Ever wondered if men should shave their legs or not?
As manscaping has taken off in recent years it’s certainly something many of us are thinking about. Some notable celebrities who openly admit to shaving or trimming parts of their body hair are Justin Theroux, Colin Farrell and Nick Jonas. So, if they’re doing it should we?
Let’s keep it real, if you’ve landed on this post it’s likely to have crossed your mind at least once. It might be of comfort to know that as many as half of men are actively choosing to partially or fully remove their leg hair (leg-scaping).
In 2015 Men’s Health conducted a poll to their Facebook followers on this very topic and the answers might surprise you.
While 51.6% of voters thought it was weird for men to even touch their leg, 33.1% said they use a trimmer to make the hair shorter and 15.3% said they totally remove their leg hair.
So let’s put that into perspective – almost half of the men partially or fully remove their leg hair.
Should we be doing it though? As times have changed the pressure is on for guys to take more care about the way they look, and the removal of body hair is not frowned upon as much as it used to be.
Shaving your legs, when done correctly, can have an incredible impact on how your body looks, which in turn can help you feel more confident or even attract that special date of yours.
But it’s not all about how it looks. There are many other reasons men might choose to shave their legs so let’s take a closer look at some of the for and against arguments on this relatively new practice.
Arguments for shaving your legs.
It looks better.
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is believing that it just simply looks cleaner. Whether you just shorten the length of your hair or remove it completely it can create a more ‘polished’ look.
And, if you’ve been busting your ass down at the gym, you want to be able to see as much definition as possible. Let’s admit it, nobody enjoys leg day, so we want to see those results as our pins increase in size.
It’s sexy.
If it looks more appealing to us, surely the next reason would be to attract positive attention from others. Particularly that special someone, think SEX APPEAL.
Interestingly, a similar poll was asked of Women’s Health Facebook followers and more than half said they prefer a man with less or no leg hair. 28.5% said ‘I don’t like clean-shaven, but I do appreciate a man who trims leg hair down’ while 22.2% said ‘It’s awesome. I love a man with clean-shaven legs.
The other 49.3% stated ‘It’s weird. Guys shouldn’t touch their leg hair!’. Some may say a man should never shave their legs but generally it’s much more accepted either way.
It’s now trendy.
There is far less worry these days whether shaving your legs is popular or not. Of course, there are people who would say ‘a man should never shave his legs’ but generally it’s much more accepted.
More people today acknowledge that just because something isn’t right for them, doesn’t mean it’s not right for others.
Overall body hair management.
Another issue to consider when deciding if you should leg-scape or not is how the rest of your body looks.
Is there a balance between the upper and lower half of your body?
When you’re standing naked in front of the mirror how do things look?
Are you completely shaved on your upper body and then have big hairy soccer players legs?
If you have no hair under your arms, on your torso, and in your pubic region but you’ve done nothing about your lower half then maybe things aren’t looking very balanced.
On the other hand, if you haven’t touched any hair on your upper body and then shave your legs this again might not give you the look you’re really going for.
It’s great for athletes.
Unless of course, you’re simply doing it for athletic reasons. Although many athletes remove hair from other parts of their body too, hairy legs can cause a few problems in their sport.
Most swimmers remove leg hair to help aid aerodynamics, but hairless legs can also help with recovery.
Health reasons.
Another reason why it might be a good idea to shave your legs is down to health reasons. There are a range of skin-related issues that can make it easier to treat if your legs are clear.
Arguments for not shaving legs.
So now we have looked at some of the arguments for shaving your legs let’s take a look at reasons against it.
But it’s feminine.
One of the biggest arguments against removing leg hair is that it is something ‘only girls do’. We covered this earlier and we now know that as many as half of men prefer the removal of some or all their leg hair.
We also know just over half of women prefer this too, but let’s not forget that this still means almost half of each gender don’t like men with shaved legs.
Although the lines between what is classed as being something only women or men do is becoming less clear, some men feel that having hair is a sign of masculinity and they may want to embrace that feeling.
