Split Seconds Count – Olympic Swimmers and Hair Removal

Olympic swimmers possess competitiveness as well as great speed in  the water. In order for the contestants to be able to give it their best shot in the competition, adequate preparation and a boost in their confidence is required. Shaving off body hair helps the swimmers increase their speed in the water by giving them both a physical and psychological advantage.

Hair Removal Benefits For Swimmers

Swimming as a sport places a lot of emphasis on appearance and it also takes a good look to maximize our efforts. This prompts most athletes to opt for hair removal as one of the means of enhancing their appearance. Unlike cyclists who only have to shave their legs, swimmers are forced to deforest any part of their bodies that is not covered by the swimsuit. Female swimmers remove hair from their under arms, legs and the bikini line. Men on the other hand opt to shave their chests and a few others shave their hair too. The male athletes’ clearly shaven muscular bodies look sleek and amazingly attractive in the water. Major Olympic swimmers like Jenna Rendall and Natalie Coughlin have their bodies’ hair perfectly removed. Jenna boasts of her clearly shaven well toned legs which she claims are the best part of her body, other than being major role players for the many Olympic medal awards the young star has received.

Olympic swimmers gain speed when the shave off hair that is in contact with water. This hair increases the hydrodynamic resistance that prevents the swimmers from moving fluidly through the water. Their swimming speed is reduced by a tenth of a second which is enough to earn one a gold medal in the competition. A hairless body is probably a great contributor to Michael Phelps’ success in the swimming field; he even went an extra mile and shaved off all the hair on his head.

Hair removal is a tradition done on the eve of the big race. Most of the athletes have this process carried out by professionals so that it is done to perfection. There are number methods that are used to remove hair from swimmers’ bodies before the big day. Shaving and waxing are the most common although those preferring long term results opt for laser treatment or electrolysis. Mild shaving creams are used especially those with methanol, to cool down the skin. For a smoother feel, professionals use double razors to shave the swimmers.

Laser Hair Removal – More Opt For Swimmers?

There are a number of detrimental factors associated with hair removal among swimmers. Ingrown hair is a common problem they face, and may even escalate to folliculitis. Those opting for shaving which is among the safest methods, have to repeat the process every few days in order to maintain a smooth feel. Laser hair removal has the most side effects of all the techniques used to get rid of body hair. Although this procedure gives permanent results, it may also result to scarring, hyper pigmentation or hypo pigmentation which would negatively alter the appearance of the swimmers.

Shaving the head helps to increase speed although it is not necessary because the swimmers have an option of using swimming caps. Clipping is a procedure that compliments the hair removal process. It involves removal of the dead skin that comes along with the hair removal process. These dead skins are also very likely to cause resistance to movement in water. Alcohol is applied on the skin after shaving to open up pores and heal minor cuts. Hair removal is a very essential procedure for Olympic swimmers and should be carefully done so that the competitors’ skins are not damaged, as this could make the situation much worse than swimming with a forested body.

Authors Biography: This article was written by Monica Dwyer on behalf of www.urbana.ie. Monica is an experienced beauty therapist with over 5 years experience in hair removal and waxing.