Men have long been practicing manscaping. The reasons for manscaping and methods to achieve it vary from man to man. Some go for it to groom up their bodies, some for medical reasons, and some just to satisfy their tattoo cravings. But, besides opting for it, every man must wonder if he should shave his legs. If you are in the same boat, we have covered you in this comprehensive article.
In it, we will walk you through everything you need to know about men’s leg shaving. From why you should do it to the pros and cons, different shaving methods, do’s and don’ts, and more. We will also highlight the best products for men’s hair removal. So, without any further ado, let’s just dive in to begin exploring the awaiting herd of manscaping information!
A Glimpse into the Tradition of Leg Shaving
Manscaping finds its roots thousands of years back. Primarily, Egyptian men used to remove all of their body hairs, as they would serve as means for the enemy to grab onto during battles. But that was not the only reason; men's leg shaving was also done as a status symbol.
However, the primitive forms of all these modern hair removal products were made in Egyptian times. From treatments for removing entire body hair to experimenting with multiple wax forms, like a mix-up of sugar and beeswax, Egyptians first practiced everything.
Why Should a Man Shave His Legs: The Benefits of Leg Shaving for Men?
Want to shave your legs but don't have a convincing reason to grab a razor and begin the process? You do have one; you just need to explore it! Dive into the section below to learn about the potential benefits and tempting reasons for getting manscaped.
For Better Performance in Sports
Several men shave their legs for sports mainly to avoid resistance during the movement. For instance, swimmers will go for it for reducing drag, runners will notice significant speed improvement with hairless limbs, and cyclists will observe swift wound healing. How can we forget about the Rugby players who make themselves hard to tackle with full-body manscaping?
Sex is a Motivation
With manscaping, you can improve your sex life to a great extent, as most of the women out there love men without leg hair. With manscaping, you can improve your overall appearance, defining your body well. However, as leg shaving falls under the umbrella of male grooming, sex is one of the main motivations for it.
For Showing Off Tattoos
Leg tattoos have now become a universal accessory for men. From those smaller creations below the knees to those huge tattoo drawings covering the entire leg, everything is in-trend. You can better show off your tattoos with clean-shaven legs, increasing their visibility and making your artwork stand out.
Improve Your Muscle Definition
With well-shaved hair, you can also show off your well-worked leg muscles that might go unnoticed; otherwise. Most bodybuilders and male models implement this technique. However, shave your legs to exude bold vibes if you plan to go on a beach holiday. Additionally, you can conveniently apply sunscreen on clean-shaven legs.
Just for Feeling Good
When something makes you feel good, finding a reason to go for it is no longer necessary. A significant percentage of men who shave their legs do this just because shaving your legs feels good, as it offers an escape from that messy clusters of hair, giving a clean and tidy appearance.
What Do Women Think of Shaved Legs?
To be honest, where most women admire men with trimmed or removed leg hair, a significant count of them find men’s leg shaving a bit eww. Though you can rely on several studies, you will surely end up confused. Some studies' results favor man’s leg shaving; conversely, some oppose it.
Still, to satisfy your instincts to have a look at what women will think of, we have gathered some results of studies. According to a Women’s Health Magazine survey, 56% of women like men with their natural leg hair and advise men not to do anything with their leg hair Another study reveals around 28% of women like men who trim their leg hair, and 22% of women drool over men with clean-shaved legs.
By the end, it’s always better to either ask or try it once and see the reaction of your loved one, exploring if it’s a big hit or a miss. Best of luck, buddies!
Pros and Cons of Leg Shaving
Wait, are you still confused about whether it's worth considering a move? No worries; we have listed some notable pros and cons of leg shaving for you. Just weigh them down according to your personal priorities and decide for yourself.
Pros of Leg Shaving
Are above mentioned reasons not enough to tempt you to shave your legs? The belowmentioned pros will surely help you do so; hop on below to have a look at them!
Health Issues – Certain health issues require the removal of leg hair, especially if you need to go through leg surgery. For instance, the most common treatment for the diagnosis of heart disease, Angiography, if done via legs, needs the target area to be pre-shaved.
Getting a Tattoo – Besides showing off your pre-existing tattoos, shaving is also done prior to getting tattoos. It's because hair hinders the needle's penetration into the required skin layer. Moreover, it's also essential for ensuring a clean finish and preventing infections. It also makes the tattooing process quite difficult.
Skincare and Wound Healing – Leg hair removal boosts the natural healing process, owing to the easier access of ointments to the wound. Moreover, shaving hair before bandage application can help you escape that painful sensation of removing adhesives from the skin.
Cons of Leg Shaving
Let’s now have a look at the potential cons of manscaping!
Time-Consuming – Whether you shave your legs or get them shaved from a parlor, the entire process is pretty time-consuming and demands loads of effort. Moreover, once you have shaved your legs, you will have to consider maintenance too. If left unchecked, those tiny regrowing hair can develop into uncomfortable initial regrowths that are hard to rub.
