I have a favorite kind of razor.  It comes in a pack of 10.  It has two blades and one of those pink  moisturizing strips that gets a little slimy when it gets wet.  When I went to Walmart the other day, my favorite razors were no where to be found.  Walmart seemed to be the only place that I could find my razors.

I should have known something was up when about a year ago my razors came with a *free*bonus* razor that was nothing like my favorite ones.  It had 3 blades, a moisturizing strip on top, and some kind of squeegee strip at the bottom.  It sounds like it would be a great improvement on my favorite razor, but it wasn’t.  I liked my razor.  It was simple and effective.  This new one is too scary.  Three blades.  I could really hurt myself.  At the very least, I now have razor burn and I’m all itchy.

Razors are very personal and very important.  Especially to a woman because women are funny about their body hair.  Many a woman has shamefully announced, “Doc, don’t mind my legs, I haven’t shaved,” prior to my examining them in the office.  I have had women outright refuse a pelvic exam because of their unkempt appearance, “I didn’t know, so I’m not prepared.”

I think I’m pretty observant, but honestly, leg hair, pubic hair, armpit hair, any kind of socially unacceptable hair doesn’t really leave a lasting impression on me.  It’s a non-issue.  I overlook it because the presence of hair in these places is meaningless.  It does not signify illness.  It’s normal.  It’s natural.

I will admit, though, that in my position, I do have a front row seat to the latest hair trends and adornments.  And I don’t mean the hair on the head.  So when someone does something different, I do notice that.  I have seen it all; monograms, dye jobs, jewelry, tattoos.  The latest trends seems to be more retro, au natural, back to the 1970’s era.  Or maybe these ladies can’t find their favorite razors at Walmart either.  Maybe they got razor burn and were all itchy, too.  Maybe it’s time to revisit the 70’s.  Maybe I’ll just look for my razors on Amazon.