That is the question today’s men are faced with. Traditionally, hair has been a part of a man’s identity, symbolizing masculinity and a coming of age. Other than our face, hairless, smooth skin was usually reserved for women only.
Well, gone are the days when women alone have that option. Men are now permitted to “manscape” as little or as much as they’d like. From eyebrows to buttock – removing unwanted hair is a totally acceptable and popular practice today.
So, who does it? Actually, throughout history, men have removed body hair for cultural, religious and medical reasons, but I’m talking about today’s trend of grooming for aesthetics, cleanliness, and fashion sake. Bodybuilders have been doing it for years, in order to accentuate the appearance of muscle mass. Swimmers do it for the competitive edge water gliding over smooth skin gives them. And the recent label “metrosexual”, a very fashion conscious heterosexual man who is often identified by his manicured eyebrows does it. But, what about the rest of us – the everyday man? I’m here to let you know there are no limits or expectations as to who manscapes… and it’s becoming more and more common everyday.
Manscaping is definitely a personal preference and choice. Men of all ages and backgrounds are saying yes to less hair. If you choose not to do it, that’s absolutely fine. I just encourage you to pay special attention to cleanliness, particularly in the groin area, since hair holds onto bacteria and odor and can cause some nasty, offensive funk. And no one likes funk!
If you choose to manscape, there are several ways of removing unwanted hair that are safe and effective – from depilatories and wax to beard trimmers and razors. You can tailor the scaping to your specific taste and needs. It can be as minimal as a trim, on up to a clean sweep; leaving nothing behind but naked skin.
Some men aren’t sure if removing hair from untraditional places like the genitals, chest and back is their thing. If you’re the least bit curious, I suggest trying it; since hair will always grow back should you not like it. Talk with your partner and get their input if you’re unsure about taking the plunge. I can’t remember ever hearing any scaper say they don’t like the feeling and enjoy the benefits – especially in the bedroom. Minimizing pubic hair definitely maximizes body parts! It’s absolutely worth the extra time and trouble.
Removing unwanted hair from any part of your body is okay by today’s standards, and is every bit as masculine as wearing every strand of hair nature gave you. It’s about breaking through stereotypes and outdated customs by doing what you want to do. Manscaping will make you feel good about yourself and comfortable in your own skin!
by Aaron Marino
