Our complicated relationship with body hair removal and grooming

Online movements like #Januhairy and #bodyhairdontcare encourage women to grow out their body hair in order to normalise it and embrace the skin they’re in.

In fact, according to a survey by razor brand, Gillette, 50% of women age 18-24 have avoided posting pictures of themselves of social media because of a lack of confidence in their own skin.

While movements like these are empowering, our relationships with our body hair are far more complicated. It affects anything from our relationships to our self-esteem.

And it’s not as easy for those women who have faced bullying and online trolls for having what we consider to be too much hair.

Reporter Niamh Hughes talks to young women about their body hair: those who feel they cannot grow it out to those who say we shouldn’t feel obliged to remove it.

At the same time, Niamh is growing out her body hair for the first time to see if she can normalise it. Does it make her feel empowered or is there is power in choosing to remove it?

Presented and produced by: Niamh Hughes

Filmed by: Kathryn Parker and Jade Thompson

Edited by: Ammar Ebrahim and Samantha Everett

Commissioning Editor: Kimberley Rowell