Crazy Out-of-Control Body Hair! HELP!

My body hair is driving me crazy!

I'm a 20-something caucasian female. The main problem is my legs between my ankles and my knees. Whereas the hair on the upper half of my legs is fine blonde "baby" hair, the hair on the lower half of my legs is coarse and dark. As soon as it grows out even a little it gets very itchy. So far my only recourse is to shave them every day and follow that with lotion. Meanwhile, I rarely shave the upper half of my legs. While the lower halves are smooth and moist they are fine. Also fresh aloe helps. If I don't shave them, then the 2nd or 3rd day they get REALLY itchy and I scratch them a lot and if it gets really bad, for example this winter, they even get a few small bloody scabs which is obviously really gross.

My lower leg hair has been coarse for years, since puberty, but I haven't had dry/itchy/scratchy need for such consistent, frequent shaving until these past 2 years, approximately. It's getting to be a bit of the same problem on the upper inner thighs, there is a small area with this coarse, fast-growing hair as well. Also on my chin there are several dark hairs on each side and I pluck these out as soon as they grow in.
I certainly wouldn't consider myself a hirsute person, my arm hair is fine and not dark, and while I do have strong, straight red/light brunette hair on my head, it is nothing uncommon or overly coarse.

I don't really need to moisturize the rest of my body. At least, I almost never use any moisturizer on the rest of my body. Why do my legs get so dry and itchy? Why do the hairs themselves seem to be itchy?? Why are they so dark and coarse (and seem to be getting moreso?)

What could be the reason for this? Also, are there any suggestions on what I can do to reduce the craziness of these hairs, or at least reduce their irritation?