Leg shaving - wikipedia Leg shaving Woman shaving her legs Leg shaving is the practice of removing leg hair by shaving the hair off using a razor or electric shaver. In addition, some people remove leg hair using waxing, sugaring, depilatories, epilators or other depilation devices, or lasers, but shaving remains the least expensive and one of the least painful methods. It is a very common practice among women in the western world, and is also done by some men, especially bodybuilders, cyclists, swimmers and some runners. Contents 1 Women 2 Men 3 See also 4 References Women The examples and perspective in this section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. ( October 2016 ) In Western countries, the majority of women engage in leg shaving, doing so largely for aesthetic reasons. This practice has developed especially since the early 20th century, around the time of the First World War, as hemlines on women 's dresses have become shorter and women 's swimsuits have become more revealing, displaying all of a woman 's legs. Some women may only shave the hair below the knee -- depending on the length of dress styles in fashion -- while others shave the entire leg. The frequency of shaving also varies, with some women shaving their legs every day, and others shaving only at the start of summer, in anticipation of the wearing of a swimsuit. Special razors, different in shape from those used by men for face - shaving, are often used by women. Advertising campaigns also promote hair - removal products, such as depilatories and waxing kits. Men Among Western men, the shaving of legs is common in sporting situations and in fact has been taking place for longer than women shaving their legs. For sports such as cycling and swimming, men started shaving their legs around the turn of the 20th Century. Most male swimmers, bicycle racers, and some male non-racers shave their legs regularly. The practice is most useful in long distance swimming, where the effects of drag can cause a significant time difference in races over 400 meters. Regarding cycling, wind tunnel tests performed by Specialized, indicate over a 40 km TT one can save 50 - 82 seconds by shaving legs. Other reasons cyclists shave include : faster healing and easier cleaning of road rash, less pain during leg massage. Seneca suggested that in ancient Rome it was considered an ostentatious bit of effeminacy, contrary to underarm hair removal : `` One is, I believe, as faulty as the other : the one class are unreasonably elaborate, the other are unreasonably negligent ; the former depilate the leg, the latter not even the armpit '' ( letter 114 ). Summers cites Ovid, A.A. i. 506 `` Do n't rub your legs smooth with the tight - scraping pumice stone. '' Many athletes also shave their legs or bodies to facilitate therapeutic massage that is frequently a part of their training or post-race recovery programs. They may also shave their legs if they tape protective gear to them to prevent the tape from pulling painfully on the hair when removed. Shaving of the legs is also frequently practised by male models and bodybuilders, since it accentuates muscle definition. See also Depilation Hair removal Hirsutism Shoe Underarm hair Waxing References Notes Jump up ^ Hope, Christine ( 1982 ). `` Caucasian Female Body Hair and American Culture ''. Journal of American Culture. 5 ( 1 ) : 93 -- 99. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1542 - 734X. 1982.0501 _93. x. Jump up ^ Adams, Cecil ( 1991 - 02 - 06 ). `` Who decided women should shave their legs and underarms ? ''. The Straight Dope. Retrieved 2015 - 01 - 22. Jump up ^ `` Shaving ''. Marzena. Retrieved August 14, 2011. This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2011 ) Human hair List of hairstyles / facial hairstyles Classification by type Lanugo Androgenic Terminal Vellus by location Nose Ear Eyebrow Eyelash Underarm Chest Abdominal Pubic Leg Human hair color Hair color Black Blond Brown ( varieties : Chestnut Auburn ) Red ( varieties : Auburn Titian ) White / Grey Hair coloring Blue rinse Grecian Formula Hair dye stripping Hair highlighting Henna Hydrogen peroxide Blue hair Other Disappearing blonde gene Fischer -- Saller scale Fischer scale Melanocortin 1 receptor Hairstyles Afro Asymmetric cut Bald Bangs Beehive Big hair Blowout Bob cut Bouffant Bowl cut Braid or Plait Brush cut Bun ( odango ) Bunches Burr Businessman cut Butch cut Buzz cut Caesar cut Chignon Chonmage Chupryna Comb over Conk Cornrows Crew cut Crochet braids Croydon facelift Curly hair Curtained hair Devilock Dido flip Digital perm Dreadlocks Duck 's ass Extensions Feathered hair Finger wave Flattop Fontange French braid French twist Frosted tips Hair crimping Harvard clip High and tight Hime cut Historical Christian hairstyles Hi - top fade Induction cut Ivy League Jewfro Jheri curl Kinky hair Kiss curl Layered hair Liberty spikes Long hair Lob cut Marcelling Mod cut Mohawk Mullet 1950s 1980s Pageboy Part Payot Pigtail Pixie cut Pompadour Ponytail Punch perm Princeton Professional cut Queue Quiff Rattail Razor cut Regular haircut Regular taper cut Ringlets Shag ( Shaggy hair ) Shape - Up Shimada Short back and sides Short brush cut Short hair Spiky hair Straight hair Standard haircut Surfer hair Taper cut Tonsure Updo Undercut Waves Wings Facial hair Beard Chinstrap Designer stubble Goatee Moustache Fu Manchu handlebar horseshoe pencil toothbrush walrus Shenandoah ( Chin curtain ) Sideburns Soul patch Van Dyke Hair loss Cosmetic Removal waxing threading plucking chemical electric laser IPL Shaving head leg cream brush soap Razor electric safety straight other Alopecia areata totalis universalis Male - pattern hair loss Glabrousness Hypertrichosis Management Trichophilia Trichotillomania Pogonophobia Haircare Products Brush Clay Clipper Comb Conditioner Dryer Gel Hot comb Iron Mousse Pomade Relaxer Rollers Shampoo Spray Wax Haircare Techniques Backcombing Crimping Curly Girl Method Hair cutting Perm Shampoo and set Straightening Documentaries My Nappy Roots : A Journey Through Black Hair - itage ( 2008 ) Good Hair ( 2009 ) Related Topics Afro - textured hair ( Kinky hair ) Bearded lady Barber ( pole ) Eponymous hairstyle Frizz Good hair ( phrase ) Hairdresser Hair fetishism ( pubic ) Hair follicle Hair growth Hypertrichosis Trichotillomania Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leg_shaving&oldid=841042360 '' Categories : Hair removal Shaving Hidden categories : Articles with limited geographic scope from October 2016 Articles needing additional references from July 2011 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 13 May 2018, at 18 : 19. 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Question: when did the first woman shave her legs
Answer: the early 20th century