Hear ye, hear ye, all sasquatches and those of us who aspire to the slightest bit of sex appeal now that the mercury’s spiked north of 75 degrees. The sky is blue, the babes are out. Are you a bronzed Adonis, or something out of Planet of the Apes?
Yes, it’s summer time guys, or pretty close to it. Tell me, what’s your strategy for managing your unwanted body hair this summer? There are sins against nature during this clothing optional season – and being the hairy guy in the tank top is definitely one of them.
Your body hair removal plan is going to be different than what the ladies do to get rid of unwanted growth. Indeed, it’s a little more confusing for guys, with chest hair being dubbed sexy in some situations, and scary in others. An excuse to go Neanderthal and just let yourself go? Um, not unless you’re cool with some very awkward stares.
You need a guide, friend, to the ‘ins’ and ‘sins’ of body hair for men. So, I tell you what. Let’s ask a few women their thoughts on male body hair, after which we’ll discuss the art of the manscape, and the tools in your arsenal of effective hair removal for men.
What Girls Think About Body Hair on Guys
There’s no better way to get quality intel into the female brain than to ask it directly. So here it is, from two 21 year old hotties who work here in the office at Natural Health Source:
Lacey:
I did not like chest hair at first but i like a little chest hair now just like little baby ones. Thick hair is just a plain SIN in all areas of the body. Back patches are not necessary. No landing strips.
People think this is weird but I prefer a man with a rare armpit…waxed preferably! Hair on the toes is a no go.
Don’t want bare rare on the crouch area prefer a little bit of hair or else you look like a little boy
Monica:
All back hair is gross
NO LANDING STRIPS
A bit of tamed chest hair is okay
That’s about it.
OH and super gross hairy hobbit feet are nasty. Get rid of hobbit hairy feet
Manscaping-EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
Completely shaved is not necessary just trimmed and neat is nice
Break it down and there’s really just one upper torso area where body hair usually works on guys: the chest. Even then, it’s a fine line between what works and what’s downright creepy. The Amazon rainforest doesn’t fly on any part of the male body. Keep it short – or suffer the gorilla comments.
Time For a Manscape
Grab your trimmers, guys, we’re about to get medieval on unwanted body hair. Let’s get strategic here, and choose the right hair removal method for the applicable area. You don’t want to use sharp objects in your genital area. Ditto depilatory creams to get rid of a unibrow, from where they can drip into the eyes and cause serious damage.
Don’t mistake manscaping for metrosexual, by the way. Manscaping is simply the term we’ve coined in recent years for male body hair removal (a good thing). Metrosexual means you spend more time on your shoes than your girlfriend does. Groom, yes – but don’t abandon your male identity. You’re aiming for the Hugh Jackman look, not David Beckham. Sorry Becks.
Chest Hair
In Or Sin: In (When trimmed)
You can get away with a little chest hair. That’s a little, however. The fuzzy carpet look don’t cut it.
Acceptance of chest hair can change rapidly. Indeed, we’ve some movies in which some celebs like George Clooney are fully waxed in some films and sport growth in others. You’re good if you keep it confined to the pecs area. Above that and it starts to get scary.
As a rule of thumb, keep chest hair at just over half an inch. It’s time for a trim when you can wrap it around your finger.
Use: A hair clipper
How Often: Every two to three weeks.
Notes: If you’re really keen on the Adonis look, go ahead and wax your chest. Have this done in a salon the first few times.
Back and Shoulder Hair
In Or Sin: Sin
Definitely a sin. Back hair is a no-go, with shoulder hair not far behind. Do you find it appealing when a woman bares hairy legs? Don’t be the hairy back guy.
Of course, this is easier said than done. Men tend to lose hair where they want it (the scalp) as they get older and turn it to body hair on the arms, feet, shoulders and – yup – the back.
Use: A hair clipper for the shoulders, a back shaver for the back
How Often: How hairy are you? Light back hair may only require a trim every two to three weeks. Hairier types may need it twice a week. Either way, do what you have to do to keep this area smooth.
