Men: Should you shave, trim or wax back hair

As some men pass their teen years they start to grow body hair very rapidly compared to other men. While a hairy body in men was considered desirable in the past with the passing of time, the standards of desirability have changed and nowadays men with less body hair are considered more fashionable. But apart from the aesthetics, a hairless back also feels much more comfortable under clothing not to mention that you won’t get too hot and sweaty if you have fewer back hairs. Since back hairs are not very useful nor do they look very good most men opt to shave, trim or wax their back hair but which method among these three is most effective in removing back hairs?

Men: Should you shave, trim or wax back hair?

If you want to remove your back hair by yourself the easiest solution is to use a specially designed back hair shaver with a long handle and wide blade. If you are looking for a back hair removal method that is going to last for at least a few weeks use wax. If you do not have a lot of hair on your back you can use a trimmer, but it will not give you a smooth back.

Shaving, trimming, and waxing all have their own ideal usage scenarios in which they are most effective for removing back hairs. All three of these methods have their perks and deficiencies and in this article, we are going to tell you about the situations in which you can use each of these methods to remove your back hair.

Shaving your back

Shaving is probably the most popular and go-to hair removal method for most people and it is also a cheap way to get a close shave.  But the tools that are normally used for shaving are safety razors, disposable razors or electric shaving machines and none of these can be used to shave your back unless you are super flexible or have someone to lend you a hand. That is why there are specially designed back shaving razors available with long handles that allow you to shave hairs from your back with ease. There are two types of back shaving razors:

1. Electric back shavers:

An electric back shaver works in a similar way to regular electric shaver with an exception of a longer handle to make it easier to use on your back. You can either buy a battery-powered back shaver or one that comes with a cord to plug it into a power source. But it is advisable to get a cordless one because the cord can make it difficult to use the razor efficiently as it is always coming in the way.

2. Manual back shaving razor:

The manual back razors require you to shave by moving the blade of the razor on your back like you would do with a regular razor the only difference is that the handle is longer and the blades are also wider. You have to replace the blade or the cartilage once the blades start to get dull.

● Ideal usage scenario for back razors

Back shaving razors can be perfect for you if you have a very hairy back and your back hairs are thick. The ideal usage scenario for a back razor is when you don’t have anyone to help you with shaving your back and you have to do it by yourself. Also if your back hairs grow very quickly shaving them often by yourself using a back razor can be very convenient and cheap since it doesn’t cost much to replace the blades of a back razor.

● Pros and cons of shaving your back

– Pros

1. Cheap: Back shavers are the cheapest way to remove hair from your back especially when compared to waxing your back which requires you to visit a salon.
2. Quick: It doesn’t require too much time to shave your back if you are using a sharp razor.
3. Portable: It can be taken anywhere with you because most back razors have foldable handles that fit into your luggage easily.

– Cons

1. Last a short time: The back hairs grow back within a few days of shaving them so you have to shave your back quite often.
2. Cuts: You can get cuts if you are new to using back razors.
3. Need supplies: Require you to buy other shaving supplies such as shaving creams and post-shave conditioner.

Waxing your back

You can buy wax from a store or make your own wax at home but the third and more expensive way is to get your back waxed from a saloon which is also the most effective one. For most men, waxing is a great way to keep their back hair from growing back for at least a few weeks but you can’t wax your back yourself and if you want to do it at home you will require some help.  Waxing involves applying either a strip of cloth that is soaked in wax or applying hard wax in form of a layer and then peeling the hard wax off to remove hairs along with it. One thing you have to be careful about is that waxing is not gentle on the skin as a thin layer of skin is peeled off when you tear the wax from your skin to remove hair. So if you have sensitive skin then you are better off getting the waxing done professionally because saloons use special waxing techniques and waxing material that is not too harsh on the skin.

You can use any type of wax on your back hair but since back skin is not very sensitive you can use soft wax and use strips to peel them off without worrying too much about damaging the skin. Also because the back is a pretty large area you are better off using wax strips since they cover a lot more area and you can get more hair removed with each peel.

● The ideal scenario for waxing your back

Waxing is great for someone who doesn’t have the time to shave their back very often. Moreover, you should only wax at home in a scenario where you have a partner to help you, otherwise, you will end up making a mess and you won’t be able to remove hairs from your back properly.  But if you have sensitive skin you shouldn’t do it at home and leave the waxing to a professional.

● Pros and cons of waxing back hair

– Pros

1. Last a long time: You don’t have to worry about back hairs growing back for at least 2 weeks.
2. No cuts: No risk of getting cuts or nicks which are common when shaving.
3. Quick: Takes less than 15 minutes to wax your whole back and you are ready to get on with life.

– Cons

1. Aftercare: Requires a lot of aftercare like antibacterial skin treatment after getting waxed if you have sensitive skin.
2. Difficult to do alone: You can’t do it yourself and requires the services of a professional or help from a partner.
3. Painful: It is going to be painful if you aren’t used to getting yourself waxed.
4. More expensive: Costs more as compared to shaving or trimming your back hair, but you can do if less often.

Trimming your back

Trimming your back hair is done using a regular hair trimmer and this method requires some help because unlike specialized back shavers there is no such thing as a long handle back trimmer that is designed to shave your back. Back trimming works perfectly for men who don’t have very thick hair on their back or those men whose back hairs don’t grow back quickly. Because when you are trimming you leave some length of hairs on your back instead of removing them completely. Trimming is also recommended if you have very sensitive skin that gets irritated from waxing or shaving. You will need an electric trimmer with a wide trimming head because the back is a large area to trim the hairs from. All you have to do is move the trimmer blades without putting the comb on because combs are meant to be used when you want to keep the hair longer, but when trimming your back you would want to get as close of a-trim as possible.

