Manscaping: What Male Models Need to Know

In the dating world, there certainly is debate as to whether body hair on a man is sexy or not. In the modeling world, however, it's a different ball game. Fellas, if you're interested in getting into modeling but are concerned about the amount of body hair you have, there are options.

First, let me say that you don't necessarily have to be completely shaved in order to make it as a male model (unless you've got crazy body hair on your back and shoulders...in such a situation, yeah, take all of that off!).

The chest is the one area where I believe all male models should be well groomed. Got hairy arms and legs? You can leave those areas alone for now--submit your snapshots or attend open casting calls and find out if the agencies think you should change it. If not, you'll be in the clear. Actually, if you'd rather get feedback about your body hair situation overall before going down the manscaping route, that's totally fine, too.

But if your body hair really bothers you and you feel manscaping would give you a better shot at gaining agency interest (or if you're a freelance male model that thinks the cleaner look would get you more work), then have at it.

Again, you don't have to take all of the hair off if you don't want to. If you have a lot of chest hair, then you'll want to trim it down and get it looking nice. Below is a great example of how you can minimize chest hair without looking like you haven't hit puberty yet (lol):

I'm sure you've seen plenty of photos and advertisements where male models have some hair on their chest and even a "happy trail." What matters when it comes to body hair and male modeling is the amount and how it appears. Before reaching for that razor though, you may want to read on to find out what this "manscaping" business is all about and what to expect.

It. Will. Itch. Like. Crazy.

Never shaved an area of your body before? As any woman will tell you, including myself, after shaving, that area is going to itch! First timers may find this itchiness unbearable but this part of the process is totally normal. But you don't want to mess your skin up while trying to find relief. Instead of scratching the area raw, apply a soothing lotion or cream. That usually does the trick.

After getting used to shaving, the itchiness won't be as severe--you'll get used to it.

Choose the Right Shaving Tool

Have you decided you want to completely remove the hair but have never been a fan of razors? Then don't use one. Men have tons of amazing electric shaving devices to use, both in and out of the shower. It is important to take your skin type into account and how it reacts to certain things.

Don't have an electric shaver yet? Get one! Already have one but never used the attachments? It's time to learn! Depending on your hair type, you might have to also incorporate the use of trimming scissors or a comb to get the results you want.

All skin types can benefit from removing body hair in the shower by using a waterproof electric shaver, especially men with dry and sensitive skin. Don't forget to use a quality shaving cream or body wash to help prep the skin for the act of shaving...but only use this type of product if it works with your electric shaver. Needless to say, if you're using a good ole razor, you'll definitely want to use shaving cream.

To be on the safe side, first timers should do a test patch and wait 24 hours to see if there is a negative skin reaction. If not, then it's safe to say you'll be okay with removing the hair from the rest of the area.

Want to simply trim the hair down and shape it? An electric shaver with the right trimmer attachment should do the trick. Experiment with the different settings or attachments you have until you get the results you want. Manscaping via trimming can be done outside of the shower. This will make it much easier to see what you're doing. Of course it takes practice so don't expect to get it right the first time.

Check Your Progress

When trimming outside of the shower, perform this task in front of a mirror with good lighting. Stop every so often and check out your work in the mirror. This will help you see if everything is even or if there are any spots you've missed.

Take Care of Your Skin

Even though the skin on your face is more sensitive than the skin on the rest of your body, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be given some TLC once you start manscaping. Healthy skin is model skin and even male models have to learn how to take care of themselves properly in this aspect.

Once you've started manscaping, make sure to keep the area well hydrated and moisturized using a quality lotion that works for your skin type. If possible, avoid "dry shaving" since it usually leads to upset and inflamed skin.

Suffer from pesky ingrown hairs? Exfoliating in the shower using a body scrub before shaving or trimming will bring those ingrown hairs to the surface and give you much smoother results.

In case I wasn't very clear about the matter: trimming should be done outside of the shower on dry skin. Shaving (removing all the hair) should be done in the shower when the skin is wet. Avoid "dry shaving" since it tends to cause skin irritation.

Got signed to an agency without having to manscape? Kudos! But be aware that there is always the possibility that a client may request that you shave or trim your body hair for certain projects or shoots.