Hair Removal

Hair removal describes any method of removing hair, especially from the human body. more...

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Depilation affects the part of the hair above the surface of the skin. The most common form of depilation is shaving. Another popular option is the use of chemical depilatories, which work by breaking the disulfide bonds that link the protein chains that give hair its strength, making the hair disintegrate.;

Epilation removal of the entire hair, including the part below the skin and is therefore longer-lasting. Some individuals may use waxing, sugaring, epilation devices, lasers, threading, intense pulsed light or electrology. Hair is also sometimes removed by plucking with tweezers.;

Reasons for removing hair

Hair removal has been practised for centuries in almost all human cultures. The methods used vary among times and regions, but shaving is the most common method.

Medical reasons

In Ancient Egypt, many people depilated their entire bodies to prevent infestation by lice, fleas, and other parasites. Given the absence of insecticides, this custom seems less bizarre.

Patients' body hair was once shaved before surgery for reasons of hygiene; however, this turned out to be counterproductive and, as a result, in many hospitals patients are no longer shaved. The shaving of hair has sometimes been used in attempts to eradicate lice or to minimize body odor due to accumulation of odor-causing micro-organisms in hair. Some people with trichiasis find it medically necessary to remove ingrown eyelashes. Incorrect shaving (shaving against the grain) can often cause ingrown hairs.

Many forms of cancer require chemotherapy, which often causes severe and irregular hair loss. For this reason, it is common for cancer patients to shave their heads even before starting chemotherapy.

Social, cultural, or sexual reasons

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.

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