Should you shave your armpits?
Photos Louis Canadas
Words Geoffrey Justeau
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Five men debate the fate of their body hair.
Showing more than 145,000 results, the search for "should a man shave his armpits?” is still a major trending topic on Google. Based on several studies, 47% of all French men ages 18-25 and 37% of those ages 45-60 regularly shave their underarms. That means 1 in 2 men, and 1 in 3 as they grow older... Needless to say, this subject is rather divisive, eliciting a great deal of hesitation and permanent doubt, making it a great topic for debate at bachelor parties. We asked 5 different men to give us their opinions on how to best care for our underarm hair.
Clean-shaven
There are some men who are ready to give it a try, like Antoine, 27, from Paris, whose girlfriend broached the subject of his armpits on their first holiday together. "When she told me that she finds shorter underarm hair more exciting, I tried it straight away. She actually shaved my underarms the very first time using my beard trimmer, leaving them short, but not too short. Since then, I've kept my armpit hair cut just right. Antoine has chosen to not shave his underarms completely, as hair plays an essential role in desire. By retaining sweat, hair releases pheromones that attract our partners. So, it's simply a question of moderation.
Redouane, 37, lives in Lyon and shaves his armpits for aesthetic reasons: "One day, a friend of mine told me that my underarm hair looked like birds’ nests... I was a bit angry, but in fact, he was right. Even with my arms down at my sides, you could see the hair coming out from underneath. Since then, I use my beard trimmer to shave monthly, keeping my underarm hair extremely short". Redouane also states that he sweats less than before. That's likely to be true. Based on one study, trimming or shaving your armpit hair can reduce odour by an average of 57% in hot weather. Quite a compelling argument!
Finally, Maxime, who is 25 and lives in Nantes, is an athlete with a great deal of body hair, who "prefers to be completely hairless". He's been waxing his armpits and body for 2 years now. "I also dislike having facial hair, so I shave my beard twice a day. And I have oriental waxing done at a professional salon.” In his opinion, a man who waxes is no longer an oddity: "A lot of the men around me wax, and women tend to appreciate a softer, beardless look. Much more so, I think, than someone who has a lot of body hair!”
The "au naturel" crowd
Basile, a 29-year-old from Orléans, has come to terms with his body hair. "It's not only natural, but organic! "he proclaims, even though he admits that he's one of the only people in his group of mates who doesn't shave his underarms, because he's "too lazy". Originally, armpit hair protects us from the heat and cold, and inhibits sweat from running down the body.
Yoann, 32, is a dark-bearded Parisian who is proud of his body hair: "I have a lot of hair on my chest and stomach. I like it and so does my boyfriend, but I still make sure it doesn’t get out of hand. Once a month, I trim my body hair, particularly my armpits, to stay sexy, and not look hairy like a bear". Yoann also explains that hair plays a role in physical pleasure: its base is much more sensitive than most areas of our skin. Quite interesting!
The key to hairless underarms
While it's difficult to reach a consensus, men do agree on one point: body hair is fine, as long as it's well-groomed. At this stage, our advice would be to leave a centimetre of hair under the arms to take advantage of its natural benefits, as well as satisfy the aesthetic and olfactory desires of our partners.
Yet, if like Maxime, you prefer to be hairless, make an appointment at a beauty salon for men. According to Maxime: "the first time, it takes super-human courage to wax yourself at home, using hot wax or ready-to-use strips. Get ready for some hair-raising screams!” Of course, you can always use a razor, although Maxime rules it out for himself. "Razors are obviously effective, but they tend to damage my skin, and hair regrowth can cause itching and ingrown hair.”
If, like Antoine, Rédouane and Yoann, you are looking to trim your body hair rather than remove it altogether, use a small trimmer (like that used for beards) and set it to the highest possible position. Trimming purists will choose small scissors, similar to those used to trim moustaches. Precision guaranteed!