Notes: Waxing is another good option on these areas if you don’t mind putting out the bucks at a salon.
Genital Hair
In Or Sin: In (when trimmed)
Remember what we said about not losing your male identity? Lacey’s comments put it best. Trim this area, but keep a few pubes to retain that which makes you the man you are. Trimmed pubic hair also helps control odors and makes your unit look bigger. You’re sure to like that.
You want to be careful when trimming pubic hair. This is a sensitive area, after all, and not suited for sharp edges. Keep depilatories away from here too, as the harsh chemicals can trigger unpleasant sensitivities.
Use: A trimmer
How Often: As required.
Hair On The Rear
In Or Sin: Sin
Come one dude. You love a nice female behind and wouldn’t dream of seeing it covered in a jungle of growth. Why would you put her through the same thing?
Like the genital area, the buttocks can be a sensitive region and don’t take kindly to sharp objects (Ouch!). Keep it trim, and be careful with the trimming.
Use: A back shaver
How often: As required.
Notes: You’ll generally get better results with a back shaver when the hair is wet. Follow the manufacturer’s directions (and mop up when you’re done!).
Armpit Hair
In Or Sin: Both
Two camps here. Metrosexual folks would get rid of it, while many guys prefer to keep armpit hair.
Perhaps the bigger sin with growth under your arms is to do nothing about it. You can’t go wrong by at least trimming this area – you won’t sweat as much and therefore smell better.
Short armpit hair can also look masculine and is more visually pleasing on those summer days when a tank top screams “wear me!”
Use: A hair trimmer
How often: As required.
And Don’t Neglect…
Your feet, neck, eyebrows, nose and ears. These little things aren’t so little, gents, when she’s checking you out.
To that end, check out this article at Men’s Health on body grooming for guys, for any further questions you might have about how to get rid of unwanted body hair.
Fortunately for guys, we can get away with a little leg hair, and while it’s not in, it’s not a sin either. Use your judgement here, or ask your partner. Use trimmers to control excessive growth, or for a taste of what women go through to don those summer legs that get you excited, wax it off.
For Long Term Results
Not into shaving, or you’d prefer to just take the blow and be rid of unwanted body hair all at once? Try electrolysis or laser hair removal.
Neither of these options are pleasant. Laser hair removal kills unwanted growth at the root (though it doesn’t destroy the follicle) and is best suited to remove or thin out hair on the chest, back and shoulders. Laser treatment only works on dark growth, which excludes people with blond, white or gray body hair. The technology is evolving. Give it some time.
As a rule of thumb, keep chest hair at just over half an inch. It’s time for a trim when you can wrap it around your finger.
You’ll generally pay between $400 and $500 for each session of laser hair removal, with five to seven sessions usually required. You may need further touch-ups annually because male body hair progresses with age, especially on the back.
You can also try electrolysis. This method zaps follicles with a tiny needle that delivers an electrical current to individual hairs and may be a good option for smaller areas like the brows and neck. The downside? You might need a year’s worth of weekly treatments, at about $40 a pop.
And, of course, you’re zapping yourself with electricity, which ain’t much fun. In the genital region it’s next to excruciating.
Try a Natural Hair Growth Inhibitor
A relatively new development, guys who want to get rid of body hair with more long-term results but would prefer to skip the grief and cost of laser hair removal and electrolysis should consider using a natural hair growth inhibitor.
Truth be told, this isn’t a hair removal method. Rather, as the description implies, it’s designed to discourage body hair from sprouting up with natural ingredients and peptides that interrupt the anagen (the growth) phase of body hair deep within the follicle.
The numbers are encouraging. In one study, a natural-based peptide called Decerline reduced the frequency of shaving or depilation-based hair removal by up to 82%. And another peptide, Telocapil, reduced body hair in 93% of study participants.
Some eye-catching numbers from a new (and painless) technology. Stop Grow by Skinception is a good choice if you want to look closer at this option.
