Why body hair is so passé – Reasons to remove unwanted hair

Body hair, particularly in women, has always been viewed as undesirable and unhygienic – something that needs to be eliminated or hidden from sight. But in men it wasn’t considered undesirable until a few years ago. Today, body hair has become unfashionable for women as well as men. Even the number of ways to remove body hair has increased manifolds in the last few years. Some of these methods include waxing, shaving, depilation, electrolysis, laser and hair removal creams.

Why do people wish to clear unwanted hair?

The following are some of the top reasons why hair removal treatments are so popular:

• Having body hair is completely natural. There are no tangible physical or biological benefits that make it mandatory to remove unwanted hair. But most men and women spend hundreds or even thousands of pounds on various hair removal treatments because of the perceived aesthetic benefits of doing it. The definition of beauty, particularly feminine beauty, includes a completely hair-free look. Well groomed men are supposed to shave off facial stubble everyday.

• Cultural and social norms also determine whether you remove unwanted hair from a particular part of your body. Men with beards or women with hairy legs, for instance, are considered to be uncouth and lacking in hygiene. So most people avoid facial or body fuzz simply to fit in with what is considered to be normal.

• Some people choose to remove body hair, particularly in the pubic area, for sexual or aesthetic reasons. Hair removal creams are often used to clear unwanted hair in sensitive body parts in order to create visual access to the genitals.

• Hygiene is one of the biggest reasons why people remove body hair. Hairy armpits, for instance often result into body odour, particularly during summer. Heavy growth of thick body hair can also cause infestation by fleas, lice or other parasites. Trimming or complete hair removal is advisable in such cases.

• Many people remove body hair for religious reasons. Shaving the head is a vital part of some traditions. Religions such as Judaism and Islam have specific dos and don’ts regarding hair removal from the body and scalp.

• Medical reasons sometimes compel people to get rid of body hair. Surgical patients usually need to remove body hair before surgery, usually chemical depilatories or clippers. People suffering from a condition known as trichiasis (ingrown eyebrows) need to undergo hair removal as part of the treatment. Most kinds of cancers are treated by chemotherapy, which usually results into severe hair loss in the scalp. Many cancer patients shave off their hair before starting treatment

• Military organizations and armed forces usually require their recruits to shave their heads or get a close cropped haircut. This is because soldiers are highly vulnerable to parasites when they are out in the field. Moreover, short hair in soldiers is preferred because it makes it is more difficult to grab hair in hand-to-hand combat.

• Professional cyclists and athletes often shave hairy legs for reasons of safety and sometimes for aesthetic reasons. In case of accidents or injuries, shaved body parts can be easily cleaned and do not block proper treatment.

Whatever the reason, body hair removal has always been a popular practice through the ages and is likely to remain so.