppurativa. The first surgery, in 2017, was for both of my armpits. My second surgery was in July 2018 for my left armpit, and my third surgery was in August of 2018 and for my right armpit. Fast forward a few years and I can luckily say that I’ve had very few armpit flares since my second and third surgeries. My first surgery was done by a complete quack and sucked, so I flared many times after that one, but my now beloved doctor did my second and third surgeries and he is just dynamite. Since those surgeries, I’ve flared a couple of times in my left armpit and have had to go see him a few times for lancing and drainings, but the right armpit is still kicking ass, and (knock on lots of wood) I haven’t flared there yet!

Seeing changes in my armpits recently

During surgery, my kickass general surgeon removed the sinus tracts that formed under my skin, my infected lymph nodes, glands, and hair follicles, and then removed the damaged skin tissue. Because of this, I’ve lost most of the feeling under my armpits. I’ve also stopped sweating and growing hair there… until now????????

Seriously, I have no idea what is going on. Can hair follicles and sweat glands grow back? Is that a thing? Because I think that’s what’s happening but I really am so unsure and need to ask my doctor about this. Recently, I’ve started sweating under my armpits and getting BO again. For the first time since 2017, I have to start wearing deodorant again and I’m just like wait what is going on????? It came as quite a surprise for me one day as I was working and I lifted my arm to grab a book off the top shelf and I get a whiff of something not very pleasant. I thought I didn’t have to worry about sweating and body odor there anymore!

Besides the ‘awesome’ smell that has been exuding from the region, I’ve also started growing hair under my armpits again. I am utterly confused and genuinely annoyed by this. Like the hair’s presence brings me more fury than Sleepytime tea can handle. I hate that it’s there, but shaving irritates the area and honestly, I just don’t care anymore.

I'm not going to shave and risk getting HS flares

Shaving is annoying and it most certainly does not help my Hidradenitis flares. I should not care that I have armpit hair and honestly, I think I’m just going to leave it from now on. I truly give up. I’m not going to risk getting flares and irritating my skin because other people might potentially get ~bothered~ by a little natural hair. Hair that isn’t on THEIR body. Hair that is in a spot on MY body and a spot that can be in A LOT of pain for ME and ME only. A spot that is never in pain for THEM.

So please, go on, tell me how the hair underneath MY armpits affects you emotionally or physically. Please, I really would love to hear a reason. I bet you got none! HA! Sucks to suck.

But really, HS Warrior, you are not gross if you don’t shave your armpits, and please don’t let any heathen make you think otherwise. This is an uncontrollable disease that you, unfortunately, have to live with and if you’re like me, shaving might potentially make the disease worse. The hair that is under your arm might be annoying, but it is not hurting anyone by being there and it might actually hurt more by doing things to make it not there. Rest easy, please. Please remember, you are not gross. You are just trying to live with a disease that isn’t your fault, to begin with.

Listening to:

• Remi Wolf by Hello Hello Hello (Polo & Pan Remix)
• The Dead Pirates by Ugo
• Little Mix by Salute
• Jim Croce by You Don’t Mess Around with Jim
• Girls Aloud by Girl Overboard