Underarm hair
Encyclopedia
Underarm hair is the composition of hair
in the underarm
area (axilla).
and most of the other kinds of human
body hair, normally starts to appear at the beginning
of puberty
, with growth usually completed by the end of the teen-age years. The evolutionary significance of human underarm hair is still debated. It naturally wicks sweat or other moisture away from the skin, aiding in keeping well-ventilated skin dry enough to prevent colonization by odor-producing bacteria
. Underarm hair may also provide a natural anti-friction quality between the upper arm and the thorax.. A more controversial view is that it may facilitate the release of sexual-attractant pheromones from the underarm
areas, correlating with its appearance, along with other kinds of androgenic hair
, during sexual development
.
remove nearly all of their body hair, including their underarm hair, to make their bodies more streamlined during races. Many male bodybuilders also remove their body hair, as do many (but not all) models
in various kinds of erotica
.
Removal of the hair from the underarms was part of a collection of hygienic or cosmetic practices recommended by Prophet Muhammad (570-632) as consistent with Fitra
for both men and women and has since usually been regarded as a requirement by most Muslim
s.
In the West, the practice began for cosmetic reasons around 1915 in the United States
and United Kingdom
, 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 some English
speaking countries, especially in the US and Canada
, it did not become widespread in Europe
until well after World War II
.
hair will cause it to grow thicker over time. Since there is nothing about the practice of shaving that produces new follicle
s from which new hairs could grow, 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. However, shaving does increase the likelihood of developing ingrown hairs. Armpit hair removal must be performed more frequently than arm or leg shaving
, as underarm hair grows faster than arm or leg hair, and if not done consistently, stubble can appear. The armpit area can darken over a period of time, and even with a close shave, a "5 o'clock 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.
. This contrasts to the depiction of pubic hair
in art, which is rarely portrayed in works created in the Middle Ages
, increasingly common in Renaissance
art, and quite frequent in modern times.
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
in the underarm
Underarm
-Axillary intertrigo:Excessive perspiration can result in axillary intertrigo. Intertrigo is an inflamed skin condition caused by heat, friction, and moisture. A warm, wet armpit may accommodate the growth of pathogenic bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. The condition is responsible for rash-like...
area (axilla).
Development and function
Underarm hair, as is typical of pubic hairPubic 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....
and most of the other kinds of human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
body hair, normally starts to appear at the beginning
Pubarche
Pubarche refers to the first appearance of pubic hair in a child. Pubarche is one of the physical changes of puberty but should not be equated with it since it may occur independently of complete puberty...
of puberty
Puberty
Puberty is the process of physical changes by which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of reproduction, as initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads; the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a boy...
, with growth usually completed by the end of the teen-age years. The evolutionary significance of human underarm hair is still debated. It naturally wicks sweat or other moisture away from the skin, aiding in keeping well-ventilated skin dry enough to prevent colonization by odor-producing bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
. Underarm hair may also provide a natural anti-friction quality between the upper arm and the thorax.. A more controversial view is that it may facilitate the release of sexual-attractant pheromones from the underarm
Underarm
-Axillary intertrigo:Excessive perspiration can result in axillary intertrigo. Intertrigo is an inflamed skin condition caused by heat, friction, and moisture. A warm, wet armpit may accommodate the growth of pathogenic bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. The condition is responsible for rash-like...
areas, correlating with its appearance, along with other kinds of androgenic hair
Androgenic hair
Androgenic hair, colloquially body hair, is the terminal hair that develops on the body during and after puberty. It is differentiated from the head hair and less visible vellus hair, which are much finer and lighter in color. The growth of androgenic hair is related to the level of androgens in...
, during sexual development
Human sexual behavior
Human sexual activities or human sexual practices or human sexual behavior refers to the manner in which humans experience and express their sexuality. People engage in a variety of sexual acts from time to time, and for a wide variety of reasons...
.
Cultural attitudes
Today it is more common in much of the Western world for women than men to shave their underarm hair regularly. The prevalence of this practice varies widely, though. Religious reasons are sometimes cited; for example, in the Islamic culture, both men and women practice the removal of underarm hair to meet religious guidelines of cleanliness. Many competitive swimmersSwimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
remove nearly all of their body hair, including their underarm hair, to make their bodies more streamlined during races. Many male bodybuilders also remove their body hair, as do many (but not all) models
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
in various kinds of erotica
Erotica
Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions...
.
Removal of the hair from the underarms was part of a collection of hygienic or cosmetic practices recommended by Prophet Muhammad (570-632) as consistent with Fitra
Fitra
Fitra, or fitrah , is an Arabic word meaning ‘disposition’, ‘nature’, ‘constitution’, or ‘instinct’. In a mystical context, it can connote intuition or insight...
for both men and women and has since usually been regarded as a requirement by most Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s.
In the West, the practice began for cosmetic reasons around 1915 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, when one or more magazines showed a woman in a dress with shaved underarms. Regular shaving
Shaving
Shaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down to the level of the skin. Shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove their leg and underarm hair...
became feasible with the introduction of the safety razor
Safety razor
A safety razor is a razor that protects the skin from all but the very edge of the blade. These razors reduce the possibility of serious injury, which makes them more forgiving than a straight razor.-Cartridges introduced:...
at the beginning of the 20th century. While underarm shaving
Shaving
Shaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down to the level of the skin. Shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove their leg and underarm hair...
was quickly adopted in some English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
speaking countries, especially in the US and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, it did not become widespread in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
until well after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Effects of shaving
It is a commonly believed myth that shavingShaving
Shaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down to the level of the skin. Shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove their leg and underarm hair...
hair will cause it to grow thicker over time. Since there is nothing about the practice of shaving that produces new follicle
Follicle
Follicle may refer to:*Follicle , a small spherical group of cells containing a cavity:** Dental follicle** Hair follicle** Lymph follicle** Ovarian follicle** Thyroid follicle*Follicle...
s from which new hairs could grow, this myth most likely persists because stubble
Stubble
Stubble is the regrowth of shaven hair, when it is short and has a rough, abrasive texture.-Facial:During the 1980s, facial stubble on men became fashionable, partly due to being popularized by the singer George Michael, as well as Miami Vice. This was also known as designer stubble and was...
does not taper like hair that is allowed to grow long, and because short hairs feel coarser than longer hairs of the same thickness. However, shaving does increase the likelihood of developing ingrown hairs. Armpit hair removal must be performed more frequently than arm or leg shaving
Leg shaving
Leg shaving is the practice of removing leg hair by shaving the hair off using a razor or electric shaver. In addition, some people remove leg hair using waxing, sugaring, depilatories, depilation devices, or lasers, but shaving remains the least expensive method.It is a very common practice among...
, as underarm hair grows faster than arm or leg hair, and if not done consistently, stubble can appear. The armpit area can darken over a period of time, and even with a close shave, a "5 o'clock shadow" may be visible. Because hair under the skin can contribute to a dark appearance of the underarm, waxing
Waxing
Waxing is a method of semi-permanent hair removal which removes the hair from the root. New hair will not grow back in the previously waxed area for two to eight weeks, although some people will start to see regrowth in only a week. Almost any area of the body can be waxed, including eyebrows,...
, by removing the hair from the root, can effectively reduce this darkness.
Underarm hair in art
In works of art, the underarm hair is usually removed; showing it is a mark of modernismModernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
. This contrasts to the depiction of pubic hair
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....
in art, which is rarely portrayed in works created in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, increasingly common in Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
art, and quite frequent in modern times.