Men's body hair grooming has moved from a niche topic to a mainstream part of personal care over the past decade, with an entire product category (trimmers, aftercare, dedicated below-the-belt tools) built around it. Here's an honest look at what's actually driving this and what matters if you're building your own routine.
Why Grooming Became More Mainstream
Increased comfort discussing personal grooming openly, more visible marketing from dedicated brands (Manscaped being a notable example), and broader shifts in what's considered normal self-care have all contributed to body hair grooming becoming a more openly discussed and product-supported category than it was a generation ago.
There's No Single "Right" Amount
Despite marketing that sometimes implies a specific standard, body hair grooming — how much, where, and how often — is a genuinely personal preference with no inherently correct answer. Partner preference, comfort, athletic considerations (some athletes groom for practical reasons related to their sport), and simple personal preference are all legitimate reasons, and none is more valid than choosing not to groom at all.
Common Areas Men Choose to Groom
Chest: Ranges from full removal to trimming to a shorter, more maintained length, often for aesthetic preference.
Back: Frequently groomed for practical reasons (difficult to reach and maintain on one's own, sometimes addressed with a partner's help or a specialized long-reach trimmer).
Below the belt: One of the more commonly discussed areas in recent grooming marketing, often approached with the specific safety considerations covered in our manscaping tools guide.
Facial hair edges and neckline: A more traditional grooming area, though increasingly done with the same intentionality and dedicated tools as body hair grooming.
Trimming vs Full Removal
Trimming to a shorter, maintained length is generally lower-risk and lower-maintenance than full removal via shaving or waxing, since it doesn't involve blade-to-skin contact at the same level or introduce the ingrown hair risk of complete removal. For most first-time groomers, starting with trimming rather than jumping to full removal is a reasonable, lower-commitment starting point.
IPL and Laser for Men
As covered in our IPL for men guide, light-based hair removal works identically for men as anyone else, and is increasingly used by men wanting longer-term reduction rather than ongoing trimming or shaving maintenance — particularly for larger areas like the chest and back where ongoing manual maintenance is more time-consuming.
Building a Routine Without Overcomplicating It
A reasonable starting men's grooming routine doesn't need to be elaborate: a quality trimmer with appropriate guide combs for your target areas, a basic aftercare product (fragrance-free moisturizer, or a dedicated ingrown-hair treatment if that's a recurring issue for you), and a realistic maintenance schedule based on how quickly your specific hair regrows.
What Actually Matters More Than Trend-Following
Rather than following a specific trend or standard, the more useful question is: what level of grooming, if any, do you personally find comfortable and worth the maintenance time involved? Grooming purely to match a marketed standard, rather than genuine personal preference, is a less sustainable long-term approach than a routine you've chosen because it actually suits you.
Bottom Line
Men's body hair grooming has genuinely become more mainstream and better supported by dedicated products, but there's no universal standard for how much or where to groom — it's a personal preference matter. Start with trimming (lower-risk than full removal) if you're new to grooming, and consider IPL or laser for larger areas if you're interested in longer-term reduction over ongoing manual maintenance.