Featured Hair Removal Article
Submitted by DeShawn
During ancient times Egyptian and Greek cultures placed a premium on the appearance of a hairless male body, and ancient Egyptian men often shaved their body hair with pumice and razors (Luciano, 2001). In the modern era however, body depilation (i.e., body hair reduction or removal below the neck) has typically been culturally sanctioned only for women (Basow and Braman, 1998; Hope, 1982; Tiggemann and Kenyon, 1998) and is strongly normative within contemporary Western culture (Toerien and Wilkinson, 2003, 2004).
With few exceptions, men have not engaged in body depilation because the presence of body hair has traditionally been symbolic of masculinity and therefore associated with men's attractiveness and virility (Basow, 1991; Basow and Braman, 1998; Lewis, 1987; Tiggemann and Kenyon, 1998). It appears, however, that the hairless male body ideal has come back into vogue (Luciano, 2001).
According to popular press accounts, this shifting ideal has influenced many men both to remove and reduce their body hair (Gomes, 2001; Smith, 2000; Stuever, 2000). In fact, Boroughs and Thompson (2002) found that appearance concerns motivate some men to shave or trim many parts of their bodies, including most notably: abdomen, chest, groin, and legs. Consequently, the aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of body depilation, as well as its related social and affective features.
This information will provide a greater understanding of male body depilation and also inform our understanding of the rapidly developing field of men's body image.