While we may have had this much hair in our earlier caveman days, modern humans sprout nowhere near this much body hair and, as such, it is not an effective tool for keeping us warm. Consequently, shaving it all off won't have a noticeable effect on our overall temperature.
You'll Sweat Less
Sweat exists to help cool the body down. With less hair covering your skin your body is better able to regulate body temperature. This means that you won't need to sweat as much to release heat from your body, making you feel cooler and dryer, especially in the summer.
The body hair is advantageous in cold environments, but the hair provides additional insulation to the body and impedes heat removal during heat stress. The thermal conductivity of the body surface for most mammals is reduced by fur.
Technically, the answer is no — shaving your armpits doesn't directly make you sweat less. Here's why. Your armpit hair has nothing to do with the reason(s) you're sweating. Sweating occurs when your internal body temperature climbs too high, or when you're nervous, stressed or anxious.
A close shave with a razor and shave prep also helps clear dead skin cells and wash away bacteria, dirt and debris. Think about it this way, every time you shave, you're also giving your face an exfoliating massage.
Shaving can cause inflamed hair follicles, itching, ingrown hairs and razor burn. Results only last 1 to 3 days. Dull blades can cause irritation and cuts.
The benefits of a clean shave are as follows: It can help remove dead skin cells (often the cause acne and bad skin) It often makes you appear younger. It will compliment a formal appearance.
Your armpit does not have an even skin surface. It's extremely tricky to maneuvre a sharp razor on that uneven surface, and more often than not, you will end up with a cut or two. The skin there is also extremely sensitive apart from being uneven, so a bloody mess isn't a possibility you can rule out.
In another study, the axillary odor of shaved armpits was rated as significantly less intense and more pleasant than the odor of unshaved armpits.
Shaving Boosts Safety + Injury Recovery
Runners and cyclists typically shave because tight shorts plus body hair can mean painful tugs at the worst moments. Rock climbers and contact sport athletes also benefit from body hair removal, which can snag while active and tear the skin.
Research has shown that men who keep their pubic hair have a lower chance of getting warts. This is because pubic hair acts as a shield to reduce skin contact between people during intercourse. Getting rid of pubic hair is different from going to the barber for a haircut.
Shaving your armpits can help you to feel more confident in your appearance, particularly in the summer when you want to feel comfortable wearing short sleeved or sleeveless tops. It can also be helpful in supporting athletic performance, because having a lot of armpit hair can cause chafing and rashes.
Pubic hair holds on to residual urine, vaginal discharge, blood and semen. Bacteria line up all along the hair shaft just lunching it up and creating odor. (Very appetizing, I know.) Trimming your pubic hair reduces that surface area for bacteria, thus reducing odor.
The bacteria on your skin breaks down the sweat, which creates the unpleasant smell. The bottom line is this: shaving armpits and body hair leads to fewer bacteria and less smell.
The research shows that body hair by itself is not a cause of bad body odor. But everyone is unique. Some guys report smelling better after their shave their armpits, body hair, or pubes.
Most men can at least skip a day or two between shaving sessions, but you can always take more time as you'd like. According to our study, 60% of men shave their armpits weekly or every other week.
Of the 4,044 men surveyed, 68 percent said they trim their armpit hair; 52 percent said they do it for aesthetics, and 16 percent said they do it for athletic reasons. (About 1 in 10 guys surveyed said they never trim their armpit hair.)
Most interesting of all is that females have a slight preference for shaved armpits over hairy ones, despite the evidence that strongly suggests hairy pits specifically evolved to make people smell more attractive.
It is unusual for CEOs of major financial institutions to embrace facial hair. Richard Parsons, former CEO of Citigroup (NYSE:C) would be a rare exception to the rule. Beards are generally more popular among a younger set of CEOs.
It's possible that the skin is a better environment for bacteria and removing hair actually encourages bacterial growth, while leaving it alone safely keeps the bacteria away. So, when hair is removed, all the sweat and bacteria will still be there, just directly on the skin and clothes.
Women may find cleaned shaved men more approachable as a man with a clean shave looks younger and less aggressive than a guy with a full beard style. Beard is good, but a clean shave gives man a more well-groomed look. It gives you a look of sophistication, according to some women.