The practice of body hair removal is something that is done for a very long time. It is done in a lot of ways and is practiced by almost anyone, men and women alike. Generally it is done for personal reasons like wanting to look cleaner and feel smoother. However, this is not that case for many people who are required to remove their hair to conform to rules, standards and etiquette.

The relationship between hair and hygiene is one of the many reasons why hair removal is done by many people. This is true especially in ancient times where people who have long hair are considered to be vey dirty. For some, it gives an impression of being an unkempt person who is prone to infestation from lice, fleas and other hair parasites. Aside from that, body hair removal helps in preventing odor especially in the case of underarm air. This odor is caused by bacteria present in the hair which interacts with the person's sweat. Although it can be resolved using deodorants or antiperspirants, most people, especially women, still favor hair removal.

Removal of body hair is also done because of many social and cultural reasons. In our society, men and women are usually required to have a specific length of hair with women usually having the longer ones. However, this line is getting blurred especially with some men sporting longer hairs and some women going short or even bald. This is due mainly to fashion trends which dictates how a person can look really good even if it means moving away from the norms.

Religion is also one area where body hair removal is quite commonly applied. Some of these sects and groups believe that lack of body hair is a sign of purity or cleanliness of the soul. This becomes a rite of passage in some groups where fully pledged members are required to shave their heads. Others require more extreme requirements by shaving the eyebrows as well. This is true especially in the case of monks as is seen in many movie depictions and documentaries. For other religious groups, this is practice is quite the opposite. These groups, which include the Sikhs, oppose not only the removal of the hair on the head but also on any part of the body.

For those who want a longer lasting hairless effect and can tolerate pain, waxing is the way to go. This method is done by placing a sticky wax on the leg part where the hair is going to be removed. A strip of cloth is then placed over the area and pulled off quickly so that it will pull off all the hairs as well as dead skin cells on the area. As said earlier, this can be very painful especially during the part when the hair comes off. However, this sensation is something that doesn't last that long.

Lastly, it is a common tradition for those who are in the military. It is originally done for medical and combat reasons but has evolved to become one of the physical trademarks that are used to describe or distinguish a modern soldier.