Should Men Shave Their Armpits?

Is it common for men to shave their armpits?

In general, it is clearly far more common for women to shave their armpits than it is for men. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it!

In recent years, as men’s body hair grooming has become more popular, there has been a rise in the number of men who do shave their armpits. Certainly, many men do at least some grooming and maintenance of their armpit hair, usually by trimming it.

Why should men shave their armpits?

Shaving your armpits can help you to feel more confident in your appearance, particularly in the summer when you want to feel comfortable wearing short sleeved or sleeveless tops. It can also be helpful in supporting athletic performance, because having a lot of armpit hair can cause chafing and rashes. Footballers like Christiano Ronaldo and swimmers like Michael Phelps are among the professional male athletes who prefer to shave their armpits.

Why shouldn’t men shave their armpits?

Men’s body hair generally grows a bit quicker than women’s, so if you want to regularly shave your armpits, you will probably have to keep doing it pretty often in order to keep things smooth. Since it’s totally socially acceptable for men, unlike women, to walk around with hairy armpits, many guys just can’t be bothered with the extra hassle.

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.

Does shaving your armpits reduce body odour?

Shaving your armpits is indeed shown to reduce your body odour, because when you have a lot of underarm hair, sweat is able to collect there more easily. The warm and often moist environment of a hairy armpit is the perfect location for smelly bacteria to grow and multiply, so it’s no surprise that men who don’t shave their underarms tend to give off a stronger smell. Keeping your armpit hair trimmed back or totally shaved can definitely reduce body odour and help you to feel and smell fresher.

Tips for shaving your armpits for the first time:

Prepare your underarms before you shave

A hot shower is usually the best environment to shave any body part in, and your armpits are no exception. The shower will make the skin of your underarms warm and moist, and you can give them a good clean beforehand to make sure that any dirt and impurities are washed away and won’t hinder the smoothness of your shave. Using a loofah or body scrub to exfoliate away any dead skin before you shave is a great option which can help you avoid bumps and ingrown hairs.

20% off

Hydro 5 Men’s Razor & Blade Pack

Featuring carbon coated precision blades, Hydro 5 is designed to protect

From £16.49 £13.19

30% off

Barber's Style Shave Cream

Barber's Style Face Wash allows you to clean your face for smooth, gentle skin.

£10.00 £7.00

Using a shaving cream or soap

To shave your armpits, you need a cream or soap to ease the way, just as you do when you’re shaving your face or other body parts. Take some into your palm and use your hands to create a nice thick, creamy lather, and then massage that into the area you’re about to shave.

Pick the right razor

Obviously, you shouldn’t use the same razor for shaving your armpits as you use for shaving your face. Body razors such as the Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5 Body Razor are specially designed for body grooming, with features such as bi-directional blades and an ergonomic, no-slip handle to prevent slipping and cutting yourself when you’re shaving in the shower.

Begin by trimming

If you’re shaving your armpits for the first time and you currently have longer armpit hair, it’s best to start by trimming it back first. Do this before you get in the shower, and it will make the job of shaving much easier, and prevent your razor from getting clogged up and blunted as it tries to cut through the long hairs.