Painful – Have you opted for shaving your leg because waxing would be more painful? You will get fed up with leg shaving, too, as ingrown hair on the backside and inner thigh is much more painful. To reduce the pain, you can rely on premium quality razors, as with old ones,
you will surely end up screaming with infected cuts.
Itchy New Grown Hairs – Are you tired of leg shaving on the first try and want to regrow your leg hair? Be prepared to deal with an uncanny itching experience, as, once the tip of newly growing hair presses into the skin, our immune system finds it an intruder, fighting it off. This battle results in inflammation that, in turn, causes itching, swelling, redness, and sometimes even pain.
Expensive – No doubt, the time of regrowth varies from man to man, but generally, leg hair can regrow within one to two days. You will have to reshave often to keep up that cleanshaven look, and as mentioned earlier, getting a new razor is a must. So, it can be an overall expensive experience, restocking razors and getting gels and creams for maintenance.
Not All Women Like It – You read it right! After going through the painstaking process, it's still unclear if you will succeed in impressing your loved done. Most women don't like men with shaved legs, maybe because they aren’t impressed by men with smoother legs than theirs, or they fund it weird. However, if you have a partner, it's always best to ask them before making any move.
How Can Men Shave Their Legs?
Have you decided to shave your legs and wondered which method to opt for? You can use any hair removal method, from waxing and shaving to laser hair removal. But most men skip waxing because it is too painful, and laser hair removal is too expensive. So, they are left with the option of shaving.
But that doesn't mean grabbing a razor and rushing into the bathroom to get those messy hairs off your legs; you should follow a specific procedure, avoid shaving mistakes, and be cautious yet patient throughout the process. Does it seem daunting? No worries, most men find it difficult to shave their legs initially, but they get used to it over time.
Your first experience can be so tiring if you are removing hair yourself. You will surely mystify how big your legs are, want to leave the process in between, and then just look at half cleanshaven, have messy hair-covered legs, and get onto the track again. It will be fun, though, and the results will pay off your hard work, relieving your tiredness in a matter of a few stunning looks with those well-defined leg muscles and tattoos.
So, let's delve into the step-by-step guide to know the cores of leg shaving and ensure you are making the most of your time and effort.
A Step-by-Step Guide on Shaving Legs
Below, we have compiled a detailed leg-shaving guide. Before hopping onto it, ensure to stock up on a few products. These include a new razor, body scrub, trimmer, shaving cream, and after-shave balm. Let’s not give the complete process a quick read!
Step 1: Soften Your Legs
Get a hot shower before grabbing the razor; warm water will make your skin softer, making it easier for the razor to move over. Moreover, steam will open your pores, cleansing your skin and removing the excess dirt accumulation. All this contributes to making the shaving process smooth and comfortable.
Step
2: Exfoliate
Get your fav body scrub and exfoliate your legs. This will remove all those dead skin cells and remaining dirt and debris accumulations. You can also prevent ingrown hairs with exfoliation. Ingrown hairs are strands that grow back into your skin after waxing or shaving. These can be painful and itchy, so preventing them is a must.
Squeeze out a considerable amount of body scrub, apply it to your legs, and work through it. Be gentle with the application, don't go wild, as you might end up with irritated skin.
Step 3: Trimming Hairs
When shaving legs for the first time or after a long time, you must have long tangly hairs grown on your leg. So, besides applying shaving cream, just pick a trimmer and begin to trim long hair. This will ensure no hindrances when moving the razor through the hair.
If your main concern was to improve your hair-leg appearance, you could skip to the last step. However, if you want them clean-shaven, stick to the guide.
Step 4: Prepare Your Razor
Ensure your razor is of premium quality. We recommend getting a manual razor with five blades, as it offers minimal chances of cuts. You can work with new blades and keep the replacements by your side, as you might need one if your original blades get dull during the process. Please don’t use the same razor that you use on your face.
Step 5: Work with the Shaving Cream
Ensure your legs are clean and wet before application of shaving cream. You can use the one you normally use for shaving your face. This cream will protect against cuts and nicks from razors and soften the hair.
Tip: If you want a smooth shaving experience without cuts and irritation, use an exfoliator before the process and after-shave cream or moisturizer by the end.
Step 6: Begin Shaving
Now, you can grab your razor, scream Get, Set, Go, and shave your legs. Shave in the direction of your hair for convenient hair removal. Maintain a balance with your razor; neither press too hard nor too gently.
Step 7: Wrap Up
Wrap up the session by rinsing with warm water and washing off excess shaving cream. Lastly, give your legs a much-needed boost of hydration with the after-shave or moisturizer Ensure to gently dry your leg with a towel before applying moisturizer. That’s it! You can now enjoy hair-free legs!
What Are the Best Hair Removal for Men Products?
Never use any skincare product without doing thorough research about it. Go through customer reviews and usage guides before trying it yourself. You can skip all the hassle by getting professional skincare or hair removal treatments, but if you do it yourself, there's no rocket science behind it. Just focus on getting the right product and following the right procedure, and you are done!