Less body odor When you remove hair under the armpits, it reduces trapped odor. A 2016 study involving men found that removing armpit hair by shaving significantly reduced axillary odor for the following 24 hours.
By the end of the study, researchers concluded that men who removed their armpit hair by waxing it off or shaving it with a razor had the least body odor. Those who simply trimmed their armpit hair had the next smelliest, with the strongest armpit odors coming from those who left their pit hair untamed.
In another study, the axillary odor of shaved armpits was rated as significantly less intense and more pleasant than the odor of unshaved armpits. It should be noted that nontrained assessors rated odor samples collected using cotton pads worn in the underarms for 24 h preassessment.
The research shows that body hair by itself is not a cause of bad body odor. But everyone is unique. Some guys report smelling better after their shave their armpits, body hair, or pubes. They feel that it makes them sweat less and smell better.
Regardless of how manscaped you are — or how much cologne you try and disguise it with — hair-producing areas like your armpits and your groin are particularly prone to these smells because they're home to large populations of apocrine sweat glands.
For those that like the feel of smooth, hairless arms, shaving will be beneficial. Because hair holds onto moisture, shaving your armpits may result in less sweating, or at least less noticeable sweating (sweat rings on your shirt sleeves, for example). Shaving may also cut down on the odor associated with sweat.
Keeping your underarm hair is not unhygienic and will not make you sweat more. In fact, some theories say that underarm hair actually helps pull moisture and odor-causing bacteria away from the skin, keeping you fresher.
According to a study published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, not shaving your armpits has little to no effect on body odor. As long as you're still regularly showering and using deodorant you should expect to smell the same as you always do.
"The hair traps the smell," Michael Cackovic, M.D., an ob/gyn at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF. "What you can smell is bacteria mixing with the sweat and oil." But Rowen says that as long as you have good hygiene in general, your pubic hair isn't any worse off than the hair on your head.
Safe Against The Bumps
The skin covering your armpits is loose, wrinkly, and well, just isn't conducive to shaving. Also, if you have been shaving regularly, you may have developed some bumps under your arms, which greatly increases the chances of a cut.
Studies have found the difference in the smell of regularly shaven pits compared to hairy ones is minimal at best. That's because our sweat is actually odourless and it's the bacteria it comes into contact with that causes a nasty smell.
"It's safe to shave your legs, bikini area, and armpits every day if necessary," says Francesca Fusco, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist. "It's not unhealthy, it just needs to be done properly." So, in short: It comes down to your personal preference and the routine you like to keep.
Answer From Mary Marnach, M.D. There's no medical or hygienic reason for removing some or all of your pubic hair. But the removal process can be painful and cause many side effects, including: Genital itching, sometimes severe.
By having less hair under your armpit (or none at all), there's less room for sweat-based bacteria to multiply. Crucially, this means a fresher post-gym grooming routine and less questionable smells once you're back at your desk.
Removing pubic hair may therefore make a person more susceptible to common infections, such as UTIs, vaginitis, and yeast infections. Hair removal can also irritate your skin, leading to skin infections such as cellulitis and folliculitis. In other cases, grooming-related injuries, such as cuts, could become infected.
To keep the pubic area smooth and hairless, you'll need to shave regularly, even daily.
With the introduction of the bikini in 1946, the stage was set for women to start trimming pubic hair as well. In the 1950s, Hugh Hefner's Playboy magazine introduced clean-shaven, scantily-clad model—sexy, lingerie-draped women who became benchmarks for the ideal look.
Culturally, the Chinese consider it bad luck to alter their physical appearance in any way. Women in the U.S. have been on quite a roller coaster ride when it comes to their armpit hair, or lack thereof, over the past century.
How long will the results last? Your results should last around 3 weeks, depending on how fast your hair grows. If you keep up with a regular waxing schedule, you might find that the pain decreases and hair grows back slower and thinner.
Less body odor
When you remove hair under the armpits, it reduces trapped odor. A 2016 study involving men found that removing armpit hair by shaving significantly reduced axillary odor for the following 24 hours. Similar results were first found in a 1953 paper .
To recap: Should guys shave their armpit hair? Ultimately, it's up to you. There's no real harm in shaving your armpits. If you decide to go hairless under your armpits, just be sure to pick up the right grooming products for the job!
In the 1920s, the new fashion for sleeveless tops and short dresses meant that the legs and armpits of American women were now visible in social situations, and advertisers seized the opportunity to encourage women to shave their legs and their armpits.
No — shaving hair doesn't change its thickness, color or rate of growth. Shaving facial or body hair gives the hair a blunt tip. The tip might feel coarse or "stubbly" for a time as it grows out. During this phase, the hair might be more noticeable and perhaps appear darker or thicker.
Body hair can interfere with that look because it makes muscles less defined. However, bodybuilders find that shaving helps veins, muscle striations, and muscle groups pop up more.
Pubic hair removal is common — approximately 80 percent of women ages 18 to 65 report they remove some or all of their pubic hair.