Having butt hair these days somehow has become a phenomenon for embarrassment and a much-debated topic in the world of hygiene and grooming.
While we try to define and redefine beauty standards regarding our body hair, we often miss out on the most basic question that could’ve clarified a lot of things.
That question is: why do we have butt hair? See, it’s the unaddressed question that’s looked past even by the most enthusiastic body groomers.
Therefore, I take it upon myself to foreground the reasons for such a natural bodily function, the purpose it serves and what we should do about it!
Contents
The Biology Behind Butt Hair
Since the hair on your butt is a natural process, we must understand its biology to realize whether it’s necessary for us or something that can be discarded very easily.
Hair and Sweat Glands: A Functional Pair
Your body hair is generally connected to sweat glands underneath the skin. These glands help out in retaining body temperature during hot weather.
Otherwise, the body hair functions as a protective layer against the cold weather. While the latter may not be relevant about your butt hair these days, sweating does indeed help to maintain some bodily functions.
Apart from that, sweating through your butt hair glands clear out dirt that otherwise might have remained seated there. Therefore, in certain regions and atmospheres, butt hair is a necessary natural occurrence!
Scent Marking: A Primitive Communication Tool?
I hope you know that a lot of our physical-emotional properties derive from the primal times where the most ancient form of human beings had to survive based on instinct.
During that era, primitive male-female would conjugate based on bodily aspects like physique, alpha-male traits and of course, bodily odor.
It’s hard for us to imagine at the present time that bodily odor or scent, particularly of raw skin and sweat, could be attractive.
But during those times, these used to be the tool of communication for mating and butt hair’s ability to hold on sweat to cause that smell cannot be denied from history.
Why Do We Need Butt Hair in the Present Time?
You might think that the needs of prehistoric men regarding butt hair have ended, but is it the truth? Is a lifestyle with no butt hair going to help us, or does it bring any good to our lives?
Answer: A Friction Fighter
Since we are an improved species over our predecessors and the society we live in dictates we must wear clothing at all times.
Attires of all sorts frequently touch down on our skin and the butt is no exception in this case. With hair on your butt, you’ll feel the friction to be less tactile and find a sense of cushioning comfort.
Also, once you get rid of butt hair, there’s bound to be some irritation due to the fraction between butt skin containing tiny hair heads.
Ones who have shaved their butts have all faced this agitation and personally speaking, this makes me want to shave my butt less frequently.
Hygiene Hypothesis
It might be hard to believe, but the hair on your butt does bring forth some positive hygiene instances that would otherwise be disturbing to say the least.
For instance, butt hair tends to prevent a wide array of bacteria and dirt reaching your skin and particularly, your rectal region.
Once you take a shower, all of these unwanted particles get washed away without getting too close to your sensitive butt regions.
This has the potential to arouse different sorts of infections and skin diseases, so there’s really a reason behind nature’s desire to bless you with hair on your bum!
Why Do We Care About Butt Hair?
The reason we care about butt hair these days has little to do with hygiene, instead the idea circulates around beauty standards of this internet era.
Social norms now dictate the less hair a person has makes them more attractive to their respective counterparts and arouse sexual positivity.
In order to meet these beauty standards, we’ve become more concerned about our butt hair (and the lack of it), and consumerist culture picks up on that perception.
This has resulted in butt hair removal to flaunt over social media or merely a bedroom preference of the partner.
No matter which one is YOUR reason, this tendency has sprouted different brands who sell you ideas as well as products that remove your butt hair.
Some removals are in a kinder manner to the skin while the rest aren’t as forgiving to experience.
Dealing with Butt Hair: To Shave or to Trim?
If you’re adamant on removing your butt hair after learning about its importance (or the lack of it), there are many renowned ways people these days do it.
The most common method is to use a manual razor and take the risk of cutting yourself as you make your bum skin look neat for the onlookers.
I personally do not prefer this method since it’s not safe in any way. Other options include using laser treatment, which is highly expensive. Or using epilator devices that are prone to causing allergic reactions.
Waxing should be out of the question when it comes to butt hair removal because that’s a very painful way.
Another method however has been accepted by both male and female groomers is to apply hair removal cream but let me tell you, it’s never safe for your butt skin.
My preference is to use a butt shaver that’s built solely to serve this purpose in the safest possible manner, without the risk of cuts, tugs, pull, irritation or allergic reaction!
FAQ
We’re not done with all the information regarding butt hair and the need for it! This FAQ section shares more knowledge on the matter to solidify your ground about this physiological aspect of human beings!
Q: Why do some people have more butt hair than others?
Ans: Butt hair growth, length, density, pattern etc. depend on a person’s genetics and hormones. Since not all human beings look the same, are of the same height, smell identical and so on, therefore people have differences with their butt hair growth.
Q: Does shaving butt hair cause more hair to grow back?
Ans: It’s a myth that not a lot of people are aware of that has been debunked. No, shaving or trimming your butt hair doesn’t cause more hair to grow back. Since the original hair heads used to be softer at the edge and the ones that grow back after shaving feel sharp, a lot of people tend to think it’s due to increased growth – that’s not really the case.
Q: Why does butt hair feel uncomfortable sometimes?
Ans: But hair can grow in complex densities and there are times when these can get tangled up or placed in a position you wouldn’t generally prefer. That’s when you usually feel some sort of discomfort. A quick trip to the washroom can sort this uncomfortable feeling out in a matter of seconds!
Final Thoughts
In the journey to uncover the answer of ‘why do we have butt hair?’, we’ve come across the origin and initial necessities of this aspect to begin with.
We now know that butt hair has been generated in human beings from prehistoric times as an evolutionary process to protect from different harmful occurrences.
These days, the need to have butt hair has drastically decreased. Also, the mainstream body standards support of butt hair removal aroused people to groom their buttocks regularly.
There’s no right or wrong to remove or keep butt hair in my opinion. But whichever you choose, know that it’s your body and you should opt for the decision that’s comfortable for you!