In this piece I’ll be daring to answer the posed in the title above should men shave their armpits?
Guys reading this have probably already thought about doing this at least once before, it’s okay you can be honest with me.
But should you do it? Well, the whole manscaping craze would likely make men want to at least give it a try but shaving your body hair is something you need to be careful with.
What many people misunderstand with manscaping is that it doesn’t always mean a totally clean shave.
In most cases you won’t totally shave all the hair you’ll just trim it down so to the naked eye it could look like you have none at all. Till it grows back of course, although some areas of your body will be easier to totally shave without problems.
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Most men shave their chests, face and even their genitals because they think it will make them look better and more attractive. While this is undoubtedly down to personal opinion it can’t be denied that many people do think the more minimal hair or no body hair look is more attractive these days.
Take a quick look at any male model photograph, you won’t see many with a hairy chest or back. However, arms and legs are another matter the manscaping craze does tend to ignore these areas of the body in some cases.
Although hairless or at least more minimal arm hair isn’t exactly uncommon these days.
However, armpit hair is a little bit different, many men and women for that matter find it very unappealing. Let’s face it armpit hair is very stringy often clumped together and smells pretty awful so most people will want to get rid of it.
Having smooth armpits will also likely feel more comfortable as well but still considering all this should men shave their armpits or not?
This unsurprisingly is a very difficult question to answer and there is actually a fierce debate between many groups over whether armpit hair has value or not. To help answer the question posed in the title “should men shave their armpits” or not let’s look at both arguments in more detail.
THE ARGUMENTS FOR SHAVING YOUR ARMPITS
The arguments for men shaving their armpits can be broken into two main categories. There are the aesthetical benefits (which are going to be down to personal preference) and the perceived health benefits.
However, it’s important to mention that the latter category is again something that is going to be down to a person-to-person case.
Let’s focus on the first category; armpit hair is not something many people will actually like. Some men like having a bit of body hair it can make them feel more mature and manly.
But armpit hair isn’t going to be the kind of hair the majority of men will want, unlike a hairy chest or legs it isn’t really going to be viewed as sexy or appealing by anyone.
This is why you see so many male models and “sex symbols” without any. When it comes to the typical “Hollywood” heartthrob or male style icon you likely won’t be seeing any hairy armpits. So, most modern fashionable men won’t want hairy armpits either.
Sure some men might not care but many will care, which is why it’s a popular look in today’s day and age. In many ways, men want to shave their armpit hair for the same reason most women do.
Because they think it makes them look better and therefore they feel more confident and attractive. So, that covers the first category but what about the second?
Like I said earlier there are some perceived health benefits when it comes to shaving your armpits but does take note of the word perceived as evidence supporting these claims is somewhat limited.
The most prevalent belief is that armpit hair naturally keeps sweat and other moisture away from the body.
This, in turn, helps keep your skin clean and provides greater ventilation it also serves to help rid your body of odour-producing bacteria as well.
Some men also find that shaving their armpits helps reduce the odour produced by sweat as well.
However, the very opposite of this is also true some men have found that shaved armpits are more irritating and that it actually magnifies their body’s natural odour.
So, while we can’t really say what the clear answer to this is we can say it is something that will affect men differently.
Some men might have no issues with shaving their armpits they might even feel much better once they are shaved but at the same time, they might not. You won’t really know till you have shaved your armpits.
If there is one group of men who will find benefits beyond their appearance then it’s going to be pro sportsmen. While athletes of any sport might shave their armpits it is most popular with swimmers because it will help improve their performance.
Less body hair means faster movement in the water and while shaving their armpits is unlikely to make a huge difference a small extra boost of speed is sometimes all that is needed.
So, if there is one group of men who will want to shave their armpits it is the budding swimmers and sportsmen out there.
So, to sum up, the arguments for why men should shave their armpits have notable style benefits. It can’t be denied that many men today will feel that they look more attractive with less body hair and this, in turn, will help them feel more confident.
It could also help them feel fresh and smell better as well. If you are a particularly active man then you could also find that shaving your armpits makes you feel more comfortable when working out and engaging in your sport/ activity of choice.
Swimmers, runners, bikers and more have all reported that shaved armpits can help improve performance and reduce body odour at the same time. So, there are some benefits for men to consider when it comes to deciding whether to shave their armpits or not. But what about the arguments for not shaving?
