As for your legs, applying lotion does make them thicker temporarily because the lotion coats the hair and moistens them thus giving them a darker and more visible appearance on your skin, so you are not seeing things because there is a connection. I urge you to reconsider waxing because over time, when done repeatedly, hair trauma causes the other hairs not to grow back, so less hair grows. Regrowth is also finer. You simply cannot go around with long, coarse, curly hair on your legs. Buy a pumice stone and scrub your soapy legs in the bath with it.
Older people swear it got rid of their hair on their legs permanently.
Try the drugstore for this stone. Expect sore legs and some scars if you don't have enough soap. I love reading your column because you give credible and sensible advice. I ran across a column of yours on remedying puffy eyes. You recommended witch hazel solution and even said where to get it.