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Shaving is the practice of removing hair with a razor, often for cosmetic reasons.

Both men and women shave, although the body parts shaved may vary. Areas most commonly shaved include the face (among men) and the legs and underarms (among women). Both men and women may shave hair elsewhere on the body, including the pubic area. Hair on the head may also be removed by shaving.

Hair is composed of three parts: the shaft, the hair follicle and the bulb at the base of the hair follicle that produces the hair. The bulb and follicle are embedded in the skin.

Shaving removes the hair shaft down to just below the surface of the skin. Because shaving does not affect the hair follicle or bulb, it is considered a temporary hair removal technique. To remove hair permanently, the hair follicle must be destroyed along with centers in the bulb that produce hair.

Shaving is the most common method of hair removal for both men and women. Most people who shave begin to do so after puberty, when hormonal changes makes hair on the face and body grow more. People shave for both cosmetic and cultural reasons. Throughout history, cultures have had both strong preferences and prohibitions regarding shaving or the appearance of hair for both men and women. Men have been shaving facial hair for thousands of years, but shaving among women did not become common until after World War I.

Although shaving is considered easy and safe, it may occasionally cause minor skin irritation, as well as cuts in the skin or ingrown hairs. An ingrown hair is a hair that curls back and penetrates the skin with its tip, causing inflammation and the formation of pus. Shaving can also cause folliculitis, an infection of hair follicles that occurs on the skin or scalp and resembles acne pimples or crusty sores. A variant that occurs in the beard area is called pseudofolliculitis barbae (razor bumps). This occurs primarily in African American men when curly hairs grow into the adjacent follicle and form small, curled masses. This condition can cause keloid scars.

The best shaving results are achieved by using a sharp razor on wet, warmed skin. Shaving cream or other lubricants help the process. The razor stroke can be either in the same direction as the grain of the hair, or against it. Shaving with the grain of the hair will not produce as close a shave, but is less likely to produce cuts or nicks. Shaving against the grain provides a closer shave but has an increased likelihood of cuts and ingrown hairs.

Among common types of razors used to shave include multiple-blade razors, electric razors and straight razors (more frequently used in the past by barbers).

Most shaved hair grows back within one to three days. Although shaving is not painful, new growth can be itchy. Shaving does not cause hair to grow back thicker or darker. It also does not impact the rate of growth. The color, location, thickness and length of hair are determined mainly by genetics and hormones.

Other temporary techniques of hair removal include plucking, waxing and depilation (use of a chemical to dissolve the hair). Techniques for permanent hair removal include electrolysis (electric needles are inserted into hair follicles) and laser hair removal (the elimination of hair with the use of a powerful light beam that targets the areas of skin that cause hair growth).

Some people use shaving as a way to treat hirsutism, a condition caused by hair follicles that are overly sensitive to male hormones that causes excessive amounts of hair to grow on the face or body. Although it can occur in both men and women, it usually poses more of a problem for women.