Pubic hair removal

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The pubic hair removal is the complete or partial removal of the pubic hair in the genital area . It is considered the ideal of beauty .

A distinction is made between:

Body regions

Bikini line

Pubic hair of the "bikini line" Bikini pants with a shaved bikini line
Pubic hair of the "bikini line"
Bikini pants with a shaved bikini line

In connection with hair removal, the " bikini zone" is colloquially the area overgrown by pubic hair that is not covered by bikini bottoms . However, since the size and shape of bikini bottoms vary widely, the range is not clearly defined. It essentially comprises the lower abdominal wall above the pubic symphysis and parts of the groin or parts of the thighs .

Genital area

For genital area , on the pubic hair grow belong

The perineum and the area of ​​the anus also belong to the genital area. They are usually hairy in men, but this hairiness is different in women.

history

Ancient civilizations

Even in ancient times, it was common in various cultures to remove pubic hair.

In the early advanced civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt , the removal of body hair was known. Before 4000 to 3000 BC In the 2nd century BC hair removers made from resins, plant extracts, donkey fat, bat blood and pitch were used. Cut stones and shells were also used for hair removal.

Ancient Egypt

Detail of the mural: “ Greek Antiquity and Egypt ” by Gustav Klimt , Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna , 1891

In ancient Egypt , a hairless body was part of the ideal of beauty . Women removed their eyebrows and body hair, including pubic hair. People shaved their heads and wore elaborate wigs . Practical reasons also played a role. Without body hair, it was more difficult for parasites like lice or mites to establish themselves.

On Egyptian tomb paintings from the Amarna period there are depictions of pubic hairless slaves dressed only in jewelry. Bronze knives or beeswax were used for hair removal .

Ancient Greece

In ancient Greece , pubic hair was removed using epilation. Some ancient Greek vase paintings also show naked people, completely hairless except for their hair. Records from around 590 BC Chr. Prove that joy girls were made up and epilated on the pubic. There were to, among other arsenic Orpiment used. According to some sources, men were said to have had a pronounced abhorrence of pubic hair during the classical era , with the result that women completely removed their pubic hair. However, depictions of women with pubic hair can also be found in Greek art of the era. However, it is considered likely that at least partial pubic hair removal was widespread.

Ancient Rome

The large-scale bathing facilities in ancient Rome were centers of personal hygiene . Roman women removed leg, armpit and pubic hair. The eyebrows were plucked with tweezers. The hygienic aspect was also described by doctors in ancient times. Little is known about the spread among citizens. In addition to the depilation methods described above, the hair was also rubbed with coarse gloves or sandpaper-like discs. Other harmful methods were also widespread, such as the use of lime lye or agents containing arsenic .

Through the conquests of ancient Rome, the Roman bathing and physical culture reached large parts of Europe, North Africa and the Orient.

Medieval and Early Modern Occident

Pubic hair epilation, woodcut by Peter Flötner, early 16th century Woman having intimate shave, sculpture in Castello Sforzesco, 12th century
Pubic hair epilation , woodcut by Peter Flötner , early 16th century
Woman having intimate shave, sculpture in Castello Sforzesco , 12th century

In the High Medieval book illumination , naked men and women are regularly depicted without body hair. It cannot be concluded from this whether and to what extent their removal was common. However, a relief depiction from the 12th century depicting a woman cutting pubic hair with scissors shows that the practice of pubic hair removal was at least known.

From 15./16. In the 19th century, pubic hair removal gained another meaning in Europe. With the increasing persecution of witches , various methods were developed to "convict" the suspects. For the needle test , they looked for a mark on the body that the devil should have left, a mole or a scar. The delinquents were epilated or shaved all over their bodies. Since the "devil's mark" was expected primarily on the breasts and in the pubic area, the women were examined in detail all over their bodies. The victims were then taken to court naked . But also in other witch trials the women had all body hair removed in order to be able to take away their magic power.

In the early 18th century, a smooth intimate area was considered a sign of virginity and willingness to give yourself.

Islam

Islam , which has spread since the Middle Ages, dictates cleanliness and personal hygiene for its followers. According to Fitra, the removal of pubic hair is part of the natural disposition of humans, which means the God-willed changes to the human body (furthermore, circumcision , removal of armpit hair and cutting of the nails ). Muslims (men and women) have to depilate themselves every 40 days according to the Islamic rules of cleanliness. However, women usually do this more often.

In the dry desert climate, where water is too precious to wash, reduced pubic hair is an advantage. Even if hygienic reasons were originally the cause of the religious rule of cleanliness, an ideal of beauty developed from it, which is widespread in the Islamic countries, especially in the Arab region and in the Ottoman Empire or Turkey . Bassano de Zara, an Italian living in the Ottoman Empire, wrote around 1530 that pubic hair was abhorred there.

Apart from that, the Arabs also adopted the Roman bathing culture and built baths, the hammams . In addition to bathing and sweating, much was done in the hammams for beauty care. The men took the opportunity to shave; the women epilated or dyed their hair.

In the writings of Usama ibn Munqidh (1095–1188) the case of a crusader from the Frankish Empire is reported who first came into contact with pubic hair removal in a hammam in the Byzantium of that time and was enthusiastic about it. According to Ibn Munqidh, he is said to have requested the removal of his own pubic hair and stated that he wanted to spread this practice in his homeland.

