Shaving the body completely: what speaks for it - and what speaks against it
Created: 05/12/2022, 06:30
By: Juliane Gutmann
Everyone should decide for themselves whether and where their own body should be shaved.
Medically, there are some objections to full-body shaving.
Do you regularly shave your legs, intimate areas, armpits and/or beard?
Shaving hairy parts of the body is part of the daily routine for many.
But there is also a growing counter-movement whose members are letting their hair stand.
Women who don't shave their legs and armpits, men with full beards and flowing chest hair: in modern societies, everyone decides for themselves how and whether they shave.
From a medical point of view, there are arguments for and against full-body shaving.
To shave or not to shave?
First and foremost a question of taste.
© M. Gann/Imago
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Benefits of full body shaving
Moist and warm hairy parts of the body offer an ideal habitat for potentially harmful germs and bacteria.
Shaving prevents such pathogens from settling.
Not only skin diseases such as skin fungus are prevented in this way: unpleasant body odor usually develops less quickly due to the missing hair.
The right care depending on your skin type: how to best care for dry, oily or sensitive skin
View photo gallery
Which speaks against shaving the entire body
Shaving carries the risk of micro-injuries, the smallest injuries to the skin, which, as the entry point for harmful substances or pathogens, can cause inflammation and even diseases.
"When shaving, micro-injuries can occur that can represent entry points for viruses," explains the Munich dermatologist Dr.
Timm Golüke in an interview with the
Fitbook
portal .
According to him, a razor blade that is too old is often the problem: "If it's dull and doesn't slide smoothly, you have to apply even more pressure.
This can increase the risk of inflammation,” says Golüke.
When it comes to personal hygiene, cleaning is the most important thing.
The
SWR Knowledge Podcast 1000 Answers
states that you can wash your hair just as easily as smooth skin.
The fashion of shaving your body today corresponds to the zeitgeist and is not due to hygiene, the podcast continues.
Shaving survey
also read
Peeing in the shower – family doctor says: “urinating in the shower is no problem”
Pee in the shower?
As a woman, you shouldn't do that - a health expert explains why
One of the reasons nature intended for body hair is to minimize friction.
This prevents chafing of the skin under the armpits and in the intimate area.
Buying razors, blades and shaving cream is expensive - especially if you shave your entire body.
Researchers at the University of South Queensland in Australia found that a thick beard protects up to 95 percent from UV radiation.
In addition to skin cancer, this also prevents premature skin aging.
