Underarm hair removal is a practice performed by any female of the westernized world. Removing the hair from the armpits is common in the United States and the United Kingdom. It is done for aesthetic and hygienic reasons. In parts of Asia, removing the hair from the axillary region is not as commonly performed. Armpit or axillary hair is believed to react differently to the process of removal like shaving and plucking. This belief has effectively propagated myths about armpit hair removal. The process of removing armpit hair has also been depicted in ancient and modern arts.

Facts

Fact: Armpit hair grows faster than leg and other bodily hair. That is the reason why, you have to shave armpit hair more often than you do to your legs. Another fact about underarm hair removal is that women are not the only ones that shave or remove the hair on their armpits. This practice is also performed by men, especially art dancers, actors of a certain genre and swimmers who want to make their bodies more dynamic in water. Despite seemingly to be of no use, study has shown that armpit hair has a functional value. It has been noticed that armpit hair decreases the friction between the skin of the arm and the skin of the torso. Contrary to popular belief, having armpit hair is not necessarily unhygienic. Although it can harbor bacteria, this is easily remedied by the use of antiperspirants.

Myths

A common myth about removing armpit hair by shaving is that it will cause the new growth of hair to be darker and thicker than the original. This is of course is not true. The only reason people say this is because new hair has blunt edges and the stubble will naturally feel coarser and look darker than the unshaved hair. Another myth is that shaving can make the skin of the armpit darker. Darkening of the skin can occur, but it is not the skin that darkens. The discoloration is brought about by the very subtle growth of new hair. This is effectively avoided by choosing another form of removal which is waxing and laser hair removal. These two methods are known to eliminate the darkening effect.

Underarm Hair Removal In The Arts

It has been recorded that earlier armpit hair was not usually depicted in art. When an artist chose to show armpit hair in any female figure or images he makes, it was considered as a form of modernism and a defiance of the superiority that the male population has on the female. This process is unlike the depiction of pubic hair which was often removed in art.