While there are no true health benefits to shaving the arms, some people prefer the look and feel of hair-free arms and others find that having hairless armpits minimizes body odor associated with armpit sweat.
By having less hair under your armpit (or none at all), there's less room for sweat-based bacteria to multiply. Crucially, this means a fresher post-gym grooming routine and less questionable smells once you're back at your desk.
Armpit Hair Protects Your Skin
In the case of your underarms, it helps reduce skin-on-skin friction when you swing your arms as you walk or run. Armpit hair can save you from unnecessary chafing, irritation, or even heat rash, which can happen when sweat and abrasion mix.
To recap: Should guys shave their armpit hair? Ultimately, it's up to you. There's no real harm in shaving your armpits. If you decide to go hairless under your armpits, just be sure to pick up the right grooming products for the job!
As with shaving any part of your body, shaving your armpits also opens up the possibility of getting razor burn, ingrown hairs and irritation, and the underarm area is definitely one of the more uncomfortable areas to experience this in.
Studies have found the difference in the smell of regularly shaven pits compared to hairy ones is minimal at best. That's because our sweat is actually odourless and it's the bacteria it comes into contact with that causes a nasty smell.
Less body odor
When you remove hair under the armpits, it reduces trapped odor. A 2016 study involving men found that removing armpit hair by shaving significantly reduced axillary odor for the following 24 hours. Similar results were first found in a 1953 paper .
So, do men shave their armpits? You might be surprised to find that a recent survey by MANSCAPED™ found that 68% of men do groom their armpits.
Culturally, the Chinese consider it bad luck to alter their physical appearance in any way. Women in the U.S. have been on quite a roller coaster ride when it comes to their armpit hair, or lack thereof, over the past century.
Body hair can interfere with that look because it makes muscles less defined. However, bodybuilders find that shaving helps veins, muscle striations, and muscle groups pop up more.
Shaving anywhere on the body, including arms and armpits, comes with the potential for ingrown hairs, razor burn, and skin irritation.
2.2 Helps reduce friction Armpit hair also helps prevent skin-to-skin contact when you do certain activities, such as walking or jogging. The same goes for pubic hair, as they help reduce friction during sex and other activities.
“[Body hair] keeps mammals warm. It protects their skin from a lot of external influences, from abrasion, from water, from chemical attack, all sorts of things,” she says.
Our underarm hair traps the moisture on our skin, giving bacteria more time to produce the bad smells that you want to avoid. Shaving your armpit hair can help maximise the effectiveness of the antiperspirants that you use.
Sikhs. The Sikh religion forbids cutting or shaving any bodily hair. Orthodox Sikhs always carry a dagger with them, lest someone try to force them to do something against their religion.
Actresses and celebrities might choose hair removal methods like laser hair removal, electrolysis, depilatory creams, or waxing to remove their underarm hair.
Removal of axillary and pubic hair is a hygienic practice that was taught by the prophet Muhammad and which was espoused as having been part of practices conforming to man's premortal (ie, fitrah) nature. It was advised by Islamism to have the moustache cut, nails cut, and axillae and pubic shavings within 40 days.
The removal of armpit and leg hair by American women became a new practice in the early 20th century due to a confluence of multiple factors. One cultural change was the definition of femininity. In the Victorian era, it was based on moral character.
Despite dissenters, hairy armpits are undeniably en vogue. Alongside adverts, social media has reignited a trend for unicorn armpit hair – a look popularised by bloggers who have dyed their pits in rainbow colours.
Don't shave it: Unless you want to be a human pumice stone for your significant other, then it's best to avoid shaving your chest. Your partner will appreciate this most of all. It'll also spare you from having to shave half of your body every single day.
"It's safe to shave your legs, bikini area, and armpits every day if necessary," says Francesca Fusco, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist. "It's not unhealthy, it just needs to be done properly." So, in short: It comes down to your personal preference and the routine you like to keep.
But pubic hair isn't actually unhygienic. Like other hair on your body, your pubes trap sweat, oil, and bacteria. So, they might have a slightly stronger odor than other areas of your body. As long as you wash regularly, this shouldn't be cause for concern.
No — shaving hair doesn't change its thickness, color or rate of growth. Shaving facial or body hair gives the hair a blunt tip. The tip might feel coarse or "stubbly" for a time as it grows out. During this phase, the hair might be more noticeable and perhaps appear darker or thicker.