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Do You Shave Your Toes?

by 93 Comments

toes-in-pool

I’m not sure exactly when it happened or what I did to deserve it, but seven long, wiry hairs have sprouted up on each of my big toes.

It’s as if I have El Hub’s feet attached to my legs!

I used to think of my feet as pretty darn cute. I was always a hairy Sasquatch everywhere else, sure, but my toes had been gloriously fur free.

shave-yer-toes-dammit
Cartoon representation

Shaving them off seems kind of weird to me, ya know? I shave my legs all the time, but for some reason I can’t wrap my head around shaving the hair on my toes.

What should I do? If you have hairy tootsies, do you shave, pluck or wax?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I don’t shave my legs (lucky me, I admit!) but I have on occasion shaved my own seven hairs. It’s quick, easy, and painless.

    Reply

    • Hi Sdpfeiffy,

      You’re so lucky. I have a friend who doesn’t have to shave her legs, and I’m so jealous. That’s a precious three minutes when I could be sleeping!

      Reply

  4. I dont even have leg hair.. but i do know from watching my boyfriend that hair and shaving = more hair!!

    I have a friend who told me the other day she has a hair randomly sprouting right in the middle of her forhead that was never there before. Hormones???

    Pluck it and ignore it and im sure it will go away!
    .-= Tali’s last blog post… By Terry & Beauty Lusts for Summer =-.

    Reply

    • Hi Tali,

      I did some research and it appears that the hair only feels thicker, but doesn’t actually grow back thicker. Whew!

      Your poor friend… I am guessing that it’s hormones! I have one random hair on the side of my chin that just showed up one day; it shows up periodically and I just pluck it and call it a day.

      I hope you are having a nice weekend so far!

      Reply

  5. Shave them. I don’t have to do it often and NO they don’t come back worse! It’s quick, easy and painless. That whole “it grows back thicker” idea is a myth. Not anything to stress over.

    Reply

  7. I pluck the suckers !! Shaving my toes sounds completely alien….that massive razor going over my toes !!

    I’m soo glad you guys have hairs on your tooties too 🙂 I’m not alone afterall 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Anna,

      I’m glad to know I’m not alone too — I have *no idea* where those suckers came from. I swear they poppped out over night.

      Reply

  8. I’d say wax.

    I’ve noticed that I’ve got a few really fair hairs on my big toes. I’m naturally really fair, so I doubt anyone else would notice but it was really bugging me! I’ve got a tube of Nads stuff that I use for my eyebrows and so I ended up using that and its pretty good. Its less painful than plucking and you don’t end up with stubble!
    .-= Beth’s last blog post… * =-.

    Reply

    • Hi Beth,

      I think I might do that… or perhaps try something new with those shower removers like from Nair and such. 🙂 At least this is an excuse to try something new, LOL!

      How’s your weekend going?

      Reply

  9. KAREN….get them of….what if you are trying shoes on, and someone neals down and sees them !!!! HA HA HA – listen, they dont get worse – I’ve been shaving mine for years – sometimes I even tweeze them 🙂 Can’t have super nice legs, and hairy feet!

    Reply

  12. I shave my toes and the top of my feet like maybe once a week, if I remember. It doesn’t grow back thicker and fuller. It’s no big deal.

    Reply

  16. lol. this made me laugh. i thought i was the only one. haha. well i pluck em. im scared to shave them coz they might grow thick. scaaary! LOL

    Reply

  18. Hi Karen,

    Mine aren’t super-visible, despite most definitely being present, so if I forget to pluck them or remove them somehow, it’s not a big deal. I don’t shave, I wax, so I don’t even have a razor… so I usually just pluck them. They don’t grow back fast/often!

    Reply

  21. As a self-professed lover of waxing, I’d suggest waxing when you have the time to heat up a good cup of a creme wax. If you don’t have the time, pluck. Since there are so few, it shouldn’t take very long, and at least this way you don’t have to worry about it growing out stubbly.

    Reply

  23. I shave them when I remember, I tend to be a sock wearer most of the year though. If I was more organized I would for sure wax them… you could use the same wax strips you use on your upper lip, I’ve tried that. No shame in it ladies!

    Reply

  24. Shave those suckers off! I shave my toes as needed and the hair does not appear to grow back thicker or coarser.

    Reply

  26. Oh, it’s so nice to know that so many of us have gorilla toes! To those of you who don’t, you are so lucky!

    Waxing is best, it lasts longer. I used to have a great bikini waxer who would always get them for me.

