Unwanted Hair
0 commentsWhy some or more people think that we must remove some hair that we think unnecessary ?.
Allot of reason that make it felt important to discus, this include social, cultural, or sexual reasons
A female body devoid of bodily hair, combined with luxuriant tresses was a 19th-century theme: Birth of Venus by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1879.
Hair is normally removed for social and sexual reasons related to the social role of hair in human society. Many cultures have an aesthetic "ideal" amount of hair for males and females. People whose hair violates such standards may experience real or perceived problems with social acceptance.
Many men in Western cultures shave their facial hair, so only a minority of men have a beard, even though fast-growing facial hair must be shaved daily to achieve a clean-shaven or hairless look. Some men shave because they cannot grow a "full" beard (generally defined as an even density from cheeks to neck), because beard color is different from scalp hair color, or because it grows in many directions, making a groomed look difficult. Some men shave because their beards are very coarse, causing itchiness and irritation. Some men grow a beard from time to time to change their appearance.
In many cultures, particularly North American and Western European, it became increasingly common during the 20th century for women to remove some or all of their body hair, due to societal values that consider it unattractive and/or not feminine (see gender role), or as a matter of practising good hygiene. People may also remove some or all of their pubic hair for aesthetic or sexual reasons. Adult film stars are well known for this practice. Men may also practice this, but not as commonly. In a sexual context, pubic hair removal is done to increase visual exposure of the genitalia and/or facilitate access to the genital area by removing the barrier of hair.
Some women in Western cultures choose not to remove hair from their bodies as an act of defiance against what they believe to be an oppressive ritual. Others choose not to remove hair simply because they have no desire to.
Some men shave their heads, either as a fashion statement, because they find a shaved head preferable to the appearance of male pattern baldness, or in order to attain enhanced cooling of the skull (particularly for people suffering from hyperhidrosis). A much smaller number of women also shave their heads as fashion or political statements.
Some women also shave their heads for cultural or social reasons. In
In art paintings or carvings from ancient times, one can often see women portrayed with no pubic hair: pubic hair was linked to sexual acts and desires in the general mindset, and thus it was deemed improper and impure in a public painting. This may have influenced aesthetic views regarding the matter as well.
Body areas where hair is often removed
Hair grows on all areas of the human body except for the palms of the hands, the lips, certain areas of the genital structure and the soles of the feet. But hair is most noticeable in most people in a small number of areas that are most commonly waxed, trimmed, plucked, or shaved: namely, the
Pubic hair
Pubic hair is hair in the frontal genital area, the crotch, and sometimes at the top of the inside of the legs; these areas form the pubic region.
Although fine vellus hair is present in the area in childhood, the term pubic hair is generally restricted to the heavier, longer hair that develops with puberty as an effect of rising levels of androgens. Pubic hair is therefore part of the androgenic hair.
Development of pubic hair
Before puberty, the genital area of both boys and girls has very fine vellus hair, referred to as Tanner stage 1 hair. As puberty begins, the body produces rising levels of the sex hormones known as androgens, and in response the skin of the genital area begins to produce thicker, often curlier, hair with a faster growth rate. The onset of pubic hair development is termed pubarche. The change for each hair follicle is relatively abrupt, but the extent of skin which grows androgenic hair gradually increases over several years.
In males, the first pubic hair appears as a few sparse hairs on the scrotum or at the upper base of the penis (stage 2). Within a year, hairs around the base of the penis are numerous (stage 3). Within 3 to 4 years, hair fills the pubic area (stage 4) and becomes much thicker and darker, and by 5 years extends to the near thighs and upwards on the abdomen toward the umbilicus (stage 5).
Other areas of the skin are similarly, though slightly less, sensitive to androgens and androgenic hair typically appears somewhat later. In rough sequence of sensitivity to androgens and appearance of androgenic hair, are the armpits (axillae), perianal area, upper lip, preauricular areas (sideburns), periareolar areas (nipples), middle of the chest, neck under the chin, remainder of chest and beard area, limbs and shoulders, back, and buttocks.