Woman in Egypt , around 1900

Traditionally, the day before the wedding in the Arab world, all hair except for the hair on the head and eyebrows was removed from women as part of a ceremony (this tradition is still partly alive). The hairless body was considered a symbol of immaculateness and devotion. In the Orient , hair removal was done using halawa , a warm paste made from caramelized sugar and lemon juice , which is still a common hair removal method in this region, or you can pull your hair out using threads with quick movements.

After hair removal, a paste called rusma containing calcium oxide is often applied to reduce hair regrowth. With regular use, this leads to permanent removal of pubic hair after a few years. Sometimes the depilated genital area is decorated with henna .

Indigenous cultures

In many indigenous peoples , the removal of pubic or extensive body hair is a common cultural tradition. In the high culture of the Aztecs , women and men generally removed their entire body hair with metal tweezers (priests used gold); the skulls were shaved.

Hair removal is common among many African ethnic groups, including in the genital region. The hair is often epilated by plucking it. In the Nuba in Africa, pubic hair removal is common in both sexes.

The women of the Huaorani in South America rub the areas where they do not want hair with ashes so that the hair can then be removed more easily. In parts of South America , the female labia are referred to as the women's “vertical smile”, which should not be hidden by the pubic hair. Pubic hair is considered animal.

The Portuguese historian Pero Vaz de Caminha , who explored Brazil with Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500 , documented in his reports that the locals are hairless in the intimate area and are therefore not ashamed of their nudity. "... suas vergonhas tão altas e tão çarradinhas e tão limpas das cabeleiras que de as nós muito bem olharmos not tínhamos nenhuma vergonha."

Development since the 20th century

Early 20th century nude photography
Pubic haircuts; Terminology is adapted to " Brazilian waxing ". The hairstyles can vary individually and the styles shown are only examples.

In the 1920s, intimate shaving experienced a certain popularity among women among the bohemians . The intimate shave was considered a symbol of emancipated femininity, especially among intellectuals and artists.

This ended with the time of National Socialism , whereby the “German woman” had to wear full, untrimmed pubic hair in accordance with the ideal. This can be seen in the paintings of Adolf Ziegler , who was heavily involved in National Socialism.

In the decades that followed, pubic hair removal was not very common. A survey conducted in Australia in 1968 found that only 10% of women had their pubic hair completely removed, but pubic hair trimming was common. In the 1970s and early 1980s, which were shaped by the influence of the hippie movement and its penchant for naturalness, body hair was generally upgraded; lush pubic hair was common again.

It was not until the late 1980s and 1990s that the opposite trend towards less pubic hair gradually began. Brazilian waxing was introduced in the USA in 1994 and became known through media reports in the late 1990s. In 2000, Brazilian waxing was featured in an episode of the popular HBO television series Sex and the City , with a leading actress (played by Sarah Jessica Parker ) undergoing waxing. Pubic hair removal has been discussed repeatedly on the series and has been increasingly treated as a topic in the broader media. The trend towards less and less pubic hair up to its complete removal can be clearly seen in the course of the nude photographs and erotic photographs of the last decades. In September 2001, Playboy published photos of Dalene Kurtis for the first time, a Playmate with a completely hairless genital area, which is now normal there. The increasing spread and easier accessibility of erotica and pornography since the 1990s is considered to be partly responsible for the trend towards hairlessness. The associated public visibility of the genitals creates the basis for social beauty standards. Sexual morality, which has become increasingly liberal, with more frequently changing sex partners, leads to the establishment of aesthetic norms for the intimate area.

In general, it can be said that the increasing acceptance of the public display of certain areas of the body in women led to their depilation. This applies to the armpits and legs as well as to the genital area. Ever scarcer swimwear and the strong presence of nudity in the media do their part to change the aesthetic perception of this area and to perceive hair as a nuisance.

present

Social development

Young adults as part of the World Naked Bike Ride in the UK Young adults as part of the World Naked Bike Ride in the UK
Young adults as part of the World Naked Bike Ride in the UK

In recent years, pubic hair removal has become more widespread in both sexes. While pubic hair was still regarded as normal until the 1990s, the depilated female genital area is now largely a social normality, especially among younger people, according to two studies - at least in the countries of these studies - and is used by sexual partners, especially women, often expected. These views are also promoted by producers for commercial reasons.

In Western culture , the spread of pubic hair removal was subject to periodic fluctuations, but was not a mass phenomenon until the 1990s. As a result of the increasing media presence of nudity , following the trend towards depilation of legs and armpits, pubic hair removal set in in the USA and Europe by. The admission of numerous prominent women to being "hairless" in the genital area contributed to its popularity. Because of the total shaving of the genital area by famous actresses in Hollywood, this is also called Hollywood style .

Initially limited to the area of ​​the bikini line (bikini cut) , the fashion soon followed of leaving only a narrow strip above the labia (Brazilian cut) . As an explanation for the increasing hairlessness in the female pubic area, the social scientist Elmar Brähler sees strengthened ideals of beauty for this body region:

“Especially in the area of ​​intimate shaving for women, it can be said that it is the 'new' visibility of the external female genitalia that leads to the development of beauty standards here as well: For the first time, a generally applicable - for large sections of the population - binding Intimate aesthetics. A region of the body that up until now was primarily a private sphere - the pubic region - is now subject to a design imperative. "

- Elmar Brähler

This also means that the hairless pubic region is adorned with genital piercings , such as rings in the labia .

