Body hair is one of those things that guys often freak out about. And, I’m not going to lie to you, as a pretty hairy MFer myself, years ago I was one of those men, worrying that my chest hair and random whiskers elsewhere would be a major turnoff for girls. Over time, though, that anxiety sort of wore off.
So, how did I get to a point where I embraced my body hair? Well, for one, it didn’t seem to impact the quality of girls I was dating or hooking up with, which definitely helped. Two, similar to balding, body hair just seems to fall down the list of things to worry about as you age, understanding that it’s just something that happens, and you can’t completely stop it from growing.
For those who are still a little insecure about their amount of body hair, though, there’s always laser hair removal or waxing, but that can be both expensive and painful, so I suggest practicing good grooming habits by trimming it up every so often. Yes, much like the hair on your head or face, body hair required upkeep, and it will really help you appreciate it more when you get into that routine.
Now that you’ve (hopefully) accepted your body hair, now let’s get down to the nitty gritty — which is how girls feel about it. We have everything you need to know about how to feel comfortable with all those whiskers, fellas.
Do girls hate body hair?
So many guys are in their own heads when it comes to body hair and girls, because, no, girls don’t hate it — but there are certain parameters. First off, some girls find body hair super attractive, taking it as a sign of masculinity on a guy. Second, if you have body hair, embrace it, but make sure you keep things under control. You might be a hairy beast, but trimming your chest hair, pubic hair and back, among other places, is the key to owning it without feeling like Sasquatch.
When it comes to your face, beards are often seen as sexy on a guy who can grow one well and maintain it, but there are some girls who prefer a smooth face, so listen to your girl’s preference. Remember, though, it’s ultimately your decision, and a little scruff never hurt anyone.
OK, so if they don’t hate it, how can I make my body hair most attractive?
The simplest rule to follow is this: groom from your neck down. I already talked about how some girls enjoy a man with a beard, but make sure you’re not walking around looking like Grizzly Adams, rocking a neck beard or appearing as if you’ve been living in the woods for the past five years. Some guys can pull that look off well — see Chris Stapleton — but many guys aren’t badass musicians and have to go to an office gig, so it’s best to keep things clean.
As for other parts of your body where body hair is prevalent, it’s important to trim as much as you’re comfortable with. For instance, chest hair should be trimmed to an even length, but don’t go too low, otherwise you may find yourself itching it more than you’d prefer. Your armpits shouldn’t be touched, but it’s OK to trim other places around your body where random whiskers might pop up.
Lastly, when it comes to your pubic hair or back hair, yes, guys, you need to be trimming or completely shaving off body hair. Nobody enjoys the whole ’70s pornstar look below the belt, so trim that evenly with an electric razor at about a 2-to-3 length. When it comes to back hair, some girls don’t mind it, but if it’s getting out of control and you’re starting to get the “hair wings,” you’d be wise to get a tool that can help you clean it up, since there are several electric back shavers out there.
When’s the best time to trim or groom body hair?
Either in the shower or immediately after your shower while the pores are open and whiskers are standing up. Of course, when you do this, you might need to hop back in the shower to rinse off depending on how much body hair you’re actually cleaning up, but it’s important to shave or trim at this point to avoid ingrown hairs or uneven grooming.
After grooming yourself and rinsing off, make sure you moisturize with an aftershave balm. No matter where you’re shaving — face, neck, chest, back, etc. — these are highly-sensitive areas, so you’re likely to develop redness. That’s normal, so just make sure you help eliminate the possibility of scarring or a rash by adding some product to those areas after shaving.
What’s the one place where I need to focus most when trimming body hair?
Although it’s important to focus on all areas where body hair might be, I’d say that the neck, back and pubes are the most important. Sure, a homeless man beard isn’t the most attractive thing to girls, but it’s not going to kill your chances of picking up a date.
When it comes to those aforementioned other areas, though, neck beards will never be in style, back hair can be a surprise — and a major turnoff — for girls if they’re seeing you without a shirt on for the first time, and no girl wants to go down on you if your pubic hair is looking like a wildebeest. Sure, most girls aren’t so shallow to completely avoid you when you’ve got a bunch of body hair, but you should take some pride in your look, so trimming these critical spots should be something you want to do for yourself.