THE ARGUMENTS FOR NOT SHAVING YOUR ARMPITS
So, we’ve looked at the pro-shaving arguments let’s look at why some men don’t want to shave in more detail. Again this can really be broken down into two main categories the first is that some men simply don’t see the point in shaving them.
Unlike your face or chest, most men won’t really be aiming to highlight of show off their underarms so they won’t see the point in shaving them.
Some men might give them a trim but shaving them completely is just going to be viewed as unnecessary. While manscaping is growing more popular with many men it isn’t as popular when it comes to arms and legs.
Many men also find shaving under their arms irritating and rather than combatting body odour some men have found that it has only made the issue more prevalent.
Like I said earlier some men have found that shaving their armpits helps combat odour but the very opposite is also true. It’s a commonly believed misconception that shaving your armpits will always help combat armpit odour this isn’t always going to be the case.
Armpits are also very sensitive and some men will find the skin around them to be very irritated after shaving them.
Over time this will likely subside but when you consider that it might not offer many benefits to some men it’s easy to see why they don’t overly focus on them when it comes to their grooming routine.
Shaving your armpits does mean there is no hair to hold moisture under your arms which could result in less of an odour.
But since the sweat will still be on your skin it can still be noticeable it really does seem to depend on your body’s own unique odour, lifestyle and many other variables over whether shaving will benefit you or not.
So, to sum up, the main reason why some men don’t shave their armpits is that it can be difficult, irritating to the surrounding skin and might not actually help much when it comes to reducing body odour. But does this mean men should shave their armpits or not?
It’s Up To You!
The subtitle really tells you everything you need to know. Should men shave their armpits? Well, it’s all up to you really if you think it makes you look better and feel more confident then go for it.
If you are a particularly active man then you might also find it will improve your performance and it can (in some cases) help reduce body odour.
However, at the same time just like manscaping, in general, you don’t need to. If you do want to shave your armpits make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.
Don’t do it because you think it will magically help you smell a lot better because the changes in most cases will be minimal. But if you do want hair-free underarms how should you approach shaving?
HOW TO SHAVE YOUR ARMPITS
Shaving your armpits is delicate work and something with a bit of a learning curve to it. While it’s a regular of most women’s grooming routine most men likely won’t have much experience with it.
So, what is the best way to shave your armpits?
Armpit hair is usually quite stringy and is likely going to be quite long. While every man’s body hair will grow at variable rates underarm hair does usually grow quite quickly which means if you want to keep it short you might need to shave it regularly.
Like with most areas of your body, there are also quite a few ways you can approach shaving as well. Although when it comes to your armpits it is recommended to keep things as simple as you possibly can. So, to help with that below I outlined a simple shaving guide for you to follow.
YOUR SAFE SHAVING GUIDE
Shaving your armpits is best done after a bath or shower as the water will help weaken body hair and help it clump together.
If you want to fit shaving your armpits into your regular grooming routine then it is best to do it first as the more time you give the hair to dry to harder the shaving process will be.
Before shaving, make sure you have inspected your armpits thoroughly as men’s armpits can be prone to skin tags and moles.
You will want to be very careful when shaving around these as cutting them accidentally can be quite painful and can also lead to infections.
So, make sure you take this into account before attempting to shave your armpits.
- Once you have had your bath or shower you should use an electric trimmer or small pair of scissors to cut down your armpit hair.
- Since the hair will still be quite damp this should be relatively simple, trim the hair as short as you can and then wipe away any excess with a towel or damp cloth.
- Then get a new razor and wash the blade with some warm water. You can also disinfect the blade with some rubbing alcohol if you want.
- Once the razor is ready, apply some shaving gel to the armpit. It’s best to use gel instead of shaving cream as it has a better consistency and I would strongly recommend using a gel designed for sensitive skin.
Your armpits are one of the more sensitive areas of your body so it is best to be cautious and use a gel designed for sensitive skin.
Gently rub the gel around your armpit and then gently start shaving, move in slow gentle motions and wash the razor after every few strokes. Once the armpit is clear give it a wash with a damp cloth to wash away any gel.
- Once one armpit is shaved repeat the process for the other one and if you are really struggling to inspect your armpits while shaving stand in front of a mirror while doing it.
- It might be tricky at first but once you have done it a few times shaving your armpits should be quite simple.
- If you do it once a week or so then your armpit hair shouldn’t grow overly long either.
