Should Men Remove Hair From Their Private Parts? An Honest Pros and Cons

Should men remove hair from their private parts? Only if you want to. There is no health reason you have to, and no health reason you shouldn't. Removing it makes hygiene easier, feels cooler in the heat, and many men and their partners simply prefer it. Keeping it costs you nothing. The honest answer is that it is a grooming choice, like a haircut, and the only wrong option is the one you do not actually want.

That is the short version. Here is the longer one, with the reasons for, the reasons against, and a few middle-ground options nobody mentions.

The case for removing it

Hygiene is easier. The groin is warm and it sweats. Hair traps that sweat, heat and odour against the skin. Less hair means less for smell to hang onto and a faster, more thorough clean in the shower. We go into this in why being smooth down there is about hygiene.

It feels cooler and more comfortable. In tight gym shorts, on a hot day, or on a long walk, a lot of men notice the difference straight away. Less chafing, less itch, less of that end-of-day damp feeling.

Sensation. Many men say smooth skin feels more sensitive during intimacy. There is no study to wave at you here. It is a personal thing, and one of the most common reasons men give when we ask.

Confidence. Some men just like how it looks. Some do it because a partner prefers it. Both are legitimate. A shared decision with someone you are intimate with is exactly as valid as doing it purely for yourself.

The case for leaving it alone

It is upkeep. Hair grows back. Depending on the method, you are looking at a repeat every few days to a few weeks. If that sounds like a chore you will resent, that is a real reason to skip it. We cover realistic timelines in how often should you groom down there.

Done badly, it irritates. Razor burn, nicks and ingrown hairs are the price most men pay for shaving the groin. That is a method problem, not a reason never to groom, but it is worth knowing before you start.

You like it as it is. Plenty of clean, confident men keep every hair they have. Body hair is not dirty, and nobody is owed an explanation either way.

Is it unhealthy to remove pubic hair?

Not in itself. Pubic hair offers a small amount of friction protection, and removing it means freshly treated skin can be a little more sensitive for a day or two. That is why the standard advice is to groom a day or two before a big weekend, not the morning of, and to leave the skin alone if it is already irritated. Beyond that, whether you keep it or remove it is not a health decision. If you have a skin condition in the area, ask a pharmacist or GP before trying any hair removal method.

You do not have to go all or nothing

The question "should I remove it?" assumes two options. There are more.

• Trim. Shorter, tidier, no bare skin. Lowest effort, lowest irritation risk, and a good first step if you are not sure.
• Remove some areas, keep others. Plenty of men smooth the scrotum and groin creases for comfort and keep the hair above. There is no rule.
• Remove it all. Fully smooth. More upkeep, but for many men it is the version they actually want.

Start with the smallest change and see how you feel in a week. You can always go further.

If you do decide to remove it, pick the method carefully

This is where most men go wrong. They decide yes, grab the razor they use on their face, and spend the next three days regretting it. The intimate area has thinner skin, coarser hair and more folds than anywhere else, and the method has to respect that.

A razor is fast and cheap but the most likely to leave you with burn, nicks and ingrowns. Wax lasts longest but hurts, especially the first few times. A hair removal cream made for intimate skin sits in the middle: no blade, a few minutes, softer regrowth. We rank all three in the best way to remove pubic hair for men, and if the scrotum is the part worrying you, read can you put hair removal cream on your testicles.

Is it normal for men to do this?

Yes. It is not talked about much, which is a very different thing from being unusual. Gay men and bodybuilders were doing it decades before it went mainstream, and straight men have been catching up fast. We wrote a whole piece on why it still feels like a taboo and why it shouldn't.

Quick answers

Should men remove hair from private parts? It is a personal choice, not a requirement. Remove it for hygiene, comfort or preference; keep it if you prefer it. Neither is healthier.

Is it better for men to shave down there? Shaving is the most common method but also the most irritating on intimate skin. If you want it gone, a cream made for the intimate area or a trim are gentler starting points.

Do most men remove their pubic hair? Many trim or remove at least some of it, but there is no majority that matters. What other men do is not a reason to do or not do anything.

The bottom line

If you have read this far, you probably already want to try it. That is reason enough. Start small, use a method built for the area, patch test the first time, and give your skin a day or two before any big weekend.

Not sure where to begin? Our complete beginner's guide to intimate hair removal for men covers everything. Ready to go? Get Early Access to RAW4MEN, limited to the first 500.