However, leg-scaping your leg hair as a man can also be very empowering.
It’s not attractive.
Depending on your view you might also think that bare legs for a man just look plain wrong. In that case, there’s certainly not much point in removing them.
Religious reasons.
Of course, there are also religious reasons not to shave. For example, in Judaism, the ultra-orthodox are actually banned from shaving whatsoever.
The modern orthodox are slightly more relaxed in their nature. They can’t use a razor to shave hair, but they can use trimmers to shorten the hair.
It takes time.
In this super-fast-paced world, it seems like there’s hardly any time to even collect your thoughts at the end of each day.
Shaving your legs takes time and must be maintained on a regular basis. Obviously, your hair won’t stay shaven or short for very long before you have to repeat it again and again. And, don’t forget your legs cover a large area of your body.
The hair on your head grows at roughly 0.35 to 0.45mm every day. Although the hair on your legs might be a little less, you will certainly notice stubble within a few days and then you have to decide if you’re going to let it grow out a little bit or keep on top of it every week.
If you are just using the hair trimmers you can get away with letting your hairs grow a little longer before doing them again.
It’s uncomfortable when growing back.
As soon as those tiny sharp hairs start pushing through, they create a stubble which can cause a significant problem in your daily life.
When you’re wearing pants or shorts and moving around throughout the day you will inevitably create friction between your new stubble and your clothing, and this can cause a lot of irritation.
Skin can become inflamed, red and itchy.
It costs money.
Depending on how you wish to remove your leg hair you will, of course, need some form of equipment or treatment to do so.
Perhaps you need to buy razors, shaving cream, shaving gel, waxing strips, a hair trimmer, laser hair removal sessions and so forth. Since you would need to be shaving on a regular basis you would need to increase your monthly toiletries/health care budget.
How to shave your legs
So now we know some of the pros and cons on whether a man should shave their legs or not, how do you actually go about doing it?
There is more than one way to remove your leg hair and many men who chose this path will try a few different methods until they get the results they want.
We will take a look at some of those now starting with the simplest of all options.
Trimmers.
The easiest way to remove your leg hair is by simply grabbing your hair trimmers and getting to work. If you already have a trimmer this will work out as the cheapest option.
This method is great if you want to just shorten your hair a little bit to make things look tidier. It’s also a great option if you’re not sure yet if you want to fully shave your leg hair.
It can give you an opportunity to get a feel for how it might look.
Depending on how hairy your legs are, it’s recommended to start off with a higher grade on your trimmers. Perhaps start with a number three and see if much hair comes off and if you like the results.
Remember you can always reduce the grade of your trimmer to remove a little more, but if you go right in with no guard at all and hate the look, then you’re going to be stuck with it for a few weeks.
- Simply start with one leg at a time and ensure you run your trimmers over the entire area.
- This can take some practice and a mirror may be useful for the back of your legs.
- With a little practice, you’ll find a routine that works for you.
- Just be careful not to fall over in the bathroom if you’re not ready to come out to your loved ones yet.
Razors.
Another popular way of removing leg hair is with the use of razors. This is a cheap and effective way of completely removing hair from your legs.
- You simply apply a shaving gel or cream to the area and carefully shave all hairs using your razor.
- Although most razors will do, there are specialist men’s body razors available on the market.
One of the downsides to using this method is that you will inevitably cut your skin and it’s important to clean the cuts so you don’t get the area infected.
Removal cream.
There are many men’s hair removal creams on the market today that you can apply to your legs.
- Simply leave the cream on your skin for the directed time before using a scraper to remove them.
- One of the biggest benefits of using hair removal cream is that you won’t get any cuts on your legs which is common with the use of razors.
- Be aware though that some men’s skin is more sensitive than others and some people can get irritated skin from applying the cream.
If you are worried about sensitive skin you can easily find creams for your skin type. It’s important never to leave the cream on for longer than the time in the instructions and always follow their directions.
Waxing Strips.
Waxing your legs is another option.