Although generally considered part of the process of puberty, pubarche is distinct and independent of the process of maturation of the gonads that leads to sexual maturation and fertility. Pubic hair can develop from adrenal androgens alone, and can develop even when the ovaries or testes are defective and nonfunctional. See puberty for details.
There is little if any difference in the capacity of male and female bodies to grow hair in response to androgens. The obvious sex-dimorphic difference in hair distribution in men and women is primarily a result of differences in the levels of androgen reached as maturity occurs.
Pubic hair and axillary (armpit) hair can vary in color considerably from the hair of the scalp. In most people it is darker, although it can also be lighter. On some individuals, pubic hair is thick and/or coarse; on others it may be sparse and/or fine. Hair texture varies from tightly curled to entirely straight. Pubic hair patterns can also vary by race and ethnicity.
Patterns of pubic hair, known as the escutcheon, vary between the genders. On most women, the pubic patch is triangular and lies over the mons veneris, or mound of Venus. On many men, the pubic patch tapers upwards to a line of hair pointing towards the navel (see abdominal hair), roughly a more upward-pointing triangle. As with axillary (armpit) hair, pubic hair is associated with a concentration of sebaceous glands in the area.
- Various theories concerning the function(s) of pubic hair include:
- visual indicator of sexual maturity
- collection of secreted pheromones
- reduction of external friction during sexual intercourse
- warmth
- Cultural
Heinrich Aldegrever's Eve, 1540. A rare early example of pubic hair in northern European art.
In ancient Egyptian art, female pubic hair is indicated in the form of painted black triangles. In classical European art, it was very rarely depicted, and male pubic hair was often, but not always, omitted. Sometimes it was portrayed in stylized form. The same was true in much Indian art, and in other Eastern portrayals of the nude. In 16th century southern Europe Michelangelo felt able to show the male David with stylized pubic hair, but female bodies remained hairless below the head. Nevertheless, Michelangelo’s male nudes on the Sistine chapel ceiling display no pubic hair. In renaissance northern
By the 17th century, suggestions of female pubic hair appear in pornographic engravings, such as those by Agostino Carracci. By the late 18th century female pubic hair is openly portrayed in Japanese shunga (erotica), especially in the ukiyo-e tradition. Hokusai's picture The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife, depicting a woman having an erotic fantasy, is a well-known example. Despite this Fine art paintings and sculpture created before the 20th century in the Western tradition usually depicted women without pubic hair or a visible vulva.
It has been alleged that John Ruskin, the famous author, artist, and art critic, was apparently accustomed only to the hairless nudes portrayed unrealistically in art, never having seen a naked woman before his wedding night. He was allegedly so shocked by his discovery of his wife Effie's pubic hair that he rejected her, and the marriage was later legally annulled. He is supposed to have thought his wife was freakish and deformed. This theory originated with Ruskin's biographer, Mary Luytens.
It is much-repeated. For example Gene Weingarten in his book I'm with Stupid (2004) writes that "Ruskin had it [the marriage] annulled because he was horrified to behold upon his bride a thatch of hair, rough and wild, similar to a man's. He thought her a monster." However, there is no proof for this, and some disagree. Peter Fuller in his book Theoria: Art and the Absence of Grace writes, "It has been said that he was frightened on the wedding night by the sight of his wife's pubic hair; more probably, he was perturbed by her menstrual blood." Ruskin's biographers Tim Hilton and John Batchelor also believe that menstruation is the more likely explanation.
Michelangelo's David shows pubic hair.
Francisco Goya's The Nude Maja has been considered as probably the first European painting to show woman's pubic hair, though others had hinted at it. (Lucas Cranach's 'The Nymph of the Spring' c.1537, Washington National Gallery, has distinct pubic hair.) The painting was considered quite pornographic at the time.
Gustave Courbet's L’Origine du monde (The Origin of the World, 1866), was considered scandalous because it showed the exposed female genitals in their totality with thick hair.