The differences according to age groups are striking . A representative study with 2512 participants showed in July 2009 that in the age group from 18 to 25 years approx. 55.2% female and 22.6% male respondents removed all or part of their pubic hair; in the age groups from 31 years of age, however, these values ​​fell very sharply. On average in this study presented by the University of Leipzig , the intimate shave was carried out by approx. 18.4% of the total population.

A study carried out by the Federal Center for Health Education and the University of Hamburg in 2009 questioned 160 young people between the ages of 16 and 19 on the subjects of body and sexuality. The study found that 94% of female and 81% of male adolescents removed their pubic hair.

Genital region with pubic hair removed Genital region with pubic hair removed
Genital region with pubic hair removed

A non-representative online survey conducted by the German magazine Glamor among over ten thousand of its (mostly young) readers in the summer of 2012 gave the following values ​​to the question "Do you shave your intimate areas?": "Yes, completely" 69%, "Yes, but only partially" 15%, “Yes, but only the bikini line in summer” 4%, “Only when I have a sex partner” 5%, “I use other methods of hair removal” 4% and “No, I like it of course” 2%.

The attitude of younger people also becomes clear when one looks at the countless groups on this topic in social networks , where members take their own hairlessness for granted or express demands on their partner or the general public in this regard.

This development is also reflected in the media such as Playboy : As part of a systematic, sociological investigation into the representation of the female genital area in the media, photos in (American) Playboy were examined. The analysis of all Centerfolds from 1953 to 2007 showed a significant decrease in pubic hair. Another analysis in the same publication examined 185 photos of Playboy (print edition and website) from 2007 and 2008: 61.2% of women had their pubic hair completely removed, 19.5% partially and 18.9% were in natural Status.

Brazilian waxing , which originated in Brazil, has increasingly gained acceptance in Europe since the turn of the millennium, coming via the USA. The pubic hair is removed with hot wax. Permanent removal by laser, photo or needle epilation is also becoming more popular. While intimate shaving is still the most widespread method in Germany, Brazilian waxing is the most common method of removing pubic hair in Italy , for example .

In an online survey conducted in 2013 by healthcare company UK Medix , 51% of 1,870 British women said they did not change or style their pubic hair, with 45% saying they would no longer be exposed to this pressure and 62% saying that her partner would prefer natural looks.

Age differences

Percentage of pubic hair removal by age group in women between 18 and 68 years old in the USA, source: Pubic hair removal among women in the United States: Prevalence, methods and characteristics. (2010) [39] Percentage of pubic hair removal in women: 18–44 years (left) and 45–72 years (right), source: Interest in cosmetic vulvar surgery and perception of vulvar appearance, (2012) [40]
Percentage of pubic hair removal by age group in women between 18 and 68 years old in the USA, source: Pubic hair removal among women in the United States: Prevalence, methods and characteristics. (2010)
Percentage of pubic hair removal in women: 18–44 years (left) and 45–72 years (right), source: Interest in cosmetic vulvar surgery and perception of vulvar appearance, (2012)

The prevalence varies greatly between age groups - pubic hair removal has so far been far more common among young women. A US survey by the magazines Esquire and Marie Claire found that the proportion is inversely proportional to age. While 45% of 40 to 50 year old women left their pubic hair in a natural condition, the proportion among 20 to 30 year olds was only 16%. According to a 2010 Canadian study, it has become uncommon for gynecologists in urban areas to find pubic hair in women under 30. A German gynecologist confirmed in an interview that 90% of their patients under 30 years of age were almost completely depilated. Only among those over 40 are there significantly fewer.

These findings have been confirmed in scientific studies. A 2005 UK study found that 85.7% of women surveyed remove all or part of their pubic hair. For women and girls under 20 years of age, however, the proportion was 91%; women over 50 years of age still did this to 68%. Similar results, albeit slightly lower proportions, were found in a study in the USA in 2010. The proportion of women who remove their pubic hair was 87.6% in the age group 18–24 years and in the age group over 50-year-olds at 48.3% (see graphic). The authors cite the following reasons as an explanation for the age differences:

  • Young people are statistically more sexually active than older people and are also more likely to have changing partners. This can help make genital aesthetics more important.
  • A cohort effect: the greater prevalence among young people is primarily an effect of the year of birth and is only secondary to age. Since pubic hair removal only became common in the 1990s, it has had its greatest impact in subsequent generations. This means that the adolescents and young adults who remove pubic hair today will continue to do so in old age.

Gender differences

Globally and historically, pubic hair removal is found far more frequently in women than in men. Only since the end of the 20th century has there been an increasing trend in this direction among men, especially in the USA , and increasingly in Europe. According to a non-representative survey by a men's magazine in 2005, 61% of men remove their pubic hair, a study by the University of Leipzig (see above) in 2008 found 67% of the 95 students questioned who mainly had their armpits, the genital area or shave the upper body.

