脱毛

• Reading: だつもう
• Romaji: datsumō
• Kanji breakdown: 脱 (remove, shed) + 毛 (hair, fur) → hair removal
• Pronunciation: /da.tsu.moː/

Meaning

Hair removal; professional depilation through laser, light-based, or salon treatments.

脱毛 is one of the biggest beauty service categories in Japan, with dedicated salon chains like ミュゼ and リゼ advertising everywhere. It refers primarily to professional hair removal services (laser or light-based), not home shaving. In Japan, smooth, hairless skin is considered a beauty standard for both men and women, and メンズ脱毛 (men's hair removal) has become a rapidly growing segment, especially for beard and body hair.

Examples

1. 全身脱毛のコース始めたけど、結構痛い。 I started a full-body hair removal plan and it really hurts.
2. メンズ脱毛の広告最近めっちゃ多くない？ Haven't there been a crazy amount of men's hair removal ads lately?
3. 脱毛サロンと医療脱毛、どっちがいいか迷ってる。 I'm torn between a regular hair removal salon and medical laser removal.

Usage Guide

Context: beauty, daily conversation, social media

Tone: casual, beauty-focused

Do Say

• 医療脱毛の方が効果高いけど値段もするよね。 (Medical laser removal is more effective but it's pricier too.)
• 脱毛始める前にカウンセリング受けた方がいいよ。 (You should get a consultation before starting hair removal.)

Don't Say

• 「毛深いね」と指摘してから脱毛を勧めるのはNG (Pointing out someone is hairy then suggesting hair removal is inappropriate)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing 脱毛 with 除毛 (temporary hair removal like shaving) — 脱毛 implies more permanent methods like laser or light treatment

Origin & History

Compound of 脱 (remove, shed) + 毛 (hair). While the word itself is not new, it became a major buzzword with the explosion of affordable hair removal salons in the 2000s-2010s.

Cultural Context

Era: 2000s-2010s salon boom

Generation: 10s-40s

Social background: Universal, increasingly affordable

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Japan's hair removal industry is enormous, with both women's and men's segments showing strong growth.