Examples of male pubic hair in contemporary art are harder to find.
In Japanese drawings pubic hair is often---such as in hentai---omitted, since for a long time the display of pubic hair was not legal. The interpretation of the law has since changed.
Ironically, it is also in
Modification of pubic hair
In Islamic societies, removing the pubic hair is a religiously endorsed practice.
Trimming or completely removing pubic hair has become a custom in many cultures. A preference for hairless genitals is known as acomoclitism. The method of removing hair is called depilation (when removing only the hair above the skin) or epilation (when removing the entire hair). The trimming or removal of body hair by men is sometimes referred to as manscaping.
Some arguments for modification of pubic hair have included:
- fashion
- religion
- tradition
- sexual practice, such as for oral sex
- tactile sensation
- appearance
- hygiene
- discomfort, such as heat or itchiness
- to eliminate hairs that could be seen outside of underwear or a bathing suit bottom.
- personal taste
Style
About Pubic Hair : The modification of pubic hair can also be considered a statement about one's style or personal lifestyle as can leaving it unmodified. The fashion designer Mary Quant was famously proud that her husband trimmed hers into a heart shape.
Some styles include:
- Natural — no trimming and/or maintenance
- Trimmed — hair length is shortened but not removed or shaped
- Triangle — hair removed (generally waxed) from the sides to form a triangle so that pubic hair cannot be seen while wearing swimwear. This can range from the very edge of the "bikini line" to up to an inch reduction on either side. Hair length can be from an inch and a half to half an inch
- Landing strip — hair sharply removed from the sides to form a long centered vertical rectangle, hair length about quarter of an inch
- "Chaplin" mustache — a shorter, square version of the landing strip
- Brazilian waxing/G-wax — pubic hair completely removed except for a very thin remnant, centered, narrow stripe above the vulva approximately an inch in height, and the hair length in the sub-centimeter range
- Full-Brazilian/Hollywood/Bare — Pubic hair completely removed
- Fauxhawk— hair is styled in Mohawk fashion without shaving the hair
- Mohawk — shaving the hair on the left and right, leaving the middle to be spiked
- Dyed hair — coloring pubic hair to match hair on the head or to give it a unique look (for example, red--in the shape of a heart)
- The Butch/The Bull — trimming all the hair very short except for a small perpetual long patch (AKA rattail) resembling a popular hairstyle among lesbian women.
- Others — V-shaped, heart-shaped, arrow, initials, etc. These are usually variations of the Brazilian/G-wax, where a design is formed of the pubic hair above completely bare vulva
Health issues
The health issues of pubic hair are controversial. Some studies show that removal of pubic hair may cause fungal infection of genitalia
A full Brazilian.
Bikini waxing refers to the removal of unwanted hair at the top of the leg, below the navel, and in the bikini area, otherwise known as the bikini line, a euphemistic term generally understood to describe any pubic hair that is visible beyond the boundaries of a typical bikini swimsuit, sometimes including the forearms. Other methods of hair removal, such as shaving, sugaring or using chemical depilatories creams are often used in place of waxing.
It is suggested hat women started removing this hair when bathing suit styles became abbreviated enough to keep these areas uncovered, especially the term bikini line indicates a date later than the nuclear explosion at the Bikini Islands in 1946 and the introduction of swimsuits that followed. Changes in lingerie styles and their popularity have encouraged year round waxing of the bikini area. In Middle Eastern societies, removal of the female body hair is considered a proper form of hygiene, necessitated by ancient local customs. Contemporary sources indicate that the French nobility also practiced waxing during the 17th century.
Types
American waxing refers to a removal of hair exposed at the top of the thighs and just under the navel when wearing a regular bikini bottom. It is also known as a basic bikini wax.
French waxing leaves a vertical strip in front (a landing strip), two to three fingers in width just above the vulva. It is also known as a partial Brazilian wax. Hair of the peri-anal area and labia may be removed. Removal of hair from these areas are also known as the Playboy wax or G-waxing. A soft wax used by sculptors to create models for casting in bronze is also known as French wax.
