Armpit Hair and Pubic Hair: To Shave or Not to Shave? All About Body Hair - travel tips for maintaining holistic wellness

Armpit Hair and Pubic Hair: To Shave or Not to Shave? All About Body HairIntroduction:natural detox for holistic wellnessSummer is here, and for many women, its time to battle the body hair. From leg hair to armpit hair and pubic hair, these extra hairs are often seen as unattractive

Armpit Hair and Pubic Hair: To Shave or Not to Shave? All About Body Hair

Introduction:

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Summer is here, and for many women, its time to battle the body hair. From leg hair to armpit hair and pubic hair, these extra hairs are often seen as unattractive. However, mothers always remind us to keep these hairs to prevent body odor. Is this traditional advice or scientifically sound? Do armpit hair and pubic hair really serve a purpose?

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I. Armpit and Pubic Hair: More Than Just Appearance

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Many people believe that armpit hair, pubic hair, and other body hair are useless and only affect appearance, so they choose to remove them. However, these hairs are not useless; they play an important role in protecting our bodies.

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1. Cushioning:

Both armpit hair and pubic hair act as cushions. When we walk, our legs move, and our arms swing, causing friction between different parts of our bodies. This is especially true in the armpits and inner thighs. The presence of hair effectively reduces friction between muscles, protecting the skin and reducing pain and discomfort.

Imagine if we lacked these hairs. The skin would be in direct contact, easily leading to damage, pain, inflammation, and other symptoms.

2. Block Bacteria, Protect Tissues:

Armpits and the genital area are relatively warm and humid areas of the body, making them prone to bacterial growth. Armpit hair and pubic hair act as a natural barrier, preventing bacteria, foreign objects, and other substances from directly contacting the skin, reducing the risk of infection and preventing the spread of bacteria.

• Armpit: The armpit is a recessed area that is also rich in sweat glands. After sweating, bacteria are more likely to grow. Armpit hair can effectively absorb and decompose bacteria in sweat, reducing the chances of infection. In addition, the presence of armpit hair can also protect the important blood vessels and nerves in the armpit, preventing damage from excessive activity.

• Genital Area: Pubic hair can prevent clothing from rubbing against the genital area, reducing the pain caused by friction and also blocking bacteria and foreign objects from entering, reducing the risk of infection.

3. Regulate Temperature, Maintain Heat Dissipation:

The armpit area contains many sweat glands that help the body cool down through sweat evaporation. Armpit hair participates in this process by absorbing some mucus and sweat, promoting liquid evaporation, maintaining air circulation, and assisting with heat dissipation. Pubic hair can also help prevent temperature fluctuations in the genital area. When the ambient temperature is low, pubic hair can block cold air from contacting the private parts, preventing the temperature from dropping too quickly, maintaining a constant body temperature, and protecting the genital area.

II. Graying Hair: Physiological Phenomenon or Disease Sign?

As we age, the cells and organs of the human body age, including our hair. Most hair graying is a normal physiological change. The melanin in cells gradually decreases, and the hair color gradually fades.

However, if the hair becomes gray along with the following symptoms, it may be a sign of illness:

• Skin disease: Diseases that interfere with melanin synthesis, such as armpit ringworm, vulvar vitiligo, and vitiligo, can also cause changes in body hair color.

• Decreased body function: For example, hypothyroidism, where thyroid hormone levels decrease, affects the synthesis and activity of melanocytes, resulting in decreased pigmentation and gray hair, or even gray body hair.

• Micronutrient deficiency: Melanin synthesis is affected by elements such as copper and iron, as well as vitamins B1, B2, and B6. When the body's endocrine system is disrupted, causing a deficiency in any or several of these micronutrients, it may hinder melanin synthesis, leading to fading of armpit hair, pubic hair, and other body hair.

• Decreased hormone levels: Decreased estrogen levels due to ovarian function decline in women and decreased male sex hormones can also cause pubic hair to fade.

Therefore, if local hair on the body becomes gray, don't just focus on local lesions but consider the whole body comprehensively. If necessary, seek medical examination in time.

III. To Shave or Not to Shave?

The question of whether or not to shave armpit and pubic hair has long been a hot topic.

• Armpit hair:

For those with excessive sweat gland secretion and a lot of armpit hair, long-term accumulation of armpit hair can increase sweating, leading to a strong odor in the armpits and affecting aesthetics.

• Benefits of shaving armpit hair:

• Increase local heat dissipation: Shaving armpit hair can increase local heat dissipation and reduce bacterial growth.

• Avoid pain from friction: Shaving armpit hair can avoid pain caused by friction in summer, and even prevent infection.

• Risks of shaving armpit hair:

• Skin damage: There are many blood vessels, nerves, and a recessed structure in the armpit skin, making armpit shaving more difficult. Therefore, you should shave gently, choose professional shaving tools as much as possible, avoid damaging the skin, and prevent bacterial infection.

• Excessive stimulation: Avoid hair removal, which may damage hair follicles and increase sweating. Don't shave too often even if you have too much hair, as excessive stimulation can damage the skin.

• Pubic hair:

Clinically, it is generally not recommended to shave pubic hair. A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that 60% of the 333 female volunteers who removed their pubic hair experienced at least mild complications, with the most common being skin abrasions and ingrown hairs.

• Risks of shaving pubic hair:

• Increase the risk of infection: Removing pubic hair exposes the skin of the genital area, increasing the risk of genital inflammation and infection.

• Special cases:

• Genital infections: If the genital area is infected with a disease, keeping the hair will increase bacterial growth. In this case, shaving to alleviate symptoms is still necessary.

IV. Conclusion

Armpit hair, pubic hair, and other body hair are not useless; they play an important role in protecting our bodies, including cushioning, blocking bacteria, and regulating temperature.

Whether to choose to remove armpit hair and pubic hair depends on individual circumstances, weighing the pros and cons to make a decision.

• For armpit hair: You can choose to shave, but pay attention to technique and hygiene to avoid skin damage and infection.

• For pubic hair: Try not to shave unless you have a genital infection and need to remove it to alleviate symptoms.

Finally, whether you choose to keep it or shave it, maintaining good hygiene is crucial. Regularly clean your armpits and genitals, keeping the skin clean, dry, and fresh.

References:

[1] Yao Fuyou. The Role of Body Hair [J]. Science 24 Hours, 2020 (10): 46-47.

[2] About the Mystery of the Body [J]. Health and Life, 2023 (23): 5-5.

[3] Causes of Body Odor [J]. South-Central China Pharmacy (Drug Use and Health), 2016, (07): 39.

[4] Wu Xianglin. How to Stay Away from Gynecological Diseases [J]. Family Medicine. Happy Health, 2023, (04): 62.