selfgrooming

Selfgrooming refers to the act of cleaning, maintaining, and tending to the body or body coverings, as well as to a range of self-directed grooming behaviors in humans. The term is used across species and contexts to describe routine care as well as repetitive actions that may have psychological significance. In humans, selfgrooming encompasses activities such as washing, brushing hair, shaving, nail care, cosmetics, and deodorant use.

In animals, selfgrooming is a basic hygiene practice that helps remove dirt, parasites, and shed fur, and can aid in temperature regulation and wound care. Many species also perform social grooming, where individuals groom each other to strengthen social ties and reduce tensions within a group. Grooming patterns vary by species, environment, age, and health. Excessive grooming in captive or stressed animals can signal poor welfare, pain, or environmental inadequacies.

In humans, selfgrooming behaviors are influenced by culture, gender norms, age, and personal preference. Routine grooming contributes to perceived health, social presentation, and self-esteem, and can become a highly ritualized or time-consuming part of daily life for some individuals. Selfgrooming can also reflect psychological states and coping strategies, including stress management.

Clinical relevance includes body-focused repetitive behaviors such as trichotillomania (hair pulling) and excoriation disorder (skin picking), which fall within broader OCD-spectrum presentations. In veterinary and welfare contexts, grooming time and patterns are used as indicators of welfare, comfort, and environmental suitability.

Research methods include observational ethograms for animals and self-report or clinician-rated scales for humans, with cross-cultural studies highlighting variation in grooming norms and practices.