Brazilian waxing refers to a removal of almost everything, front to back except for a thin strip of hair on the pubis. An extreme form of bikini waxing, it involves a complete removal of hair from the buttocks and adjacent to the anus, perineum and vulva (labia majora and mons pubis). Waxes that completely remove the pubic hair are known as a full Brazilian wax, full
The so called 'Full Brazilian waxing' is not particularly popular in
Because the procedure can be painful, some estheticians suggest taking ibuprofen one hour before the wax. Unlike the Brazilian wax, a basic bikini wax can be performed privately in the home, but it is generally more convenient to have a licensed cosmetologist or esthetician perform the procedure.
Some women suffer from pimples or "razor bumps" after shaving this area. This commonly results from shaving in the wrong direction, so that the end of the hair becomes ingrown. Suggested (after the fact) solutions include lightly dusting with baby powder or the use of an acne cream, which thins the outer layer of skin (stratum corneum). A preventive alternative, long familiar to barbers, is to only shave "with the grain": on the legs, this means shaving toward the feet. Many television ads show women shaving "against the grain."
The medical community has also seen a recent increase in folliculitis, or infection around the hair follicle in women who wax and/or shave their bikini areas. Some of these infections can develop into more serious abscesses that require incision with a scalpel, drainage of the abscess, and antibiotics. Staphococcus Aureus is the most common cause of folliculitis. Recently MRSA, or methacilln resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, has been seen more frequently, and has been covered in many recent news reports. MRSA is resistant to the conventional antibiotics used to treat staph infections, however it can be treated with different antibiotic therapies.
Brazilian waxing faces more controversy than other types of waxing. It is a physically painful experience during and after waxing, which can become even more unpleasant if receiving cunnilingus from a bearded partner. American actress-model Lisa Barbuscia commented on her negative first experience at getting a Brazilian at a
The look has also been called perverted and unnatural. There is also a health risk involved if it is not done properly, as well as a risk of infection if done on a person with a weakened immune system. Despite the controversy there have been reports of women of all ages opting for this extreme form.
Process
The procedure starts with baby or talcum powder being spread liberally over the area to be waxed. This prevents the hot wax from sticking to the sensitive skin. Then, as in other forms of waxing, hot wax is spread over the area from which hair is to be removed. The wax is allowed to harden briefly, then one edge of the wax strip is pulled up and used as a tab to quickly pull off or zip the rest of the wax, in the direction opposite of hair growth.
Then the procedure progresses to systematically removing the hair from the genital area, buttocks, and anus. This procedure removes the wax, hair, and any dead skin cells lying on the skin surface. The person performing the wax will then finish with tweezers to remove any stray hairs that the waxing missed. Finally, the remaining pubic hair (the so-called "landing strip") is either trimmed with scissors, or waxed off. The remaining hair may even be in a particular pattern (hearts are a popular option), or dyed. The pain involved with this procedure can be slight or severe and can continue for quite some time (from several seconds to minutes). Some people experience less pain during subsequent treatments.
The wax used is often a mixture of natural beeswax and tall oil rather than the more common synthetic 'waxes' used for regular leg waxing. It is felt that beeswax is stronger, and more effective at removing the thicker, coarser pubic hairs. Many products are available to lessen the pain involved, such as topical anesthetics. Sometimes a hair inhibitor is applied, which slows the regrowth of hair and may halt regrowth completely. The results can last up to two months. It is recommended that one get a licensed cosmetologist or esthetician to perform this procedure, but with care it can safely be done on oneself with a home kit.
Male genital waxing
Male waxing is a method of male pubic hair removal. It is thought to have become more acceptable in the 1990s though the true number of users is unknown. Male waxing is popular in the body building and male modelling community. There are several types of wax suitable for hair removal.
Waxing is accomplished by spreading a wax combination thinly over the skin. A cloth or paper strip is then pressed on the top and ripped off with a quick movement against the direction of hair growth. This removes the wax along with the hair and dead skin cells, leaving the skin smooth. Home waxing kits have become increasingly popular over the years.
