Leg shaving

American Swimmer Rebecca Soni with her shaved legs.

Leg shaving is the practice of removing leg hair by shaving the hair off using a razor or electric shaver. In addition, some people remove leg hair using waxing, sugaring, depilatories, depilation devices, or lasers, but shaving remains the least expensive method.

It is a very common practice among women in Western countries, and is also done by some men, especially bodybuilders, cyclists and swimmers.

Women

In Western countries, the majority of women engage in leg shaving, doing so largely for aesthetic reasons. This practice has developed especially since the early 20th century, as hemlines on women's dresses have become shorter and women's swimsuits have become more revealing, displaying all of a woman's legs.

Some women may only shave the hair below the knee (depending, for example, on the fashionable length of dress styles) while others shave the entire leg. The frequency of shaving also varies, with some women shaving their legs every day, and others shaving only at the start of summer, in anticipation of the wearing of a swimsuit.

Special razors, different in shape from those used by men for face-shaving, are often used by women. Advertising campaigns also promote hair-removal products, such as depilatories and waxing kits.

Men

Among Western men, the shaving of legs is unusual, but may be becoming more common; when practiced it is most common in sporting situations. Most male swimmers, bicycle racers, and some male non-racers shave their legs regularly. There's no objective evidence to support the practice and little common agreement as to its rationale, although a multitude of reasons are given. The various reasons include: faster healing and easier cleaning of road rash, less pain during leg massage, aesthetics, vanity (by more clearly displaying leg muscles), fitting in with cycling peers, "feeling faster" (without the feel of wind on body hair so less drag), a sense that Lycra cycling shorts 'stick' to the skin better with shaved legs, and a sense that the absence of leg hair assists in preventing ingrown hairs in the upper thighs from tight-fitting Lycra shorts.

Many athletes also shave their legs and/or bodies to facilitate therapeutic massage that is frequently a part of their training or post-race recovery programs. They may also shave their legs if they tape protective gear to them to prevent the tape from pulling painfully on the hair when removed.

It is also frequently practised by male models and bodybuilders, since it accentuates muscle definition.

If any man did it, then everybody would call him Gay.

See also

• Depilation
• Hirsutism
• Underarm hair
• Hair removal
• Waxing

References

Notes