Men body hair removal

Hairy is sexy, but somebody just simply dont like it! Things are getting hairy now…
Unless your lady is a keen follower of the late American gorilla expert Dian Fossey, chances are she’d rather not wake up next to a silverback every morning. And will that bikini-clad siren give you a shred of attention on the beach if you have what looks like a wet ferret traversing your back? While WBA World Heavyweight Champion David Haye prescribed a lawnmower to sort out 7ft 2in boxing monster Nikolai Valuev’s oversized sweaty gut-rug, MH has some less drastic suggestions for your personal topiary. And none come with a battering from the Hayemaker… or require the use of a Flymo.

Best for doing it yourself – clippers body hair removal

For the moderately hairy (and those not overly keen on pain), a quick trim could be the solution. “Thick chest hair can look nicely groomed when clipped back to a number three,” says Griffiths. Ty the Braun cruZer4 Body And Face (£70, boots.com).

Benefits: “We love a man who takes care of himself but doesn’t spend ages in the bathroom,” says Ingeborg Van Lotringen, beauty director at Cosmopolitan magazine.

Drawbacks: Messy and needs regular attention. “Clipping or trimming body hair will not make the skin smooth and can make hair grow thicker,” warns Griffiths. As the joke goes, how do hedgehogs have sex? Carefully.

Best for sensitive skin body hair removal– sugaring

Not just for builder’s tea, sugaring has been used as an epilation technique for centuries. Similar to waxing, a heated sugar paste is applied to the skin, which is then removed by a therapist with a flicking movement by hand, or using a cloth strip.
Benefits: “This method minimises sting, and being 100% natural there is less redness than waxing,” says Martyn Griffiths, founder of The Sugar Shop (sugarshop.co.uk).
Drawbacks: Ingrown hairs can occur. “To prevent them, exfoliate the skin with a scrub (try Kiehl’s Gentle Exfoliating Grapefruit Body Scrub, £22, mankind.co.uk). Moisturising helps new hair to grow through normally,” says Rouillard.

Best for speedy body hair removal – waxing

Not Paris Hilton’s turgid horror debut, but a less torturous affair that promises to leave you with velvety skin. Heated wax is spread with a spatula over a specific area before the therapist uses a strip to remove the wax along with the hair. No whimpering allowed.
Benefits: “My clients find being hair-free feels cleaner and cooler,” says waxing specialist Andy Rouillard (malewaxing.info). Fast, effective and results last up to four weeks.

Drawbacks: The pain. Can cause irritation, inflammation and ingrown hairs. “PFB Vanish Roll on (£16, vanish.co.uk) contains acetyl salicylic acid, a chemical exfoliant that works inside the pore to free trapped hairs,” says Rouillard.

Best for permanence of Body Hair removal – laser removal

Like the Martian ‘heat ray’ in War of the Worlds laser hair removal is all about permanent destruction. Don’t worry though, it’s only your hair roots that get frazzled. Suitable for all body areas. Harley Medical Group (harleymedical.co.uk) courses start at £35.

Benefits: Hair can be removed from almost every area of the body. Laser treatment is less painful than waxing or sugaring but some people report mild discomfort.
Drawbacks: It can prove an expensive choice and requires a course of treatments to permanently reduce hair, as the laser only removes actively growing hair. You can’t do a DIY job with your lightsaber, so four visits are often needed.