Swimmers often are asked to remove the hair on their body to reduce resistance and reduce weight. If you look at nearly all college or Olympic swimmers, they have no chest hair, arm hair, or leg hair. When you see that this is a technique that Olympic swimmers use, it might very well be a good idea for the average high school swimmer as well. Hair removal for swimmers is a lot less difficult that it appears on the surface.
First of all remember that you should not shave your hair. Shaving arm hair and chest hair will only make it grow back as stubble. Shaving your arms is going to be especially noticeable so even if choose to shave your chest, you should avoid shaving your arms for aesthetic purposes due to the possibility of it growing back thicker than before.
The very best option is to get laser hair treatment. However, for your average high school swimmer this is not a wise idea. That being the case, it is not going to be a viable option for your average person. However, for Olympic swimmers and other with the ability to afford $1000 laser treatments then it is your best choice.
Hair removal cream for swimmers is a great choice as well. However, this is limited to certain skin types and limited by the thickness of the hair. It definitely is a technique that should be tried, but be careful to only use it on one part of your body at a time in case you have a reaction. Generally you should only leave this cream on for 3 minutes as approved by the FDA for hair removal.
Waxing is also another option for hair removal if hair removal cream does not work. This can work well right before swim meets and other times that are essential for swim performance. However, it can be painful especially for certain parts of the body so it is only recommended for very important meets and for those with a high tolerance for pain.