So, that is everything you need to know when it comes to shaving your armpits with a razor however while this is the most common way for men (and women for that matter) to shave their armpits there are other alternative methods.
WAXING YOUR ARMPITS
Waxing your armpits might sound quite difficult after all when most people think of waxing they think of wax strips and pressing one onto your armpit might seem quite difficult not to mention painful.
But waxing your armpits can be done and some men might actually prefer this method.
For one thing, waxing your armpits won’t require quite as much prep work as shaving with a razor and there is no risk of cutting yourself accidentally.
Although it is recommended that you wash your armpits thoroughly before attempting this hair removal method.
- Once you’re out of the shower/ bath dry your armpits and then use a waxing stick to thoroughly put wax over an armpit.
- If your armpit hair is quite long then you will get better results by trimming it with some small scissors first. Armpit hair is also usually quite strong so don’t be afraid to run the waxing stick over your armpits quite liberally.
- Once that is done pull your arm back over your head so the skin under your armpit is pulled back tight.
- Then once that is done place and press the waxing strip over your armpit and leave it for a few seconds before pulling it off. Yes, you will likely need to brace yourself for this if it’s your first time waxing as it can be quite painful.
Armpits are quite sensitive areas of the body as well so if it makes you a little teary-eyed don’t worry it’s quite understandable.
- Once done repeat the process for the other armpit.
- If your armpit feels quite irritated or painful after the waxing then you should use a cold damp cloth to help alleviate it. Or place a cold compress gently against the armpit and it should help soothe your skin.
Everyone’s level of sensitivity is different so for some people the feeling could fade after just a few minutes but for other men it could linger for quite a while.
The good news is that the more you wax your armpits the less painful the process will be. So, after a few sessions particularly if your armpit hair is only quite short waxing shouldn’t be overly irritating or painful.
HAIR REMOVAL CREAM
Finally, the last method worth knowing about when it comes to removing armpit hair is hair removal cream.
Because manscaping is growing more popular, especially with younger men in the 18 – 35 bracket numerous companies are introducing more male-focused hair removal products.
So, finding a hair removal cream specially designed for male hair is actually much easier nowadays but do they work? Well, the final verdict is yes possibly! Yeah, not the best answer but not the worst either.
Hair removal creams are quite divisive some men have had their work perfectly while others have had no results at all.
Hair removal creams for men have very variable levels of quality some may work brilliantly while others might not work at all. However, aside from quality issues, many men use hair removal creams incorrectly which isn’t helped by the fact that most creams will have different guidelines for use.
They will all mostly be similar but the timing will often be different. For the best results, you will have to layer the cream onto your armpits, wash them first for the best results and then leave the cream to soak into the hair.
Some creams will be fast-acting while others may take 5 minutes or more to work.
The issue is many men will either remove the cream too quickly or leave it on for too long. If you take
it off too soon then it won’t remove any body hair but if you leave it on too long then it will likely irritate your skin. So, hair removal cream can work but it isn’t really recommended when compared to the other methods.
It can be difficult to use and there is a substantial difference in quality. Hair removal creams (even those designed for men) can also be ineffective on more thick hair as well. So, while you can try it if you want to shave your armpits I would advise sticking to the other shaving methods I’ve talked about.
Should Men Shave Their Armpits – Yay or Nay!
So, now that we’ve looked at everything you need to consider when it comes to shaving your armpits let’s conclude by examining the arguments for and against shaving for good. Like I said earlier the decision to shave your armpits or not really is all down to you.
Shaving your armpits is said to provide a lot of benefits but evidence to support this is dubious at best. Although the most common reason for men to shave their armpits is simply that they think they’ll look and feel better with less body hair.
If you are a regular swimmer or take trips to the beach or just enjoy going shirtless when you can then you might want to simply shave your armpit hair because it makes you feel and look better. And there isn’t anything wrong with that!
Shaving your armpit hair as you’ve seen is also much easier than you might think and there are numerous ways you can do it. Although don’t worry if you find it difficult at first as it might take a while to find a good rhythm/ routine.
Shaving your armpits might not seem overly popular but I’d argue it is.
Most men don’t really share their grooming routines with each other but trust me when I say manscaping is growing more and more popular and that includes shaving your underarms.
So, it really isn’t a yay or nay situation if you want to shave your armpits go ahead and if you don’t, well you don’t have to.
