Most men are not willing to groom their body hair because they think it makes them look feminine or they generally don’t take care of their bodies. But studies show most women like men who have well-groomed body hair, and we are going to talk about why men should groom their body hair and tips for grooming shoulder and back hair for men.
Why should Men get rid of Shoulder and back hair?
The number 1 reason to get rid of shoulder and back hair is good hygiene, the body is easier to clean when there is less hair. Another most common reason for men to want to get rid of body hair is careers like bodybuilding and modeling where having body hair is looked down upon and makes a man’s body less appealing.
Look, it’s fine if your significant other has a preference for body hair, and it’s perfectly okay to want to keep your chest hair intact. But if your spouse also doesn’t particularly like excessive hair on your body, you should take care of at least your shoulder and back hair and there are many reasons for it.
It could also be that you, like me, are irritated by those hair and want to get rid of them, if that’s the case, this guide is for you. It can also be that there isn’t a lot of hair on your shoulder or back and in that case, even more of a reason to get rid of them and look and feel better in my opinion.
Let’s talk about ways you can Groom your Back and Shoulder Hair
While we discuss these methods, it should also be noted, and it is very important, that you take some time every week and make a routine to groom your body hair. That way, you can plan ahead of time and planning ahead means you can clear your schedule so you aren’t in a rush and are comfortable because you should be relaxed while doing this.
You should also be doing these in a well-lit area, with at least one mirror where you can see yourself clearly, preferably a bathroom. Also, do it in a place with access to a lot of running water, it’s also advised that you keep a clean towel and some sort of anti-septic nearby just in case you cut yourself.
I use a multitude of methods and tools to groom and take care of my body hair, especially my back and shoulder hair. Also, some methods require your partner or a friend to help you out while other methods are a one-man job, it depends on which one you feel more comfortable with. That said, let’s discuss the methods.
A Trimmer with a Long Handle
The most common and least intimidating method is grooming your body hair using a trimmer because it doesn’t use an exposed, sharp blade. There is little to no chance that you cut yourself while handling a trimmer. If you have very dense hair, you would need to first take the bulk down with an attachment.
You can skip doing this if you want and proceed to the next step which is using the trimmer without any attachment and taking care of your shoulder hair and then proceeding to your back hair and carefully removing them.
I’ll admit this is a bit tricky if you aren’t using a specifically made trimmer with a long handle designed for this job, that’s why I recommend you use a trimmer with a handle (like Mangroomer) so it’s easier to reach your back and remove your hair.
A Long handle Back Razor
You can either buy a cartridge razor like a Gillette Mach 3 and use that. Or, you can use a long-handle grooming razor like a Bakblade grooming Razor which is specifically designed to take care of your back hair especially if you don’t have a partner to help you out.
These kinds of razors are dime a dozen and very functional, they admittedly cost some money in the long run when you include the replacement blades and such, just like a regular cartridge razor you’d use for your face or head. Nonetheless, they are foolproof and pretty safe, especially for shaving your back hair. It’s great if you, like me, hate when you forget to charge your trimmer when you need to remove your back hair.
But I prefer a different option and that is a more dangerous option for most uninitiated people but it’s very easy once you get comfortable with it and get your technique right. I use it to remove my shoulder as well as armpit hair and back hair, although it’s a bit tricky to remove your back hair with it, it gets easier, more satisfying, and less frustrating. Let’s talk about that now.
A Double Edge Safety Razor (difficulty level: Expert)
What I’m talking about is a good old Double edge safety razor with a bit longer handle like a Merkur 23c or a Rockwell 6C (Read my review about it) if you want to experiment. You can skip to the next method if you are not interested in this but trust me, a good Double-edged razor is a worthy investment and will pay off in so many ways.
How you may ask?
Well, for one, it’s way cheaper, in the long run, the blades are super cheap, and a sharp new blade every time means no ingrown hair and a very close shave which is what I was looking for, for myself. Compared to a cartridge razor like a Mach 3, which costs an arm and a leg if you want a new blade every other week and you keep using an old and dull blade causing a lot of pulling and tugging and that causes more ingrown hair, it also causes razor-burns on your skin.
I started using a double-edge safety razor (Read my review of feather AS-D2 Safety razor) for my face and at first, I was too intimidated to use it on my body but once I tried using it and got comfortable with it, I ain’t going back EVER. Now I have a separate razor for my body grooming needs and another one for my face and neck and my head (if I need to shave my head).
You may want your partner to help you out with this one if you can’t reach the tricky spots, the trick is to use good shaving cream and a shaving brush to make lather. The brush also helps exfoliate your skin and then you can go at it with a DE razor and bam! you are done. Then after taking a bath, an aftershave balm or a moisturizer is a must, but that’s required after almost every kind of shaving, it’s basic hygiene.
Waxing
If you thought a Double-edged razor looks intimidating, well, waxing is even more intimidating and painful for most. I’ve never tried it myself but some of my friends have and some of them prefer taking this route towards grooming their body hair. But waxing is recommended for people who don’t have a jungle of hair on their shoulder and back because then it becomes too painful. Also, you might want to get waxing done every 3-5 weeks.
Laser Hair Removal
Waxing gets more expensive the more you do it, in addition to being painful. But if you want to avoid the pain and don’t have a problem paying more, there is Laser hair removal on the table, it’s also something I have not tried personally but the people who do try it swear by it.
You’ll have to get it done every 4-6 weeks and the more you do it, the less hair will grow back and after about a dozen times, there won’t be any more hair coming back. So Laser hair removal is expensive but it is well worth every penny spent.
Final words
So these are the methods men can use to groom shoulder and back hair to attract more women or to get that sleek and clean look.
Now I know I haven’t mentioned a couple of methods that are more complicated or let’s just say nuclear, like hair removal creams. I don’t recommend hair removal creams to anyone because of the strong and harmful chemicals used which will hurt your skin in the long run and nobody wants to do that (not even women) with their bodies no matter how much the TV commercials try to prove otherwise.