A representative survey on body hair removal in 2009 with 2512 Germans between 14 and 94 showed: “Younger people in particular are committed to body hair removal (women: armpits, legs and genital area; men: armpits and genital area): 66.7% of 14 to 17 year old women, around 80 percent of 18 to 30 year olds. In the case of men between 18 and 30 years of age, only a third like it depilated, in the case of 14 to 17 year olds it is just under 20 percent. In the case of 31 to 60-year-old women, however, 67.3 percent regularly trim body hair, and in men 20.2 (without beard hair). The respondents cite their own ideal of beauty and hygiene as the main reasons. "

Hairdressing pubic hair

In the 1990s, the hairstyle trend emerged . Common hairstyles are a vertical line / bar in the middle (referred to as mohawk or mohawk , barcode or French intimate shave ), a triangle, an arrow pointing downwards, a diamond , a lightning bolt or other, mostly geometric, pattern, often vertically symmetrical .

The vertical mohawk is one of the most popular forms for women , as the effect is independent of the density of the pubic hair. With this hairstyle, the labia are usually shaved and thus visible. The vertical “mohawk” is either shortened or worn as a complete strip down to the labia. Flat shapes such as triangles, hearts or V are only effective with dense, very dark or possibly colored pubic hair.

The left hair can be tinted or permanently colored, such as with henna or permanent hair dye. Since the pubic hair grows back in its original color, it would have to be colored again and again after a few weeks. Permanent coloring is useful when differences between colored main hair and pubic hair are to be avoided or a color contrast is to be created consciously. A piercing is often worn in addition to the pubic hairstyle . Especially in the USA and France , but increasingly in major German cities, some hairdressers specialize in pubic hairstyle. The previous pubic hairstyle can be retained even with permanent pubic hair removal.

  • "Iro" or "Landing Strip" for a woman (with clitoral hood piercing )

  • "Iro" or "Landing Strip" for men

  • Horizontal "landing strip" for a woman (with vajazzling )

  • "Triangle" or triangle for a woman

Procedure overview

There are several methods of removing pubic hair. The "intimate shave" (hair removal with a razor) is the most common and widespread, followed by temporary epilation (using an electric epilator or Brazilian waxing). According to a US survey, 67% of the population have their pubic hair removed using a razor, 6% using Brazilian waxing and 1–2% have their pubic hair removed permanently using electrolytic or laser technology.

The different methods each have advantages and disadvantages. The quality and smoothness that can be achieved after depilation and the time it takes for the hair to grow back differ significantly. Likewise, the procedures are associated with different costs and can possibly be associated with pain or other problems.

Result durability Painfulness health risks estimated costs*
shave Pubic hair Shaving.jpg only smooth immediately after shaving first stubble after a few hours, daily use necessary none to easy Possibility of spreading any existing infections (e.g. HPV ) - possibly dry skin, slight redness, pimples or ingrown hairs depending on the system and frequency, € 1–10 per month
Depilatory cream Depilatory spatula.jpg completely smooth only immediately after application, product quality varies first stubble after a few hours, daily use necessary no Contains irritating agents, can trigger allergic reactions, irritate mucous membranes and cause blindness on contact with the eyes depending on the product and frequency, € 5–15 per month
temporary epilationEpileertoestel.JPG Completely smooth for about a month 1 to 1.5 months until the hair grows back with a thin, soft tip (no stubble), after which a transition phase of about a week is necessary until the hair has the necessary length (2–4 mm) initially rather high, decreases with the number of applications like shaving 40–100 € for an epilator , very low for halawa , warm wax or Brazilian waxing for home use ( 1–10 € per month), cold wax strips 10 € per month, higher prices for use in a studio (10–50 € per month)
permanent epilationLaser-hair-removal-face-ama-regenerative-medicine.jpg permanently completely smooth; Disadvantage: cannot be reversed permanent, but often multiple applications (3–6) necessary every two months medium Skin irritation and irritation one-time € 300–600 (€ 100 per treatment, about 3–6 treatments required at monthly intervals)
rather advantageous medium or depending on the process rather disadvantageous

Note: * the costs mentioned are to be understood as guidelines and depend on the provider or studio as well as the strength and extent of pubic hair

Possible problems

Folliculitis on the pubic mound after wet shaving

One function of the pubic hair is to support the evaporation of the scent gland secretions ( pheromones ). Pubic hair removal can therefore reduce sexual attraction to sexual partners who find the intimate odor stimulating.

Genital warts due to HPV in the shaved pubic area at the base of the penis

As part of an already existing infection with human papilloma viruses , a pubic hair shave can lead to an infection with genital warts in the genital region that was not previously affected.

There is a risk of cuts when shaving wet . A consequence of the intimate shave can be the formation of inflammations , pustules and ingrown hairs in the days following the shave. In extreme cases, such inflammations can also cause abscesses . These problems occur mainly when you shave for the first time and when you shave after a long break. For many people, they reduce by themselves with regular shaving. However, this is not always the case, since pimples can be opened again by "shaving" and can start to bleed. It is also helpful to use soothing substances (such as lotions or baby powder ) or substances that promote healing (such as dexpanthenol ) immediately after shaving, as this allows the shaved skin to heal better and itching, friction and pimple formation can be prevented. Alcohol and / or additives containing oils or creams can lead to itching, skin irritation, inflammation and ingrown hairs. Specially developed shaving oils, shaving soaps and creams are designed to reduce the occurrence of minor injuries and pimples. Products for medical skin and mucous membrane disinfection can also be used, for example products with the active ingredient octenidine . These are available in pharmacies without a prescription.

