A lad rakes in a whopping £30,000 a year from manscaping blokes' bits - making their privates 'look pretty', bigger and leaving their wives and girlfriends thrilled. Ricky Prady, who runs Hair & Waxing by Ricky Prady, has been a hair stylist for 21 years, specialising in unisex haircuts and colours.
But a casual enquiry from a client about whether the hair guru could wax other areas 15 years ago planted a seed that has blossomed into a lucrative branch of the company that men can't get enough of. On top of regular hair styling the 37-year-old now also offers all aspects of waxing from blokes' eyebrows to their toes, with regulars returning every four to six weeks.
Ricky admits he's seen 'a variety of shapes and sizes' over the years and that getting up close and personal during full-body waxes, which includes the pubic triangle, no longer fazes him. And not content with simply whipping off the hair willy nilly, Ricky ensures a perfect blend from the intimate area into the legs to ensure there's no visible line.
Although repeat clients are thrilled with the results, Ricky admits that some still find it taboo and joke if he sees them in the street not to reveal how he knows them. Ricky, from Billericay, Essex, said: "I earn £30,000 a year from manscaping alone, I also do ladies and men's haircuts and colours too.
"A lot of men find it very taboo and don't want to talk about the things they get done, but I think it should be something that men are comfortable talking about. A lot of people say to me 'oh if you bump into me in the high street don't say how you know me'. It's quite funny.
"I've done haircuts for years. The bloke asking to get his eyebrows done planted this seed that there was a market for men's waxing that I could offer as part of my business. When anyone asks 'what can be waxed?' I say 'from head to toe and everywhere in between'.
"I have a couple of guys who have full body waxes, it's quite popular with gym guys. There's not an area that can't be waxed. I do a lot of intimate waxes so it's quite easy, it's mainly what I do.
"Every man is different, how you wax one man is different to how you wax another depending on what's going on down there. As I'm a hairdresser as well I'm manscaping at the same time - I get the clippers and the scissors out and make it all look pretty.
"Sometimes first-time clients get a bit alarmed when I get the scissors out like 'I didn't book in for a circumcision'. The wives and girlfriends say how much nicer it looks and how much cleaner it is but the guys' feedback is always 'I don't know why I didn't have this done years ago'.
"It also makes their manhood look bigger when you remove the hair. They don't say that but I'm sure they think it. I've never had any negative feedback."
After inspiration struck 15 years ago, Ricky underwent professional waxing training and hasn't looked back. Now he's doing up to eight intimate waxes a week that involve manscaping. Ricky said: "The first time I did it it was a little bit weird I suppose, but I guess it's the same the first time a gynaecologist is left alone with a 'noon' isn't it?
"I calm anyone who's nervous down by talking them through what is being done. I always start at the back and work my way round because you're getting to know them before they turn round having to go full frontal.
"It gives them a little bit of time to get used to being naked. If someone's never had it done, you'd have to trim the hair down first. It depends if they've been looking after it themselves.
"There's no age limit, I have clients from 19-20 right up to the age of 70 - it just depends what sort of work they've been doing on it themselves. For a full intimate wax I always book out an hour and 15 minutes.
"Clients are nervous on their first time and a little bit apprehensive about what the results will be, but after they've had it done they love it and continue coming back every four-six weeks." Clients return to Ricky for a variety of reasons including hygiene, aesthetics and also for their mental health.
Ricky said: "Sometimes their wife or girlfriend has sent them and said they need to get it sorted out as they look like an 80s throwback porn star. "Other times it'll be hygiene reasons or they can't be bothered to do their own manscaping any more.
"I used to have a lad who was autistic and had a thing that he didn't like hair so his mum used to bring him to have all his intimate areas done. Everyone's different shapes and sizes down there and for some guys, they're a little bit insecure when they first come in.
"Half the time while the wax is setting I'm watching the TV. I'm not gawking at their penis, you're just looking at what you're removing from that area.
"I've held a mirror up at the end before, especially if I can get a good angle on the triangle to see if they like it. You're basically doing a haircut, but down below."
Although Ricky loves his work, he has encountered the odd incident including one where the client's personal hygiene was lacking. Ricky said: "Another time a bloke accidentally broke the bed and we had to continue the wax with him lying on the floor."
But despite the odd hiccup in the last 15 years, Ricky takes great pride in his work and loves his clients' reactions. Ricky said: "I take immense pride in my work. I have people travelling in from London, Kent and the other side of Essex. Men are travelling an hour to get to me. It's a real compliment that they come back to me, which is nice."
