Why do Women shave their underarms and legs? When did it start? and why?

Question

Why not shave the arms, head, etc... who decided we should shave our underarms and legs?? and why shouldnt men do it too? or there backs or chest?? How did this start and why??????????????????

Answer 1

http://webhome.idirect.com/~brucer/RAZ_WOM.html

4000 - 3000 B.C. -

Women are removing body hair by making their own depilatory creams that contain bizarre combinations of scary ingredients, such as arsenic, quicklime and starch.

http://www.quikshave.com/timeline.htm

men and women of early Egypt who really established shaving and hair removal as a regular part of daily grooming, a custom which continues today for people all over the world. The Egyptians had an unusual obsession with personal body hygiene, with curious customs to go along with this.
http://www.quikshave.com/egypt.htm

Answer 2

In my opinion I think it is nasty for a woman not to shave.It is not common for men to shave their arm pits,or legs,arms,est unless
that particular guy is gay.Not to say that there is anything wrong with being gay,it's just that if a straight guy decides to shave anything but his face, he will be considered gay by other people.I love a woman who shaves,that tells me she is a clean woman,especially since most women these days,shave there pubic hairs.The 70's is not around
anymore so most women who shave,very good.But to those of the women who don't shave,shame on you.In some countries in Europe, women would be considered whores if they were to shave there body parts,especially their vagina's.But in America these days,a woman or even a man is a slob if he or she does not shave there pubic hair.To be honest,there isn't or wasn't an actual person that passed a law,or doctrine that stated that people should shave there body parts.A group of people got tired of having too much hair on there body,and decided to shave.Don't you that certain body hairs, such as pubic hairs,carry more germs?For the same reason why most males are circumsized,after
they are born, to prevent germs.I guess in the case of women
who can't get circimsized,should shave to prevent germs.

Answer 3

Actually, shaving and other forms of hair removal have been around since Ancient Rome. I began shaving under arms and legs when I was eleven.

Answer 4

i'm no longer extremely particular, yet i imagine it all started contained in the 1920's, even as women folk all started wearing outfits that confirmed more effective pores and skin. because the garments confirmed their legs and underarms, they shaved. yet i imagine that become because society become telling them to shave. i imagine. some thing like that.

Answer 5

It started in France in the Victorian era.

In the Victorian era, nobility wanted to seem younger and "more innocent". This time period is also responsible for the rise in Make-up.

early Eupoean magazine in the early 1900s started showing women who had shaved, thus sparking the phenomenon

Answer 6

I guess someone was bored one day and needed something to do and mistakenly started a trend amongst women. Or either some neanderthal told her that she was starting to look like a man with body hair so she figured out a way to get rid of it. But I shave because its sexy, my husband loves the smoothness of my skin afterwards and excess hair holds in bacteria, dirt and smells.

Answer 7

i don't know when or why, but thank god! i think that men should shave too! not their legs, but back, chest and arm pits for certain. there's nothing worse than waking up to a big pile of armpit hair in your face!

Answer 8

i've wondered that myself! though, i have know quite a few girls that do shave their arms also. and some guys shave their chests (usually bodybuilder types but not always)
i know that swimmers shave to help them swim faster, cuts down the resistance or something.

Answer 9

Only really muscular men look good when shaved. Our society thinks it looks good for women to shave, in france the women have hairy armpits.

Answer 10

It is not illegal to let your underarm hair grow freely. If you want to then by all means go ahead. Many women do it and there are many men who like it.