Proud Balbon? 4 Body Hair Myths That Need to Go

Being balbon is not something to be ashamed of. The term “balbon” is often used to make fun of people who have more body hair than the average person. Usually, this teasing starts in childhood, creating a negative image of something so natural and harmless. This perpetuates body hair myths associated with femininity and traps women in an endless cycle of hair removal throughout adulthood. The healthy attitude would be, “your body hair, your choice.” And the following body myths need to go if women are to make an informed decision.

Body hair has long been associated with masculinity and virility. When a man gets facial hair, this means he is approaching physical maturity, notes the National Science Foundation. For women, being balbon is seen as unfeminine, even when its arrival signals the same thing.

With the invention of more methods of hair removal, including permanent ones, hair removal in women has become more accessible. It has been normalized as the “feminine” thing to do, even if femininity requires no such thing. You are free to define your femininity, whether that means staying balbon or shaving is up to you.

Don’t believe what hair removal ads tell you. Body hair is not dirt that you need to get rid of. Keeping it on your underarms, for example, won’t make you smell any worse, since BO is caused by the contact between sweat and bacteria on the skin.

A Czech study in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology notes that body hair itself is not a cause of BO and shaving it off only has a minimal impact on how pleasant you smell. It also does not affect how much you sweat. Bottom line, use deodorant. That’s what will keep BO away.

Growing your body hair does have benefits apart from sticking it to patriarchy. As mammals, humans are naturally supposed to have hair. According to research from the University of Cornell, mammals developed hair (or fur) to help keep warm and regulate body temperature. The thicker the hair, the more heat it traps to create an insulating layer on the skin.

The legs, in particular, chill pretty quickly and would benefit from a bit of hair. Meanwhile, hair on the underarms can prevent skin-to-skin friction when performing physical activities, which can cause irritation.

To keep your skin bright and smooth (and if your balbon legs ever get too warm), use Vaseline Healthy Bright Fresh & Bright Cooling Body Lotion. It will keep your skin feeling fresh while brightening it with niacinamide.

Does body hair make you undesirable? Maybe to the wrong person. If you turn off a few bad apples just because you decided to keep some hair, then good riddance. Some people associate body hair with activism or being a “man-hater.” Most of the time, that’s just not the case. There are many valid reasons not to shave, including skin irritation.

There are also many reasons we forget to shave, like being busy working or raising a family. These are all okay, too. You are desirable because you’re smart, compassionate, and living a full life. Besides, people who go out of their way to look for “hairless” women may not be what you want in your life anyway.

You can be proud of being balbon or you can have your reasons for shaving it all off. The state of your body hair is up to you and you alone. But know that if you do choose to let it grow, you will never have to worry about the myths mentioned above.

While on the topic of hair, check out our article on Peach Fuzz: The Dos and Don'ts of Dealing with Facial Hair.