    But for everyday, I shave those hairy lil’ piggies every time I do my legs.

    Reply

  27. I’m not even gonna front, I pluck my toe hair and my knuckle hair every so often. The hair is very fine & light but it is so long. I’m a hairy (but cute) beast!

    Reply

  28. I shave them in an emergency (example: rushing to get ready pull on flip-flops, notice the hairs and run the razor over them). The best way is plucking or waxing, but it hurts like HELL!!!!! But the hairs do stay away longer. The secret to waxing the toes is after you put the wax on, bend the toe downward and then pull the wax off. Drink lots of liquor afterwards, you’ll need to take the edge of the pain.
    .-= Toma’s last blog post… TOTAL BEAUTY TALK =-.

    Reply

  29. I shave them in an emergency (example: rushing to get ready pull on flip-flops, notice the hairs and run the razor over them). The best way is plucking or waxing, but it hurts like HELL!!!!! But the hairs do stay away longer. The secret to waxing the toes is after you put the wax on, bend the toe downward and then pull the wax off. Drink lots of liquor afterwards, you’ll need to take the edge off the pain.
    .-= Toma’s last blog post… TOTAL BEAUTY TALK =-.

    Reply

  31. All u ladies r lucky. I have the middle eastern curse!! hair everywhere!!! I will not be surprised to find her on my inner body parts…anyways I not only have hairs on my toes i have them on the rest of them. Depending on the time I either pluck them or just run my Epilator over it. I do however hardly show my feet since i do not wear open toed shoes (i am not sure if i have any left). I think hair removal creams will works fine too. Waxing is fast and easy u can use the strips they have for lips. I have every form of hair removal in my collection and use them all…i only use razor for emergencies and my private part as waxing thu not painful for me (not that much) gives me bruises (not pretty).

    Reply

  32. Yeap, I shave those hairs on my big toes when I shave my legs. I shave my legs each 2 days in the summer (while taking a shower)a and once a week in the winter. I also shave the hairs or my feet. I’m very hairy 🙁

    Reply

  34. I pluck the one lone hair I get on my left big toe, but the little devil always reappears after a few months. 😀

    Reply

  35. i just shave my toes. surprising the hair doesn’t get thicker or darker! its still just as blonde as it ever was, and it seems to take longer to grow out.

    Reply

  36. I used to pluck mine or wax them….but i dont anymore since i noticed that they have gotten a lot less noticeable….if only the other hairs that i pluck and wax would go the same way!

    Reply

  37. ooh karen i know how that is. i’ll notice it every once in a while, and i get some parissa wax strips to get the job done. it just takes one and it gets all the hairs quickly and cleanly, and the results last for about a month 🙂

    Reply

  40. I just shave mine off! Just make sure that your toes aren’t bent, or you will DEFINITELY get a painful cut!!

    🙂

    Reply

  41. I pluck my toe hairs! I hate them, so I pluck the heck out of them!!! Shaving just seems a little odd to me, so I get out the tweezers and pull them out!

    Reply

  42. For goodness sake – when you shave your legs, just go down their and swipe your big toes – takes 2 seconds! And ladies, it is a MYTH that shaving makes hair grow back faster and thicker – it does NOT! I don’t care who told you it did – it does NOT!

    Carry on.

    Reply

  44. I had to pluck (damn those 3 hairs) but I started laser hair removal on my legs and it includes the tops of your toes and the top of your foot so bring on the sandals.

    Reply

  45. Hello, I didn’t know I could shave my toes until my aunt had mentioned she shaved her big toe about 12 years ago. I have hairy big toes, and I shave them. I am unashamed! One time I went for a pedicure and the technician asked me if I wadI suppose you could also use the Smooth Away thingy but the seems like a lot of hard work.

    Reply

  47. Pluck – only because when I shave, I find that it doesn’t last as long as removing the hair right from the root.

    Reply

  48. I’ve shaved mine for years! I dunno if the hair has just lightened as I’ve gotten older, or what, but I only have to do it ever 3-4 weeks now.

    Reply

  49. I have some decently fine blonde toe hairs. I trim them. My mother, who is less hairy than I am, so I assume she has less hair on her toes than I do, shaves hers. I’d suggest trimming or tweezing. You COULD wax, though, I suppose, but it’s such a tiny surface that it seems slightly silly to me.

