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Depilation

Depilation is the generic term for the removal (not just cutting) of body hair in humans. The most common form of depilation is shaving. In addition to shaving the hair off, some individuals may use waxing, sugaring[?], chemical depilatories[?], epilation devices[?], or lasers[?] to remove the hair. Hair is also sometimes removed by plucking.

There is no normal medical reason for the removal of human body hair, which is removed for social and sexual reasons related to the social role of hair in human society[?].

However, the shaving of hair has been sometimes used in attempts to eradicate lice or to minimize body odor due to accumulation of perspiration in hair.

Hair grows on most areas of the human body, except for the palms of the hands and the feet, but hair is most noticeable in most people in a small number of areas that are most commonly trimmed, plucked, or shaved:

Patients' body hair was once shaved before surgery for reasons of hygiene; however, this turned out to be counter-productive, and as a result patients are no longer shaved in many hospitals.

Most men in Western cultures shave their facial hair, to the point that wearing a beard is viewed as unusual. This is in spite of the fact that facial hair is fast-growing and has to be shaved daily to achieve a hairless look.

Many women in Western cultures shave their body hair in the belief that body hair is not feminine (see gender role), or in the belief that it makes them look ugly.

Some cultures forbid men to shave their facial hair. Others forbid men, or forbid women, or both, from cutting their hair.

Some men shave their heads, either as a fashion statement or to cover up male pattern baldness. A very few women also shave their heads for fashion reasons.

Female performers in the porn industry commonly completely shave their pubic hair, or leave only a cosmetic "tuft" of hair. Many male performers partially or completely shave their pubic hair.