Body Hair Dos & Don'ts

Many grooming habits that were previously only acceptable for women have become perfectly normal for men thanks to the metrosexual movement. Many men no longer feel weird about getting a facial or using multiple hair products, but now there’s a new area of grooming to consider: Body grooming, or “manscaping,” has become a phenomenon among men who want to look and feel their best. But before you go crazy with the razor, consider what the woman you get naked in front of is going to think about your strategic shaving. With regard to body hair, the line between sexy and scary is very thin indeed. Here is a woman's guide to male body hair dos and don’ts.

Do -- Trim armpit hair

The first do of our male body hair dos and don’ts concerns the fact that most men have hair under their arms and women expect and accept it. This doesn’t mean that you should let your armpit hair turn into an unkempt jungle, though. Keep your underarm hair trimmed to a reasonable length. It will not only look better this way, but you’ll also notice that you’ll sweat less and therefore smell better.

Do -- Keep it trimmed down there

Just as you appreciate a clean field of play when you go down on your girl, so will she be pleased to see a well-groomed area around your genitals. Anything that will make her more willing and enthusiastic to visit your nether regions should be done consistently. So keep it neatly trimmed down there. Keeping your pubic hair under control also helps to make you look bigger and controls unpleasant odors.

Don't -- Shave patterns

Unless it’s for the purposes of a joke and is going to be immediately shaved after the laughter dies down, men should never shave any of their hair into patterns of any kind. This applies especially to pubic hair. You don’t need to point your woman in the right direction with arrows, triangles or lightning bolts shaved into your pubes. She knows where she’s going. A simple undisturbed treasure trail will do if you really want to orient her to the right body part.

WHAT WOMEN WANT
It’s not necessary to base all your grooming choices on what women will think, of course (feel free to shave your balls if it feels good to you), but since women are the ones you want to see you naked, you should at least take their opinions into account when you reach for your razor. Even if you do make a grooming faux pas and your girlfriend can’t look at you without laughing, remember that hair grows back and you’ll get back to normal soon.

Don't -- Shave armpits bare

As stated above, women expect to see hair beneath a man’s arms. It’s probably not going to be the first thing she notices, but she’ll eventually realize that you have no hair under your arms and she’s bound to question your masculinity because of it. So, unless you’re a male model, keep some hair under there.

Do -- Groom chest hair

Plenty of women like to see some hair on a man’s chest, but most prefer to avoid the fuzzy carpet variety. Thinning out your chest hair is a good idea, but leave some hair for her to run her fingers through. On the other hand, there are some women who like a perfectly hairless chest. If you’re going to go with this option, be sure to shave regularly as the bristly stubble length will be uncomfortable for you and unappealing for her.

Don't -- Go Brazilian or bare everywhere

It might be OK once in a while for something different, but a man who constantly removes every hair from his genital area will be seen by women as either sex-obsessed or incredibly vain. The only men who should ever consider going completely hairless over their entire bodies are competitive bikers or swimmers. If it’s not done for the purposes of increased speed, it’s just kind of weird. If you do plan to get rid of the hair on your torso and genitals, you might as well go all the way and shave your legs too (two hairy stalks under your smooth, shaved body would look ridiculous).

Do -- Get rid of shoulder and back hair

Most women agree that hair on your back or shoulders is unsightly at best. There doesn’t seem to be any logical reason why she’ll run her fingers wantonly through your chest hair and recoil disgustedly at your back hair -- that’s just the way it is. Do yourself a favor and get rid of all the hair back there.