Benefits
There are many benefits to waxing versus other forms of hair removal. Waxing is a long-lasting method. Hair in waxed areas will not grow back for three to eight weeks; when the hair does grow back it is soft and thin. When hair is shaved or removed by depilatory cream, the hair is removed at the surface rather than the root. Within a few days, the hair can be seen at the surface. With these methods, hair tends to grow back in a rough stubble. Areas that are repeatedly waxed over long periods of time often exhibit a thinning of regrowth, and regrowth that is thinner, softer, and lighter in color. The use of a hair inhibitor will also aid the slow re-growth of hair, used over a long period of time this can be used as an almost permanent method.
Although waxing the male genitals makes them look cleaner, it is also to improve sensation along the shaft of the penis and the scrotum. By removing the hair in these areas, the sense of touch is improved in the skin, allowing for a more intense or pleasurable sensation during sexual activities.
Drawbacks
There are many drawbacks of waxing as well. Waxing can be painful if the waxing strip is pulled upward instead of across the skin. The pain from waxing is generally short-lived. Another drawback to waxing is the expense: waxing is usually performed by a licensed cosmetologist, and the cost can be very high. There are, however, do-it-yourself waxing supplies.
Cautions
Some physicians do not recommend waxing for persons suffering from diabetes or who have varicose veins or poor circulation as they are more susceptible to infection.
Users of Retin-A, Renova, Differin or Isotretinoin are advised not to have waxing performed; these medications tend to weaken the skin and tearing of the skin may occur when the wax is removed.
Waxing should not be done on areas of skin affected by warts, pimples, moles or rashes or on skin that is irritated, chapped or suffering from sunburn. Never apply wax to peeling, broken skin or varicose veins.
Underarm hair
Underarm Hair (also called axillary hair or armpit hair) is the composition of hair in the underarm area. This hair, as most of the other body hair, normally starts to appear at puberty and growth is usually complete by the end of teen age. The release of pheromones from the axilla at this stage of human development suggests association of armpit hair with sexuality. The positive response to olfactory stimulus in mammals and the consequent intensification of the sex drive caused by release of pheromones offers useful clues as to the purpose and importance of axillary hair in humans. It has been suggested that the hair itself acts with a natural "anti-friction" quality between the upper arm and the thorax.
Cultural attitudes
Today, in many countries, especially in much of the Western world, it is more common for women than men to shave off their underarm hair regularly for aesthetic reasons, a practice that may be connected to the overall body hair distribution of sexes. Prevalence of this practice varies widely, though.
Religious reasons and personal cleanliness requirements are sometimes cited; in Islamic culture, both men and women practice the removal of underarm hair for reasons of cleanliness. Underarm hair does provide increased surface area on which the bacteria can thrive, although deodorants and antiperspirants have come to counterbalance these issues to a great extent.
Competitive swimmers remove all body hair, including underarms, to make their bodies more streamlined before taking part in races. It is also common amongst bodybuilders and in erotica for aesthetic reasons.
Armpit hair also contributes to intensify the effects of tickling.
History of underarm hair removal
In the West, the practice began around 1915 in the US and UK, when one or more magazines showed a woman in a dress with shaved underarms. Regular shaving became feasible with the introduction of the safety razor at the beginning of the 20th century. While underarm shaving was quickly adopted in English speaking countries, especially in the US and Canada, it did not become widespread on the Continent of Europe until well after WWII.
Effects of shaving
It is a commonly believed myth that shaving hair will cause it to grow thicker over time. There is nothing about the practice of shaving that produces new follicles for hair to grow out of; this myth most likely persists because stubble does not taper like hair that is allowed to grow long and because short hairs feel coarser than longer hairs of the same thickness. Armpit hair removal must be performed more frequently than leg shaving, as underarm hair grows faster than leg hair. The armpit area can darken over a period of time and even with a close shave, an "evening shadow" may be visible. Because hair under the skin can contribute to a dark appearance of the underarm, waxing, by removing the hair from the root, can effectively reduce this darkness.