    Reply

  50. So ridiculous.. my legs are essentially hair free and yet on my two big ole toes I always wind up with a couple weirdo strands of black hair. ;___; Shave em everytime! Not enough to warrant waxing or whatever.
    .-= Marmar’s last blog post… This needs to be said. =-.

    Reply

  53. I shave my toes. I don’t really have the patience to pluck nor is the wax I had good enough to pick up the small hairs.

    Reply

  56. Lol! I remember when mine seemed to pop up out of nowhere as well. I get 3-4 hairs, it’s no biggie I just shave em, one quick pass in the shower, when I remember. Barely noticeable but like others have said… when I know I’m going to wear flip flops or sandals I make sure I do it. Hair doesn’t grow back darker or thicker.

    I am NOT going to pluck them… I’m a wuss.. lol

    Reply

  58. Girl. This is not a joke! LOL! Get rid of those seven deadly hairs. I defffiiinniitelly shave mine every couple of months or so. I hate when they get strangely/awkwardly long and dark. So, I just act like they don’t exist 😛

    Reply

  60. LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course we all have a few unwanted hairs here and there, and for those who say you don’t (quitchalyin) 😉 It’s as easy as 1,2,3 to swip those those little piggy’s every time you shave your legs or anywhere else. As a matter o fact just make it a habit, your friends will thank you and your toes will too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

  62. Honestly I thought I didn’t have ANY hairs on my toes for the longest time. I’m one of those flip flops as second feet kind of people and my toes are so tan that I guess I just never realized I had some. I just leave them be. Since you’re not as fair as El Hub, I don’t think it would make a difference. Besides, we’ve seen yours toes Karen, they are lovely 🙂

    Reply

  63. It’s something that happens as you get older. If it really bothers you, then go ahead and shave them, but I can say that I am one of the few people left in the U.S. who doesn’t care about the existence or absence of body hair. 😛

    Reply

  64. once shaved or waxed the hairs on my toes dont grow back quickly, so i shave em, waxing/epilating is so painful there! without shaving them i feel overly paranoid and wont have my feet bare x

    Reply

  66. That’s me, scorned with hair on my big toes. I shave it cause that’s what’s easiest for me. Guess I could wax it but it is such a small surface area it seems like it would be difficult to manipulate the waxing tools on the small area. DO NOT PLUCK! It hurts like a mo’fo’!!! Was getting a pedi once, casually reading a magazine when i felt the worst pain ever. The girl was trying to pluck the hair on my toes. Worst pain ever.

    Reply

  67. Pluck it if you want to get rid of it. Make sure you hold the hair as close to the root as possible and make it quick. It may be abit uncomfortable at first, but after afew more rounds – its not that bad.

    They eventually grow back slower and some dont grow back at all after a while.

    Reply

  68. I get em’ too, I agree just shave em’ & get it over with. You can try plucking them if you want, but & I don’t think I would try it.

    Reply

  69. if i were you, i’d wax if wax is readily available. since you said you never had toe hairs ’til now, then waxing will take the evil roots and make it final episode for your toe hairs…hopefully! 🙂

    Reply

  70. I shave my toe hairs = ) I just do it the same time I shave my legs, about once a week. I’ve done it for years and they haven’t grown faster or come back in bushes.

    Reply

  74. Hello all! Long time reader, first time poster…

    When I was about 8 years old my best friend had hair on her toes, told me that I didn’t because I needed more calcium…

    Reply

  77. Ha, ha I pluck mine usually or wax them if I’m feeling organized. Plucking kind of hurts but I’m lazy!

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  78. Just shave them. Plucking and waxing sounds very painful. I can’t seem to remove all hair with waxing, unless the hair is really long.

    Reply

  79. LOL I’m glad I’m not the only one! 🙂 Being a hairy Viking, this has been a problem for a long time. I use either a gentle cream hair remover for sensitive skin, or Bliss’ home wax system. Either work great!

    Reply

  80. I’ve always had them! and I hate it!!! ugh. its funny because my mom was like I love your feet and I was like mom what are you talking about I have hairy toes and she was like what? and I was like yeah I shave ’em and i threw my foot up onto the table to show her and she was like ooooooh yeah. & I was like yeah. not cute 🙁

    Plucking them keeps them away longer. I just put an ice cube on the hairs for a minute and pluck them all out super fast while my toe is numb. way less painful.

    Reply

  82. I always shave my toes lol! The reason I started was one day my toe hurt so I went down to examine and I had an ingrown hair! ON MY TOE! After that fateful day i plucked it and I’ve been shaving them ever since lol.

    Reply

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