- In this method, a warm wax coat is applied to an area of skin on your legs and a strip of paper is placed over the top of the wax.
- As the wax cools the hairs stick to it and then the strip is pulled away from the skin. You can easily find men’s waxing strips online.
The biggest benefit of removing leg hair in this way is that it lasts longer. Also, the more often you wax your legs the follicle becomes weaker and over time the hairs become thinner and grow back slower, meaning you might not need to do it as often.
Clinic visit.
Of course, you can pay a professional to remove your leg hair. Clinical professionals are seeing men come in for hair removal treatments more now than ever, so you don’t need to feel worried about their judgment.
Also, an added benefit, particularly if having your legs waxed, is that it’s easier for them to pull the strip than yourself if you know what I mean.
Laser hair removal.
Another in-clinic treatment you could think about is laser hair removal. This cosmetic practice uses a powerful laser that digs deep into each hair follicle and damages them.
This prevents hairs from growing back normally. Of course, this will cost more than other methods already mentioned.
However, after having about six regular sessions you can expect smooth legs for six to twelve months. Smooth legs can then be maintained with just occasional top-up sessions.
After Care.
Whichever method you decide to use will require some form of aftercare. Using trimmers shouldn’t pose too many problems. If you trim them too short you might get a little friction, but it should subside within a few days.
- After shaving with a razor, waxing strips or hair removal cream it might be a good idea to apply an after-shaving balm particularly if you suffer from sensitive skin.
The use of an after-shaving cream can help reduce the chance of getting a shaving rash or friction burns. If your legs become red or itchy also try to wear loosely fitted clothing.
As a general rule as you start to remove your leg hair on a regular basis your skin gets used to it and side effects or minimal to zero.
FAQs
Is it normal for men to shave their legs?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question as it depends on personal preference and cultural norms.
Is it hygienic for men to shave their legs?
Shaving your legs does not affect hygiene, and as long as proper sanitation is used when shaving, it is no less hygienic than not shaving.
Will shaving make my hair grow back thicker or darker?
No, shaving does not affect the thickness or colour of hair growth.
Is it more difficult for men to shave their legs than women?
Not necessarily, as the process of shaving is the same for both men and women. However, men may have more hair on their legs which can make the process take longer.
What are the best tools or products to use when shaving legs?
A good razor, shaving cream or gel, and aftershave or moisturizer are recommended to get a close and comfortable shave.
Is it okay for men to shave their legs in public or at the gym?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question as it depends on personal preference and cultural norms.
Conclusion.
There is no definitive answer on whether men should shave their legs or not. Some men choose to shave their legs for personal or aesthetic reasons, while others prefer to leave their hair as is. There are benefits and drawbacks to both choices.
Benefits of shaving legs for men:
- Improved aerodynamics for athletes
- Smooth and hairless legs can make the legs look longer and more toned
- Easier to apply sunscreen or lotion
- Reduced risk of ingrown hair
- Can make legs feel cooler in hot weather
Drawbacks of shaving legs for men:
- Time-consuming
- Can be expensive if using disposable razors
- Can cause irritation or razor burn
- Must be done regularly to maintain hairlessness
- Some people may not like the feeling of shaved legs.
Ultimately, whether or not men should shave their legs is a personal choice, and you should do what makes you feel comfortable and confident.
So, should men be shaving their legs or not then? Now it’s obvious that many men are already doing it and we shouldn’t worry too much about what other people think.
Whether people like it or not is equally split between genders and even many of those who don’t like it probably acknowledge that it’s kinda just normal these days.
It’s personal. Only you can decide. Although you shouldn’t be ashamed of making the choice, remember you can always hide your legs for a while if you’re not ready for others to know.
You now know there are many ways to remove or partially remove your leg hair. Even if you’re just interested but not certain you know you can just trim them down a bit with trimmers and see how that feels.
On the other hand, if you’re happy with your leg hair being untouched then there really is no reason to feel the need to take part in this new craze.
The choice is yours.