Axillary hair in art
The axillary hair in art is usually removed; not doing so was a mark of modernism. This is in contrast to the depiction of pubic hair in art. Rarely, pubic hair was portrayed in art created in the Middle Ages. Depiction of pubic hair gradually became more common in the Renaissance, and quite frequent in modern times.
Hair removal methods
Many products on the market have proven fraudulent. Many other products exaggerate the results or ease of use.
Temporary
"Depilation", or removal of hair to the level of the skin, lasts several hours to several days and can be achieved by
- Shaving or trimming (manually or with electric shavers)
- Depilatories (creams or "shaving powders" which chemically dissolve hair)
- Friction (rough surfaces used to buff away hair)
- "Epilation", or removal of the entire hair from the root, lasts several days to several weeks and can be achieved by
- Plucking (hairs are plucked, or pulled out, with tweezers or with fingers)
- Waxing (a hot or cold layer is applied and then removed with porous strips)
- Sugaring (similar to waxing, but with a sticky paste)
- Threading (also called fatlah or khite, in which a twisted thread catches hairs as it is rolled across the skin)
- Burning off with hot wax can damage the cells and prevent hair from ever growing in the unwanted spot again.
- Epilators (mechanical devices that rapidly grasp hairs and pull them out)
- Prescription oral medications
- Enzymes (fx. the Epiladerm-Complex) that inhibit the development of new hair cells. Hair growth will become less and less until it finally stops; normal depilation/epilation will be performed until that time. Hair growth will return to normal if use of product discontinued. Products include the prescription drug Vaniqa (active ingredient eflornithine hydrochloride inhibiting the enzyme ornithine decarboxylase).
Permanent
Permanent hair removal involves several imperfect options. A number of methods have been developed that use chemicals, energy of varying types, or a combination to target the areas that regulate hair growth. Permanently destroying these areas while sparing surrounding tissue is a difficult challenge. Methods include:
- Electrolysis
- Laser
- Intense Pulsed Light (Flashlamp, EpiLight) The terms IPL and EpiLight are trademarks of Lumenis Ltd.
Experimental or banned, currently not available
X-ray hair removal was an efficient, and usually permanent, hair removal method, but also caused severe health problems, occasional disfigurement, and even death. (illegal in the
Photodynamic therapy for hair removal (experimental)
Many methods have been proposed or sold over the years without published clinical proof they can work as claimed.
- Electric tweezers
- Transdermal electrolysis
- Transcutaneous hair removal
- Photoepilators
- Microwaves
- Foods and Dietary supplements
- Nonprescription topical preparations (also called "hair inhibitors," "hair retardants," or "hair growth inhibitors")
- Finally free - despite marketing claims, does not appear to work
Advantages and disadvantages
There are several disadvantages to many of these hair removal methods. Many are not permanent, can cause medical problems, or have very high costs. Some of these methods are still in the testing phase and their methods have not been clinically proven. One should seek the advice of a doctor-supervised facility when choosing these hair removal methods.
One issue, that can be considered an advantage or a disadvantage depending upon an individual's viewpoint, is that removing hair has the effect of removing information about the individual's hair growth patterns due to genetic predisposition, illness, androgen levels (such as from pubertal hormonal imbalances or drug side effects), and/or gender status.
Health risks
A variety of staph infection, known as "community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus" (MRSA), was identified following an outbreak among gay men in Los Angeles in 2003. Among the risk factors for transmission of the infection identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is "compromised skin integrity." Researchers with the Connecticut Department of Public Health determined that "manscaping" (hair removal, especially performed with a dry safety razor and powder) could produce micro-abrasions of the skin, compromising its integrity.
Men who manscaped were six times more likely to contract the disease. This drug-resistant strain of S. aureus has been found prevalently among gay and bisexual men, athletes, prisoners and Native Americans.
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