Middle Easterns’ Knowledge about Bat Blood Use and Effectiveness in Preventing Hair Growth: A Questionnaire Survey

In Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, anointing girls’ body with bat’s blood is an option to reduce body hair growth. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and people’s opinions about the effectiveness of using bat’s blood in preventing hair growth. A manual and online survey with closed-ended questions was distributed among 120 participants to examine the steps of bating procedure and associated disease risks. Among the participants, 90 were regular people and 30 were dermatologists and virologists.

97% of the samples had heard about the process and 71% had experienced it on themselves. Most of the study samples were familiar with the procedures and steps of bating (3.69), and they agreed with three essential procedures, namely; the blood should be warm and fresh, the operation takes place immediately after birth, and olive oil or saline should be used in the body bath. Also, there was a strong belief among the sample members about the effectiveness of this process (3.86) according to their age, gender, and educational level in favor of the less educated and older females. Furthermore, there was an agreement among specialists about the possibility that this process could be risky and leads to infection or skin allergies (4.34). Traditional practice in the Middle East area indicates the usefulness of bating process; however, laboratory and clinical studies are needed to illustrate any disease risks.

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