Why Should You Shave Your Armpits (As A Man)

Shaving is something both men and women do.

However, when it comes to shaving armpit hair, this is less common for men than it is for women in society.

However, the reality is that shaving armpits have benefits and disadvantages for both genders.

One of the benefits of shaving the armpits for men is that they will notice a reduction in body odor caused by sweat. Some men do find that it gives them an airy and less itchy feeling as well.

Men who shave their armpits will likely have to do it more often than women since men’s hair grows faster than women’s hair.

In the following article, we’ll take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of shaving armpits and also how to do it correctly as a man.

Is Shaving Armpit Hair Good?

Manscaping – there’s nothing new about it.

In fact, it is not uncommon to see the modern man shaving his chest, shoulder, back, and even armpits.

However, not all men shave their armpits; however,  it does lead to the question, should men even shave their armpits?

According to research, it’s clear that more than half of the men today manscape to a certain degree.

In fact, some go all out and shave from head to toe. There are a select few that concentrate on specific areas of the body and use the tools designed for the job.

According to a 2014 study, 57% of millennial men did some form of manscaping now and again. Other studies showed that the percentage is even higher.

Men choose to shave and groom themselves for various reasons including athletics, Improved hygiene, appearance as well as comfort.

So let’s take a look at why it is actually a good idea for men to shave their armpits.

Sweat

The typical armpit has apocrine glands that produce sweat. Now, these glands are found in it is the body where hair is present such as your armpits and groin.

Eccrine glands are the other main type of sweat glands. Both the apocrine and eccrine glands produce a substance that is odorless unless, of course, it combines with bacteria on the skin.

Ultimately, this comes to the logical conclusion that shaving off hair could reduce sweating and, therefore, body odor as well.

However, the question that’s on everyone’s mind is whether shaving your armpits reduces sweat?

It’s, of course, the million-dollar question considering that a definitive answer probably doesn’t exist.

Then again, if you think of it this way when you rid your armpits of hair, you are creating a clean canvas for your antiperspirant to work, and it ultimately keeps your sweat glands from perspiring.

In addition, men don’t just spit when temperatures rise. They sweat more in the winter because of the layers of clothing, fireplaces that heat the room and even campfires.

Ultimately, it can be concluded that shaving armpits clean the surface for your antiperspirants and deodorants to function.

Odor

The truth is no man wants to present their all-natural body odor to the world.

However, one of the hardest things about becoming an adolescent, when hair starts sprouting in different areas of the body, is that body odor comes right along with it.

Ultimately, when the sweat on your skin mixes with bacteria, it produces body odor. This also happens in the armpits and other areas where hair is present as well.

So, therefore, one of the benefits of shaving armpits for men is that it gets rid of the base that apocrine glands need to produce sweat. Less sweat also equals less body odor.

Athletics

For years, athletes have shaved their body hair to improve their performance. This practice began in the 1950s among a couple of swimmers.

They insisted that it helped decrease drag while also causing them to cut precious seconds off their times.

So Does It Really Help?

A NASA study showed that shaving body hair reduces drag at a barely perceptible rate; however, a survey by the American College of Sports Medicine showed that shaven swimmers experienced an increase in stroke length with cardiovascular benefits as a bonus.

Lots of competitive road cyclists shave their hair to enhance their performance.

Runners also sacrifice their hair on their legs to get a few seconds that may mean the difference between winning and losing.

It’s also not uncommon to see wrestlers shave their bodies as it reduces chafing and other skin irritation caused by close contact with other opponents.

Bodybuilders go hairless all the time not just because of the appearance but because it’s hard to show off those sculpted muscles if they are covered in man fur.

Comfort

Probably one of the reasons why so many men choose to manscape is because it allows you to be more comfortable.

Armpit hair may not irritate you to the point of aggravation; however, it’s a nuisance when it does.

Armpit hair, as mentioned earlier, traps moisture and can also contribute to the itchy feeling.

Appearance

If bodybuilders hope to keep pace with their competitors, they need to shave their body hair, including their armpits.

Ultimately, bodybuilders look better without any hair, and they are also creating a visible canvas to showcase their muscle definition and tone that they work so hard to achieve.

Ultimately, while men don’t need to shave their bodies in order to look good, the reality is that having hair on their bodies is not an attractive look.

However, if you can make the hair sticking out from your armpits look sexy, then that’s kudos to you; however, you still are a member of a very small club.

While the first signs of hair sprouting under your armpits is a sign of puberty, and is a right of passage and ultimately manhood, when you reach an age of maturity, this doesn’t mean much.

So there is nothing wrong with having your hair removed.

The manscaping landscape is far more popular than ever before. Women are now more accepting of men who shave their body hair.

Today things up, when we get back to body odor, a 2012 study in the Czech Republic showed that women preferred the scent of shaved armpits as opposed to unshaven ones.

Is It More Hygienic To Shave Armpits?

It is believed that having hair under your armpits leads to increased sweating.

When it comes to hygiene, it can be reasoned that the odor from sweat is caused by bacteria, and this bacteria multiplies in hair filled with perspiration.

Therefore removing armpit hair results in less space for bacteria to harbor.

And it will also make your antiperspirant more effective.

So the less space bacteria has to harbor, the less opportunity it has to cause odor, and ultimately, this means it’s more hygienic to shave armpit hair than not to.

When Should You Shave Your Armpits?

When it comes to how often you should shave, there is no hard and fast rule.

Ultimately, it all boils down to your personal preference. While some people prefer clean-shaven armpits, others prefer a slightly stumbly look, and then there are those who prefer a more natural look.

So you need to pay attention to how your hair grows in and how your skin feels after shaving as well.

In general, it is recommended that you shave you every two to three days if you want a clean-shaven look, three to five days if you want a simple stubbly style and if you prefer a more natural look, then you should stick to just trimming your armpit hair instead of shaving it off completely.

What Type Of Razor Is Best For Shaving Armpits?

When it comes to choosing a razor for shaving armpit hair, it will boil down to personal preference.

Ultimately, the main thing to remember is that it should be a good quality razor designed for shaving body hair.

So you may need to try a few different types of razors before you find the one that’s most suitable for you.

Ultimately, it’s not a race and it’s important to remember that while shaving, you should avoid razor burn and skin irritation by taking it slow with the razor blade and making sure that you get a closer shave at the same time.

Armpit hair grows in different directions, which is why you need to make sure that you give it a little trim if you’ve never shaved before prior to using your razor.

Always make use of a sharp blade that has a pivoting head to move with the curves of your armpits and ultimately give you a closer and more effective shave.

Conclusion

Shaving armpit hair for men has various benefits.

Ultimately, it helps you look, feel, and smell your best.

It’s important to remember to avoid complications when shaving, and shaving the correct way will help you achieve this.

Be sure to follow the best practices for personal hygiene to prevent fewer side effects such as skin irritation, razor bumps, and razor burns.