Body hair

Hair removal in ancient Rome

In the Roman world, hair removal was part of certain grooming practices, for both men and women. The discoveries of Wroxeter, in Great Britain, testify to its importance in the baths: English Heritage lists more than fifty tweezers there.

Seneca even mentions the cries caused by armpit hair removal in a letter on the noise of baths. This detail shows how familiar the practice could be in this context. However, we should not imagine a uniformly beardless Antiquity: customs varied depending on the environment, and judgments on body care could also relate to masculinity and social status.

In the 20th century, fashion and advertising

In the United States, women's clothing in the early 20th century exposed certain parts of the body more. The Smithsonian links the rise of short dresses and sleeveless tops in the 1920s to campaigns encouraging the shaving of legs and armpits. In 1915, Gillette launched the Milady Decollette, a razor marketed especially for women.

This example shows how an aesthetic habit can develop with clothing fashion and product sales. A previously covered area becomes visible, then its appearance becomes the subject of new expectations.

Male maintenance in the 20th and 21st centuries

Among men, preferences are not limited to an opposition between a completely hairy body and a completely shaved body. A study published in 2014 among 238 American students examined several degrees of hairiness on the same male body. Many male participants reported reducing or removing hair, particularly around the pubic area. This sample describes a specific environment, not a universal preference.