5 Myths About Body Hair
Posted October 25, 2022 by Anusha ‐ 2 min read
Having body hair is not only normal but natural. Its your choice to remove your body hair. Body hair removal is purely cosmetic and has nothing to do with hygiene or cleanliness. As an esthetician, you’re right.
Myth 1: Having underarm or pubic hair is unhygienic
Fact
Like every part of our bodies, hair plays a role in keeping us healthy and safe.
Our eyebrows and eyelashes protect our eyes from dirt and bacteria, our pubic hair protects our genitals from bacteria and infections that can enter the body, our underarm hair reduces friction and absorbs sweat.
And like any other part of our bodies, it’s only unhygienic if you don’t clean it.
Myth 2: No one will want you if you’re hairy
Fact
Any self-respecting, intelligent adult should be able to see past superficial things like appearance and want to be with you because of who you are.
There are millions of women out there in perfectly happy relationships who have body hair trust me because I’m one of them.
Remember that it’s a scare tactic to make us comply with unattainable beauty standards.
Myth 3: Women aren’t supposed to be hairy
Fact
The only reason we’re taught that we’re not ‘meant’ to be hairy is to uphold patriarchal beauty standards and appear more attractive to men.
If hair grows naturally on our bodies, how can it be that it’s
not supposed to grow there? It doesn’t make sense.
Myth 4: Only activists and man-haters grow their hair out
Fact
Part of the stigma surrounding body hair is that the women who do choose to grow it out are either activists or man-haters (or both).
This keeps the conversation rooted in patriarchy and centers men. But shaving or not shaving isn’t really about the hair itself, it’s about what it represents.
And that is choice and autonomy for women, something society doesn’t think we’re deserving of.
Myth 5: Shaving causes hair to grow back thicker, faster and darker.
Fact
Genetics and hormones impact body hair color, thickness and growth, not shaving.
A razor blade cuts away hairs at the skin’s surface, which can make the cut hairs appear thicker and darker as they grow back.
And, how quickly hair grows can vary, too.
Armpit hair, for example, grows about 50 percent faster than leg hair.