Some trimmers have an adjustable blade that allows you to get an even closer trim but you will still leave some length of hair on your back when using a trimmer.

● The ideal scenario to trim your back

Trimming your back is a two-person job because you can’t do it yourself so you can only trim your back if you have someone to help you out with the process. Since trimmers don’t remove the hair completely they are only suitable to be used in a scenario when your back has a light fur instead of full thick and fast-growing hair. You can also go for trimming if you want a complete risk free and painless method of getting rid of some light hair not to mention it costs next to nothing to remove back hair with a trimmer since almost every man has a trimmer at their home.

● Pros and cons of trimming your back hair

– Pros

1. No cuts: You don’t have to worry about skin irritation or cuts since there are no sharp blades or skin peeling involved.
2. Cheap: Costs next to nothing apart from the cost of the trimmer you might have to buy if you don’t have one already.
3. Quick: Takes only a few minutes to trim a light fur from your back.
4. Painless: Virtually painless and you will barely feel your back being trimmed.

– Cons

1. Not as effectively: You don’t remove hair as effectively as you would when using a razor or getting your back waxed.
2. Does not last long: Hairs grow back quickly within a few days after trimming.
3. Difficult alone: You need a partner to help you with trimming your back hair since it is not possible to do it yourself.

Can you use different hair removal methods at the same time?

Sometimes you might want to combine different back hair removal methods and use them together to prevent hairs from growing back for longer but there are some methods that can be mixed together while others cannot.

● Yes, you can combine Trimming and shaving to remove back hair:

Sometimes men might have a lot of hairs on their back that can cause the razor blades to get clogged or even stuck if the length of back hair is too long. In that case, you can use the trimmer to reduce the number of hairs and reduce the length of hairs before shaving so that they can be easily shaved off without getting stuck into the razor. This also reduces the time it will take to shave your back since with lesser hairs on your back after a trim the process of shaving your back wouldn’t take as long as it would if you started shaving your long back hairs. One thing you need to be careful with though is that some trimmers don’t have stainless steel blades because they are designed for dry trimming so if you shave your back during showers get your partner to trim your back hairs before you get your skin wet to avoid getting rust in your trimmer’s blades.

● No, you can’t combine waxing with trimming or shaving

Shaving and waxing are two different processes when shaving you cut hairs close to the skin leaving the root inside while waxing completely removes the hairs along with the root of the hair preventing hairs from growing back for longer. If you shave when your hairs start growing back instead of getting a wax again this will cause the hairs to look thicker and more visible since shaving doesn’t remove hairs completely and the hairs will grow back with a flat edge making them appear thicker and darker. Moreover since waxing again requires hairs to be at a certain length, if you shave in between waxing sessions it will just leave you waiting until the hairs grow back to a certain length before they can be waxed again.

The most important reason for not shaving your back if you are in between waxing sessions is because when shaving your back you are bound to leave some hair slightly longer than others because you can’t really see your back very clearly and when the hairs grow back they will be uneven in length. This will cause you to get uneven results when you get a wax since waxing can’t work on hairs that are very short while it will remove longer hair leaving you with patches of hair on your back that waxing couldn’t remove.

Why do some men have very hairy backs?

A hairy back is common in men but why is it that some men have a lot more hair on their backs compared to others? The answer to this lies in genetics and hormones. Men produce a hormone called testosterone which is responsible for controlling male features including body hair growth. Some men inherit genes that make them more prone to the effects of testosterone causing them to grow more hairs on their body especially on their backs. The reason why men tend to grow more hair on their back after their 20’s is due to an increase in testosterone production in their bodies as they reach this age.

What are the advantages of removing back hair for men?

No matter which back hair removal method you use to get rid of back hair you are sure to experience the following benefits after you ditch your back hair.

• Reduced body odor: Men tend to sweat a lot in their back region and a hairy back can collect the sweat over time which will eventually become a breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria that thrive in sweat.
• You can apply sunscreen on your back: Back hairs make it difficult to apply sunscreen on your back leaving your back at the mercy of harmful rays of the sun. But with a hair-free back, you can easily apply sunscreen and other protective lotions on your back to keep it well protected when you are out at the beach.
• You won’t get ticks: If you are into hiking and other activities that take you to the great outdoors a lot then having fewer back hairs can help you prevent ticks and other parasitic bugs from hiding in your back hair. Since it isn’t easy to spot a tick when on your back because you can’t look directly at your own back pesky ticks might sneak into your back hair without you knowing.
•  It just looks better: Probably the biggest benefit of a shaved back is a smooth and aesthetically pleasing back. Let’s face it unlike beard or chest hairs, back hairs are not very fashionable and more importantly, ladies prefer men with hairless backs which is the most common reason why men decide to get rid of their back hairs.

Conclusion:

The choice between shaving, waxing or trimming your back hair depends on how much hair you have on your back, whether you have someone to help you out, and how much you want to spend in order to get rid of back hair. Each of the above mentioned back hair removal methods has its ideal usage scenarios that we have mentioned above. We hope that you will be able to pick the ideal back hair removal method for you by comparing the pros and cons of each one.