laser chicago

Mirjana

Shakespeare’s plays abound with references to ‘bearded ladies’. Indeed, a few centuries ago women, for that matter even men, who had to put up with unprecedented hair growth in embarrassingly obvious (and not so obvious) spots had to well, just put up with it. Women down the ages have tried everything, from shaving their arms and legs to threading, often with painful results and serious health consequences.

Ancient Egyptians prepared a mixture of bees’ wax and sugar to remove bodily hair. Hair removal was done with the intention of discouraging lice growth as well as for aesthetic purposes. In India as well as Arab countries threading of facial hair was considered the norm, aver archaeologists who have stumbled upon concrete evidence during excavations.

As a young girl I was quite self-conscious of the hair on my legs; the prevalent culture (persisting till date) dictating that hair visible on a girl’s body (except the head, of course) is a definite no-no. I recall a favorite aunt, a great scientific brain, who nevertheless became the laughing-stock in her neighborhood as she had facial hair. It is another matter that my aunt, who had made a great name for herself in the field of Physics, did not care and put up with all the barbs that came her way with stoic humor. But I am chicken! Well no, not really. I simply like to look good. Plus, it is such a nice, clean feeling not to have that annoying stubble on your arms and legs.