The main disadvantage of all forms of epilation, be it Brazilian waxing or with an epilator, is the pain that comes with it . The sensation of pain can vary greatly between people. Although they can be reduced by applying an anesthetic cream, most people at least find the procedure uncomfortable. The advantage lies in the fact that it is hairless for much longer, hair that decreases over time and no stubble.

After removing the body hair in the pubic area, the armpits and between the buttocks, physical activity (e.g. marching on foot) may cause skin irritation, as the pubic or armpit hair prevents the skin from rubbing against the skin ( friction protection ). However, there is no association between intimate shaving and vaginal fungus or bacterial infections, which is sometimes assumed.

In many gynecological operations (for example , removal of the uterus through the vagina ), the pubic hair is removed in order to better disinfect and cover the surgical area. In addition, long pubic hair can obstruct the view or be accidentally sewn into surgical wounds. This shave should only take place shortly before the operation. For organizational reasons, it is often done the evening before in the hospital. This has the disadvantage that microscopic skin incisions can become infected within the next few hours. This inflammation worsens the antisepsis of the surgical field. The Robert Koch Institute recommends shortening hair in all operations using special cutting devices to about half a millimeter in length. In many clinics, however, the opposite practice still exists of shaving even when it is actually not necessary, for example before scraping .

Attitudes towards pubic hair removal

Gender preferences

Gender-specific preferences for pubic hair of the (opposite-sex) partner in women and men, Source: Pubic Hair Preferences, Reasons for Removal, and Associated Genital Symptoms: Comparisons Between Men and Women (2014)

Findings from psychological studies indicate that men and women have different normative expectations for hair removal. Compared to women, men report lower expectations regarding pubic hair removal. Accordingly, there is less social pressure to have to remove them in order to be considered attractive. While female pubic hair is often viewed as unhygienic, especially among young people, male pubic hair is less taboo in the general attitude. Men, on the other hand, show a more clearly negative attitude towards female pubic hair. Around 30% of men state that an unshaven genital area in a woman would be a reason for them not to enter into sexual contact.

The findings apply to young adults (“ undergraduate ”, 19–24 years of age); it is unclear to what extent they can be transferred to older people. Studies indicate that the preference for body hair can change with age (for example, older women (after menopause ) show a preference for male body hair, while younger women show a preference for hairlessness).

According to a survey by the men's and lifestyle magazine GQ in 2005, 46% of men prefer a hairless genital area in women, 29% accept a narrow line (landing strip) and 11% accept a triangle on the pubic mound. Individual patterns are appreciated by 6% of men and 8% like natural pubic hair. Conversely, 70% of women like a completely depilated genital area, 27% prefer trimmed and only 3% like natural pubic hair. According to a survey of men and women in 2010, 65% expected a completely hairless genital area; unshaven pubic hair was "completely rejected" by 75% of those surveyed.

In a 2011 TNS Infratest survey among 4,100 Germans on behalf of the Schlecker drugstore chain , it emerged that 50% of women want hair-free intimate areas in men, 83% of men reject pubic hair in women.

In a 2014 survey, over 1,000 male and female American students from the Midwest were asked how they preferred pubic hair in their sex partners. While men showed a strong preference for pubic hair to be completely removed, the ratio was more balanced in women (see graphic).

Motifs for pubic hair removal

The pubic hair is mostly removed for aesthetic reasons, i.e. to meet one's own or someone else's ideas of beauty . Many women say they feel more feminine and attractive without pubic hair. Hygiene and cleanliness are also associated with pubic hair removal: although there is no objective, medical need for pubic hair removal, pubic hair is often subjectively perceived as unsanitary. Societal and social norms also play a role as a motive.

In a scientific survey in Australia entitled: "Why are Australian women choosing permanent pubic hair removal?", Women were asked about their reasons for hair removal. 75% gave aesthetic reasons, 71% saw hygienic advantages and 17% mentioned cultural reasons. There were also positive influences on sexuality: 60% felt more during sex without pubic hair. The more direct skin contact without pubic hair is seen as a possible reason.

The smooth, hairless skin that remains after pubic hair removal is sometimes viewed as pleasant or erotic . In addition, it is often stated that the feeling of sexual intercourse , especially oral intercourse , is more pleasant without intimate hair. The shaving itself can also be perceived as erotic by the partner. In a survey of sexually active American women , partial or total removal correlated with more positive genital self-image and more fulfilled sexuality. The correlation with sexual activity indicates a connection between intimate shaving and the body feeling during intercourse: a smooth genital area is experienced by the sexual partner as more pleasant and there is a positive correlation between the frequency of intercourse and pubic hair removal.

