The body of a person of any gender is more than 95% covered with hair. They grow everywhere: on the legs, arms, back, chest and face, and in women too. It's just that in men, the hair on the cheekbones, chin, chest and back is harder and thicker. In the fairer sex, these zones are covered with vellus hairs, very thin, light and short. Only because of these qualities, the hair on the faces of women is not as noticeable as on men. The only places where hair does not grow are mucous membranes, palms, feet and eyeballs.
How our ancestors did
In the past, people had different attitudes towards body hair. In ancient Egypt, all areas with dark long hair (including the head) were subject to regular shaving. This was a certain cultural necessity in a very hot climate. Even noble aristocrats shaved their heads, after which they covered absolutely smooth skulls with wigs. For women of the lower classes, such a luxury was not available, so they were content with their natural hair.
During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, people of all classes did not touch the vegetation either on the head or on the body. Modern fashion dictates its own rules: a well-groomed woman's body must be devoid of hair. For men, it depends on the level of intelligence, "culture" of the gentleman.
Why body hair
All these norms regarding the destruction of body hair are nothing more than a tribute to fashion. In fact, everything given to the human body by nature is in its place and performs a specific function. Hair in places such as the face and groin played the role of a sexual identifier many centuries ago. The face overgrown with a beard indicated not only the male, but also the sexual maturity of the male. The mane of lions has a similar meaning.
Hair in the groin and armpit not only defines the adult, but also promotes thermoregulation. Also, the vegetation in these areas accumulates the natural smell of sweat and pheromones, by which our distant ancestors sensitively captured a healthy, sexually active and genetically suitable individual.
Harm from the destruction of body hair
A group of scientists from the University of Stirling in Scotland conducted an interesting study. They asked 63 women (age 18-32) to determine the most attractive sexual partner based on the smell of men's sweat on their T-shirts. After analyzing the results of preferences, the scientists found that all the ladies, only by the smell of sweat, instinctively chose for themselves the most suitable men in terms of the set of genes.
Psychologist Craig Roberts concluded that the smell of sweat is a definite indicator of the health and genetic compatibility of partners. Interestingly, repeating the result after 3 months gave the same results. The ladies chose the same gentlemen. This mechanism has been perfected by evolution for millennia so that people have the opportunity to choose the ideal partner for the birth of healthy offspring. But it is on the hair that the smell of sweat is best preserved.
By shaving off their body hair and clogging up the smell of sweat with antiperspirants and perfumes, people are depriving themselves of the opportunity to pick up good genetic material. In addition, constant shaving leads to micro-trauma to the skin. This regularly activates and disorients the immune system, which is constantly forced to fight any external aggressor.
Do not forget that shaving takes place not only with the help of blades, but also with all kinds of foams, soaps and other chemicals. All this gets into the bloodstream during cuts, irritates the deeper layers of the dermis, and can cause suppuration and ingrowth of hair. Other methods of hair removal do not have the best effect on the skin. Especially dangerous is the now fashionable laser hair removal, which provokes not only microtrauma, but also skin cancer.
