Leg shaving is the practice of removing leg hair using a razor. It is a very common practice among women in Western countries, and is also done by some men, especially bodybuilders, cyclists and swimmers. In addition to shaving the hair off, some individuals may use waxing, sugaring, depilatories, depilation devices, or lasers to remove the hair. These hair-removal methods are often also practised on underarm hair and sometimes on pubic hair.
Shaving can be done with an electric razor or a regular, manual one. If a non-electric razor is used, a lathering agent, such as soap or a special "shaving cream" or foam, is usually used to avoid razor burn.
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Women
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For women, the practice of shaving the legs derives from a current cultural standard in the West that deems leg hair on women unattractive. This standard emerged during the early twentieth century, as women's legs became more visible owing to shorter hemlines, and when the safety razor made the practice of leg shaving practical. The reasons for this cultural standard are debated, but it is sometimes seen as an example of a cultural mechanism for increasing sexual dimorphism. Others have suggested that it was promoted as a means of selling razors to a broader segment of the populace. From an evolutionary standpoint, the likely reason for the female practice of shaving their legs is because males prefer younger, more fertile looking women and in not so distant history women would start procreating as young as 12 years old. Older, hairier women would have to compete with the younger women by shaving their legs.
Some women may only shave the hair below the knee while others shave the entire leg. The frequency of shaving also varies from individual to individual. Some shave as often as every day, and others may not bother to shave at all during winter months when their legs aren't visible to the public. Women who shave their legs typically do so while bathing or showering.
Some women, despite the social pressures that favor hairless legs in certain Western countries, never shave at all. While some refrain out of lack of concern, others consider leg and armpit shaving an unnatural and repressive societal double standard. Still others refrain in an effort to be less environmentally wasteful. Research also suggests that women who do not shave their body hair are "characterized by higher global self-esteem." [1] Scholars suggest that this is because women with lower levels of self-esteem are less likely to be satisfied with their natural bodies, and thus more likely to alter them. [2]
Most women begin the practice of leg-shaving at some point during adolescence. It can serve as an unofficial rite of passage in some countries.
Special razors, somewhat different in shape from those aimed at men for face-shaving, are often marketed to women. Advertising campaigns also promote hair-removal products, such as depilatories and waxing kits, which, when used on women's legs, allegedly will render them "sexy" or "silky smooth".
Unusual in other parts of the world, the practice of leg shaving among women is most common in Brazil, North America, Australia, India, Middle East, and Europe.
Men
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Most male bicycle racers and some male non-racers shave their legs regularly. There's no objective evidence to support the practice and little common agreement as to its rationale, although a multitude of reasons are given. The various reasons include: faster healing and easier cleaning of road rash, less pain during leg massage, aesthetics, vanity (by more clearly displaying leg muscles), fitting in with cycling peers, "feeling faster" (without the feel of wind on body hair), a sense that Lycra bike pants 'stick' to the skin better with shaved legs, and a sense that the absence of leg hair assists in preventing ingrown hairs in the upper thighs from tight-fitting Lycra shorts.
Swimmers shave their legs to reduce friction in the water. It provides a minimal decrease in drag through improving the effects of laminar forces on the swimmer's body.
Many athletes also shave their legs and/or bodies to facilitate therapeutic massage that is frequently a part of their training or post-race recovery programs. They may also shave their legs if they tape protective gear to them to prevent the tape from pulling painfully on the hair when removed.
It is also practiced by male models and bodybuilders, since it tends to show off muscle definition better - a practice which is typically socially and institutionally accepted.
See also
Notes
- ^ Tiggemann, Marika; Christine Lewis (2004). "Attitudes Towards Women's Body Hair: Relationship with Disgust Sensitivity". Psychology of Women Quarterly 28: 381. doi:.
- ^ Tiggemann, Marika; Sarah J. Kenyon (1998). "The Hairlessness Norm: The Removal of Body Hair in Women". Sex Roles 39 (11/12): 876. doi:.
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