B-BOYS AND B-GIRLS ACROSS THE GLOBE!
Development and function
This pubic hair, as most of the other body hair, normally starts to appear at puberty and growth is normally complete by the end of teen-age. The release of pheromones from the axilla at this stage of human development may be related to sex. Further, some people have suggested that the hair itself acts with a natural "anti-friction" quality between the upper arm and the thorax.[citation needed] More importantly, armpit hair naturally wicks moisture away from the skin, which aids in keeping the skin dry enough to prevent colonization by odor-producing bacteria.[1]
[edit] Cultural attitudes
Today, in many countries, especially in much of the Western world, it is more common for women than men to shave off their underarm hair regularly for aesthetic reasons, a practice that may be connected to the overall body hair distribution of sexes. Prevalence of this practice varies widely, though. Religious reasons are sometimes cited; in Islamic culture, both men and women practice the removal of underarm hair for religious guidelines of cleanliness.
Competitive swimmers remove all body hair, including underarms, to make their bodies more streamlined before taking part in races. It is also common amongst bodybuilders and in erotica for aesthetic reasons.
[edit] History of underarm hair removal
A woman with hair removedRemoval 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 Muslims.[2]
In the West, the practice began around 1915 in the US and UK, 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 English speaking countries, especially in the US and Canada, it did not become widespread on the Continent of Europe until well after World War II.[3]
[edit] Effects of shaving
It is a commonly believed myth that shaving hair will cause it to grow thicker over time.[4] There is nothing about the practice of shaving that produces new follicles for hair to grow out of; 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 and 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.[5]
[edit] Axillary hair in art
The axillary hair in art is usually removed; not doing so is a mark of modernism. This is in contrast to the depiction of pubic hair in art. Rarely, pubic hair is portrayed in art created in the Middle Ages. Depiction of pubic hair gradually became more common in the Renaissance, and quite frequent in modern times.[6]
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