Motives against pubic hair removal

Pubic hair is also perceived as aesthetic

There is a trend reported in the press and in women's magazines according to which pubic hair is now again considered aesthetic or at least acceptable. In recent years, female celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow or Madonna have increasingly known about their body hair and their pubic hair. Others, especially women, defend themselves against the social pressure of having to conform to a social ideal in every intimate area of ​​their life. Protest was raised on social media such as Instagram when a picture that a woman had posted of herself was deleted. Those responsible had justified this with the fact that pubic hair was visible in the bikini line. A significant part of the population, especially men, is indifferent and does not want to undergo the hassle of hair removal. Some see body and pubic hair as part of their nature, some see it as a charm of their own. The actress Cameron Diaz writes that pubic hair is sexy because, like packaging or a curtain, it does not reveal all secrets and is therefore both seductive and mysterious. Particularly in the case of irreversible pubic hair removal, in old age or in the event of a change in the ideal of beauty, it is no longer possible to protect the genitals in a simple way from direct glances. The actress Christine Kaufmann also stated in an interview:

"I want to break a lance for more pubic hair because I find it aesthetic."

- Christine Kaufmann

According to photographer Dian Hanson, fully depilated women's bodies look too much "1990s-style"; women’s casual approach to the beauty of their pubic hair is recommended as a return to normalcy.

The ideal of beauty of the pubic hair removed also offers opportunities for conscious deviations in the form of subcultures. The “ Bear Community ” proudly turns to their body hair and develops a cult around it. Under the motto "My bush belongs to me!", Tolerance towards people with pubic hair is demanded. While fully shaved genitals were part of fetish pornography until the 1980s, current pornography almost exclusively shows people with completely or partially depilated genital areas . As a result, a niche market for pubic hair fetishism has emerged that specializes in women with natural pubic hair .

Criticism of the social norm of depilation

After decades before female leg and armpit hair had experienced social disapproval, a similar process is currently taking place with regard to pubic hair. Pubic hair is perceived by many younger people as disgusting, unhygienic and annoying. For example, when pubic hair was seen in an underwear campaign by the American Apparel fashion brand , it was rated as "provocative":

“It was not the freedom of movement of the campaign that provoked the great media coverage, but the fact that the model has pubic hair. The norm of hairlessness has become so widely accepted that hair on women's bodies leads to indignation, disgust and rejection. "

- Silja Matthiesen & Jasmin Mainka

The animal rights organization PETA aimed at a similar shock effect in a campaign with Joanna Krupa , in which she was portrayed with artificial pubic hair growing out of her bikini bottoms. The message was that “fur” makes you unattractive (“fur trim: unattractive”) . The campaign has been criticized for exploiting the stigma of pubic hair for its own purposes:

“This is not a 'fun' way of drawing attention to the fur industry. It's one way to draw attention to PETA's idiocy by equating pubic hair with animal fur and calling it 'unattractive', that's all. No one who sees this ad will say, 'Oh my god, I do Brazilian waxing every week and I definitely want my wardrobe to reflect that so I should stop wearing bunny fur!' "

Even if this norm is more pronounced for women, it is increasingly considered more well-groomed among men to remove pubic hair. In a survey, more than half of all men and women between the ages of 20 and 35 said they would assume that potential sexual partners would expect a hairless genital area. In a scientific study, men showed a clear preference for hairless women, women with body hair were not only seen as less attractive, but also as less intelligent, unsanitary and unsociable. Sometimes a predominantly "US fear of hairy female bodies" is postulated, for which either homophobia or the exaggerated fear of pathogens are responsible. Sometimes derogatory comments from sexual partners or critical looks, for example in the sauna, are given as triggers that lead to the removal of pubic hair.

Above all, criticism from the feminist side holds that female intimate hair growth represents a submission of women to male desires and expectations. The establishment of pubic hair removal in broad social classes is interpreted as an expression of increasing sexualization and pornography of society. From a feminist point of view, women do not want their pubic hair to be removed themselves, but rather an adoption of patriarchal-chauvinist compulsions that men use specifically as a means of oppression. It is also assumed that the genitals of prepubescent children should be imitated. For example, in early 2008, Regula Stämpfli claimed in an article in the feminist magazine Emma :

Naked woman in public with pubic hair

“Growing up children against adult women is not just chic, hip, fashion, comfortable, cool, easy-going beauty, but rather the prevailing political philosophy carried out on one's own body. The pubic shave becomes part of what women in a dehumanized presence of goods unquestionably copy, just to please. The bare child cunts of adult women are unreflective copies of globalized and anatomized, de-rotized and de-feminized (commodity) body actions. "

- Regula Stämpfli

Against a similar background, a connection between pubic hair removal and pedophilia is assumed:

“I am dismayed at how adult women turn themselves into prepubescent girls. You shouldn't be surprised that some men become pedophiles because they can no longer distinguish. "

- Christine Kaufmann

Pubic hair removal is not understood in the feminist discourse as a private matter, but as an aspect in a gender struggle in that it is interpreted as an expression of the exercise of male power. The criticism of this becomes part of a general criticism of capitalism and gender . Feminists sometimes refer to the removal of pubic hair from women as symbolic castration by the patriarchy. To a large extent, the argumentation of the PorNO campaign resembles the same environment with which it shares its generality. The fact that many men or lesbian women shave their pubic hair is ignored.

Many women do not see themselves represented by the feminist position and do not feel compelled by men to have pubic hair removed. They oppose the feminist thesis of adopting a social ideal of beauty that there is also an individual ideal of beauty that they follow. The attempt to politicize pubic hair removal is seen by them as paternalism and interference in private, intimate affairs and is strictly rejected. The majority of women state that they simply feel better without pubic hair and that they remove it at their own discretion. Within feminism, too, there are voices in the context of sex-positive feminism that are more open to the topic.

