-SPECIAL FEATURE-
The Bare Truth: Why Humans Began Removing Body Hair
From the
jagged edges of flint stones to the precision of laser beams, the story of body
hair removal is as old as civilization itself. It’s a tale woven through
culture, class, hygiene, aesthetics, and identity, a ritual that has evolved
from survival to symbolism, from necessity to norm.
In the
shadowy depths of prehistory, even cavemen were believed to have practiced
rudimentary hair removal. Archeological evidence suggests that sharp stones and
seashells were used to scrape away hair, likely for practical reasons.
Hair
could harbor parasites, emit foul odors, or become a liability in combat,
offering opponents something to grab during physical confrontations. Thus,
removing it may have been a matter of survival and hygiene.
Fast
forward to ancient Egypt, and hair removal became a mark of civilization and
status. Egyptians of all genders removed body hair, sparing only the eyebrows.
Smooth skin was synonymous with purity and refinement. Cleopatra herself is
said to have used a sugar-based paste, an early form of waxing, to maintain her
iconic smoothness.
Priests
shaved daily to present a “pure” body before the gods, and the upper classes
used bronze razors, pumice stones, and beeswax to rid themselves of unwanted
hair. In this society, hairlessness was not just aesthetic, it was spiritual
and social.
The
Greeks and Romans inherited and refined these practices. In 6th-century BCE
Greece, women used razors, pumice stones, and depilatory creams made from
caustic substances like arsenic and lime.
Roman
elites viewed hairlessness as a symbol of superiority and virtue. Statues of
gods and depictions of noblewomen were invariably smooth-skinned, reinforcing
the ideal. Hair removal was not merely cosmetic, it was a declaration of class
and character.
Persian
culture contributed its own legacy with the Bande Abru method, a threading
technique still popular today. Over 5,000 years ago, this practice emerged as
both a beauty ritual and a cultural tradition, emphasizing precision and
elegance.
In
medieval and early modern times, the fervor for hair removal waned somewhat,
only to be reignited in the 20th century. The rise of fashion, advertising, and
consumer culture in the West played a pivotal role.
As
hemlines rose and sleeveless dresses became popular, the visibility of body
hair increased, and so did the pressure to remove it. Women's magazines, razor
companies, and beauty brands capitalized on this shift, promoting smooth skin
as the feminine ideal. The campaign was so effective that by the mid-1900s,
hair removal had become a near-universal expectation for women in many
societies.
Men, too,
were drawn into the fold. While facial hair remained a symbol of masculinity in
some cultures, the rise of athleticism, grooming trends, and media
representation encouraged many to adopt hair removal practices, especially in
areas like the chest, back, and pubic region.
Today,
the motivations are as varied as the methods. Hygiene, aesthetics, gender
norms, cultural traditions, religious practices, and personal preference all
play a role. Laser treatments, waxing, threading, shaving, and depilatory
creams offer choices tailored to comfort, cost, and convenience.
Yet
beneath the surface, the act of removing body hair remains deeply symbolic—a
reflection of how we see ourselves and how we wish to be seen.
In
essence, we began removing our body hair not just to feel clean or look good,
but to belong. To align with ideals, to express identity, to navigate the
complex terrain of social expectations.
The bare
truth is that hair removal is more than skin deep, it’s a mirror of our
evolving humanity
