Underarm hair serves several important purposes: it reduces friction and chafing, which reduces the potential for getting a rash from rigorous physical activities that make you sweat. Underarm hair also diffuses sex pheromones.
If you decide to let your body hair grow, you may find several health benefits. Take some of these into consideration the next time you reach for the razor.
Armpit hair can reduce friction when the body is engaged in heavy activity
So if you do moderate physical activity for a living or exercise regularly, you might want to grow some of that buffer hair to prevent the skin under your arms from sticking to itself. Because let’s face it — chafing SUCKS.
Armpit hair is basically built-in sweat-wicking workout gear
The idea is that the armpit hair pulls the sweat away from the body, aiding in ventilation, according to esthetician Marta Camkiran. “It reduces friction between the upper and lower arm during vigorous labor or motion,” Camkiran told GoodHousekeeping.com Additionally, this moves bacteria away from the skin, so it can’t stick around and get comfortable. Thus, protection against infection! (Wait. That’s a pretty amazing band name, no?)
In other words: Ladies, stop swiping your plastic at Lululemon because ARMPIT HAIR is about to be the next athleisure trend. You heard it here first.
Armpit hair covers up parts of the body that contain vital arteries
The hair on your armpit serves as some vestigial protective barrier on your skin. You certainly don’t want your most important blood vessels in danger, do you? Consider this your chance to protect your sweet circulatory system from impending danger. ~You’re welcome.~
Armpit hair also has something to do with—wait for it—sex
Yes, like most of our preteen problems—hormonal acne, first periods, awkward stages—armpit hair can be chalked up to good old-fashioned puberty. Studies have shown that it pops up around the same time that our apocrine sweat glands become active, secreting oils that contain proteins and other good stuff, including pheromones. P.S. The only other place you have apocrine sweat glands is in your genitals, so you know your armpit hair has something to do with doing the nasty.
To go a step further, this could shed some light on what armpit hair is really supposed to do. Which, maybe, is to serve as hotbeds for those sexy, stinky pheromones. Yup, that hair grows just to get all up in those protein-rich oils, so you can attract some potential mates.
So, delete your Bumble profile and grow out your underarm tresses. You’re about to score a lot more dates. Thanks, armpit hair!
Armpit hair can make your orgasms better.
Now that you've found a partner thanks to all those pheromones you were releasing, you can take advantage of another body hair benefit — better orgasms. There are tiny nerve endings at the base of each pubic hair follicle, which means it can create a sensation for you when it's touched or during the friction of sex, according to Health.com. That means shaving your pubic hair may actually be reducing the sensations you're experiencing during sex.
Armpit hair can also lead to better overall wellness for the sensitive skin under your arms
You know that shaving can really mess with your skin, but we do it anyway. “When you shave, you can get irritation, folliculitis, rashes, inflammation, and even infections from dirty razors,” Dr. Mona Gohara, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University, told GoodHousekeeping.com. “We do it because it’s a societal norm, but there really isn’t a biological reason to remove that hair.”
So there you have it: Scientific evidence that you really should go ahead and let your armpit manes grow.
Despite all the reasons to stop shaving your underarms, there are a few good reasons to keep shaving.
If shaving your underarms is a personal choice and not a societal pressure, there’s nothing wrong with shaving. If you’re not prone to rashes, ingrown hairs, or other skin problems then you’re probably fine.