Peer pressure among young people

Pubic hair removal is practiced almost as a matter of course among adolescents and young adults; it is considered a “body norm”. According to Hans Wolff, professor of dermatology and head of the hair clinic at the University of Munich , almost all girls have now completely removed their pubic hair; around half of the boys do this. In a qualitative interview study by the Federal Center for Health Education , which was carried out in 2011 with adolescents between 16 and 19 years of age, 81% of male and 94% of female adolescents stated that they had their pubic hair removed: because many adolescents have since the beginning of growth remove the hair, pubic hair is completely unknown to them.

“Intimate shaving has become a standard of personal hygiene for young people of both sexes. Almost everyone does it, and very few questions this critically. Many assume that it is expected by others and state that they themselves find it more hygienic, prettier or more practical. "

- Silja Matthiesen, Jasmin Mainka

With pubic hair removal becoming more and more a matter of course, also and especially among young people, there may also be peer pressure to adapt to the ideal of beauty. According to the Pro Familia counseling center for sex education, an intimate shave is becoming “a must” , especially for girls . Pubic hair can lead to ridicule and social exclusion, especially in girls. According to Pro Familia, typical statements from young people are:

“Pubic hair is disgusting, it's totally unappetizing” or “It's not possible to stay unshaven. Especially in the genital area. For most of them, it's a question of cleanliness. Everything else is unsanitary. "

- Statements from young people in a study by Pro Familia

This can lead to ridicule , teasing and marginalization , so that in those cases the voluntary nature of depilation is questionable. However, this criticism also applies to armpit and leg shaving or to any form of social convention.

Sometimes young people are targeted as a target group for pubic hair removal by the cosmetics industry with specially designed products. For example, Brazilian Waxing was advertised by a cosmetics chain for young customers between the ages of 12 and 17 with special conditions under the slogan “Why should I only feel comfortable on my skin when I am 18?”.

Influence of the cosmetics industry

Furthermore, the criticism is directed against the economic context. Both razor blades and waxing have high replacement cycles and make large profit margins possible. The cosmetics industry is therefore accused of using and increasing body-related insecurities and the associated social pressure to remove hair in their advertising.

Reinforcement of the trend towards genital cosmetic surgery

In some women, the inner labia protrude over the outer, which some people sometimes find unaesthetic. This becomes more apparent through the depilation in this area, which ultimately also strengthens the trend towards labioplasty , in particular the reduction of the labia . This development is viewed critically.

See also

literature

  • Kerstin Steinbach: Contributions to the psychopathology of modern everyday life. 3rd part: The genital shave. In: System etc. Journal of Classical Psychoanalysis. 1/2005, ISBN 3-89484-708-5 .
  • Ada Borkenhagen, Elmar Brähler (Hrsg.): Intimate modifications. Game types and their psychosocial meanings. Psychosozial-Verlag, Giessen 2010, ISBN 978-3-8379-2058-1 .
  • Elmar Brähler: Shameless. The trend towards the removal of intimate hair in times of media "shamelessness". In: social magazine. the journal for social work. No. 1-2, 2017. researchgate.net
  • Michael Kriegeskorte, Frank Gnegel (Ed.): Bart from. On the history of self-shaving. DuMont, Ostfildern 1998, ISBN 3-7701-3596-2 .

