IN THE
SPOTLIGHT
Smooth Operator
More men are waxing down there, and it’s not nearly as painful or embarrasing as you might think. b y E D U A R D O G E V E N E Z
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ix years ago, Eric Dias walked into a small establishment in Yaletown, Vancouver, and was instructed to remove his pants and lie down with his knees bent and legs apart. “This woman I had never met before was staring at my private parts with such disinterest,” he says. “Just a regular day in the office for her.” Strange as it might sound, Dias’s story is becoming more and more common for many men in Vancouver. In
46 unspoken
MAY 2022
1994, the term metrosexual emerged to describe men who, despite a sexist culture, began to embrace aesthetics that were once exclusively the domain of women—think facials, manicures and spa days. But guys are not just buying more face creams and moisturizing shampoos. As the world opens up again, they’re also sticking to treatments that not too long ago were still considered taboo. And the Manzilian wax is one of them.
Not surprisingly, the name is inspired by the traditional Brazilian wax, a method of hair removal that became popular for women in the late ’80s, and is widely known for leaving the intimate area as hairless as a Barbie doll. The Manzilian is just for the guys, and it also involves complete removal of hair surrounding the upper thighs, pubic mound, genitalia and anal region. If you’ve read this far and the idea of getting hair
stripped from your private parts doesn’t scare you, you might be wondering: how painful is it? According to 33-year-old Dias, the pain is minimal. “I was expecting to feel as if I was being tortured, but the process was faster than I expected,” he says. “It only hurt while it was happening. I felt no pain after the strip came off.” Eric has been waxing for more than six years, and decided to stick with it for aesthetic and comfort reasons. “I’ve always felt self-conscious about the amount of hair I had, so waxing helped me feel cleaner, more comfortable and confident.” If you’re reading this with an eyebrow raised, think again: you might discover you’re the only kiwi fruit in a bunch of bananas. “My clients were all women, but now 40 percent of them are men,” says Jacqueline Bao, a self-employed esthetician in Vancouver. “Men have realized that the benefits of waxing, such as improved hygiene and disease prevention, are more important than the judgement of others.” Regardless of what you decide, it’s important to know that the excess hair should not be something to be embarrassed about—and waxing doesn’t make you less of a man just because you are taking care of yourself. And for first-timers, Bao offers a few final words of advice. “Do not shave, come with an open mind and relax,” she smiles reassuringly. “For many men, it is more the anticipation than pain. But I’ve never had a client that did not return.” n
PHOTO: LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/ADOBE STOCK