Web links

Commons : Pubic Hair Removal  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Sara Ramsey: Pubic Hair and Sexuality: A Review. In: The Journal of Sexual Medicine . Volume 6, No. 8, 2009, pp. 2102-2110, doi: 10.1111 / j.1743-6109.2009.01307.x .
  2. ↑ a b c d Podcast: What do I have to pay attention to when shaving my intimate area? - zeit.de
  3. ↑ a b c d e f D. Herbenick, V. Schick, M. Reece, S. Sanders, JD Fortenberry: Pubic hair removal among women in the United States: Prevalence, methods and characteristics. In: The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Volume 7, No. 10, October 2010, pp. 3322-3330. doi: 10.1111 / j.1743-6109.2010.01935.x
  4. ^ Philip E. Slater: The Glory of Hera: Greek Mythology and the Greek Family. Beacon Press, Boston 1971, ISBN 0-8070-5795-9 .
  5. ↑ M. Kilmer: Genital phobia and depilation. In: The Journal of Hellenic studies. No. 102, 1982, pp. 104-112. PMID 16437863 .
  6. ↑ To pull your hair out - A hair-cut debate. In: Friday . April 2, 2013, accessed April 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ "The last not yet colonized region of the body" - A psychologist on the intimate shave. ( Memento from August 5, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) In: Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung . August 16, 2007.
  8. ↑ You get to know your genitals better. In: Deutschlandradio Kultur. August 5, 2009, accessed April 7, 2014.
  9. ^ Gunter Krebs: Medicine and Hygiene. Body hair. (Body hair in the Middle Ages with a depiction of a medieval relief sculpture on the subject); Source: Massimiliano Almond: Scissors. Magna Books, Wigston, Leicester (UK) 1990, ISBN 1-85422-182-5 At: turba-delirantium.skyrocket.de , accessed April 7, 2014.
  10. ↑ Permanent hair removal: pubic hair. On: dermalisse.de , published on March 13, 2012, accessed on April 7, 2014.
  11. ^ A b Susan Aykut: Hairy politics. Hair rituals in Ottoman and Turkish society. Contribution to the Annual Conference of the Australian Association for the Study of Religions. Sydney, October 1999 ( PDF file; 318 kB )
  12. ^ NM Penzer: The harem: inside the Grand Seraglio of the Turkish sultans. Dover, Mineola NY 2005, ISBN 0-486-44004-4 .
  13. ↑ A. Cuffel: Polemicizing women's bathing among Medieval and early modern Muslims and Christians. In The Nature and Function of Water, Baths, Bathing and Hygiene from Antiquity through the Renaissance. Brill, 2009, pp. 171-188.
  14. ↑ a b Wendy Cooper: Hair: sex, society, symbolism. Stein and Day, New York 1971, ISBN 0-8128-1429-0 .
  15. ↑ Kirsten Hansen: Hair or Bare? The History of American Women and Hair Removal, 1914-1934. Senior Thesis in American Studies. Barnard College, Columbia University, 2007 ( PDF file ).
  16. ^ Laura Rival: The attachment of the soul to the body among the Huaorani of Amazonian Ecuador. In: Ethnos: Journal of Anthropology. Volume 70, No. 3, 2005, pp. 285-310. doi: 10.1080 / 00141840500294300 .
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  18. ↑ a b Hair Removal from 1900 to Today - Short Shave History - Fem.com
  19. ↑ Picture: Paris judgment (Adolf Ziegler 1939) i.pinimg.com
  20. ↑ Image: The Goddess of Art (Adolf Ziegler 1941) i.pinimg.com
  21. ↑ a b Megdala Peixoto Labre: The Brazilian wax: New hairless norm for women? In: Journal of Communication Inquiry. Volume 26, No. 2, April 2002, pp. 113-132. doi: 10.1177 / 0196859902026002001 .
  22. ^ A b V. R. Schick, BN Rima, SK Calabrese: Evulvalution: The Portrayal of Women's External Genitalia and Physique Across Time and the Current Barbie Doll Ideals. In: Journal of sex research. Volume 48, No. 1, Jan. 2011, pp. 74-81. PMID 19916105 , doi: 10.1080 / 00224490903308404 .
  23. ↑ Playboy's Waxing Nostalgic ( Memento from June 23, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
  24. ↑ However, pubic hair was also common in pornography until the 1980s. The author Susan Cokal blames the technical development of the late 1980s for a change in aesthetics in porn films: with the introduction of the video recorder, porn could be consumed at home (until then pornography was shown in cinemas), the fast-forward and pause function enabled a self-designed sequence. This resulted in less focus on the plot of a movie and more fixation on the genitals. These were now more often and larger in the picture and thus more subject to aesthetic standards. (Susann Cokal: Clean Porn: The Visual Aesthetics of Hygiene, Hot Sex, and Hair Removal. In: Ann C Hall, Mardia J Bishop: Pop-Porn: Pornography in American Culture. Praeger, Westport CONN 2007, ISBN 978-0- 275-99920-9 )
  25. ↑ a b Meredith Suzanne Dault: The Last Triangle: Sex, Money and the Politics of Pubic Hair. A thesis project submitted to the Graduate Program in Cultural Studies in conformity with the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts. Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, October 2011. ( PDF file; 728 kB )
  26. ↑ Tom Ford: «Button your jacket again». ( Memento from June 3, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) In: Die Weltwoche . No. 16/08, April 16, 2008.
  27. ↑ Profamilia profamilia.de
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  30. ↑ Eva Longoria's Brazilian love-life. femalefirst.co.ok
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  40. ↑ Interest in cosmetic vulvar surgery and perception of vulvar appearance, (2012) sciencedirect.com
  41. ^ Dan Mangan: How we 'do it' .: New guys-vs. -gals sex survey proves that life is 'lust' cause. ( Memento of January 11, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) On: nypost.com , January 17, 2007.
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  49. ↑ Hardly any deaths from intimate shaving. In: MMW - Advances in Medicine. Volume 155, No. 6, April 2013, p. 7. doi: 10.1007 / s15006-013-0471-6 .
  50. ↑ Cleveland Clinic: Shaving vs. Waxing. 2013 ( PDF file ( Memento from August 12, 2014 in the Internet Archive ))
  51. ↑ Jo Abbie: Which Is Better: Waxing, Shaving or Laser? Hair Removal 101. From : dailymakeover.com , accessed July 31, 2014.
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  53. ↑ Lifeline: Risk of Shaving? Healthy despite intimate shaving. After information from a conversation with Dr. Anja Oppelt, gynecologist and expert in LIFELINE-Spezial Scheidenpilz. On: scheidenpilz.com last update July 11, 2013, accessed on July 31, 2014.
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  59. ↑ The psychologist Johanna Lass-Hennemann examined 200 women before and after the menopause. Older women preferred hairy men, younger ones hairless. To what extent this effect is due to hormonal changes or simply to different socialization remains unclear. Mature women like breast fur. Only younger people find hairless men's bodies attractive. ( Memento of the original from April 8, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: Image of Science. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bild-der-wissenschaft.de
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