Case in point: When Australian researchers surveyed women about their body hair preferences on men, they found that women deemed men with "light" body hair—or guys with just a little bit of hair around their chest and belly button—as more attractive than guys with lots of body hair.
But women appreciate body hair on a guy's arms and legs, and even some on his chest if it's not super thick or like a carpet. Ultimately, it seems that the area in which you have body hair doesn't matter nearly as much as what that body hair looks and feels like.
In rural communities, women are a lot more in favor of pubic hair than ladies in urban and suburban areas. Keep in mind that a clear majority of rural females still prefer grooming, but it's a smaller majority. Similarly, urban women like guys who are completely shaved more than the other groups.
According to AsapSCIENCE, on average, women find hairy men more attractive partners. This harks back to primal instincts apparently, as hair is the product of testosterone – which is a signifier of strength, energy, confidence and sex drive.
A: One study confirmed that women do find a hairless or nearly-hairless body as more attractive, but considered both hair reduction and retention as socially acceptable. Additionally, they found that men are aware that women prefer hairless men and don't think their bodies are ideal in this respect.
So, to put things into perspective, we asked over 100 women: Hair or no hair? The results may surprise you. Out of the 105 women, 78 said they dig it (73%), while 28 (27%) would prefer a hairless man. However, even though the overwhelming majority likes a little hair, moderation was a common theme.
Male pubic hair is currently less "full bush" and more "clean-cut," which is the current trend. As a result, not all men should completely shave off their pubic hair because doing so can cause excruciating discomfort and even unpleasant skin conditions like razor burn or ingrown hairs.
Researchers have found that a majority of women really do prefer a man with a smooth chest. Researchers compared the attractiveness of men before and after shaving their chest,and found only 20 percent of women preferred the more hirsute version,the Daily Mail reported.
Body hair exacerbates the unpleasant aroma in a couple ways. First, it provides extra surface area for bacteria to cling to, creating more opportunities for a nasty stench to develop. Second, it absorbs the foul odor, allowing the smell to stick around long after it should have packed it in and gone home.
Like so many things, it comes down to a mixture of genetics and hormones. We know that at least some of the genes for hairiness are carried on the X chromosome – and the way these genes are expressed varies between different men and ethnic groups – but hairiness also correlates with high testosterone levels.
Nearly 30 percent of women like “a man who trims leg hair down,” and 22 percent “love a man with clean shaven legs.” That means more than half of the women responding like it when a guy does a little legscaping.
Pubic Hair Trends
According to the researchers, when asked if they removed their pubic hair, 80% of women and 39% of men removed their pubic hair near the time of the survey. Also, 3% of women and 21% of men had never removed their pubic hair.
53% of women surveyed who are casually dating said that men should at least give their chest a simple trim, so it doesn't look like a carpet. 47% of women surveyed agreed that they like chest hair on men, and it gives them a masculine appearance.
Is body hair a sign of high testosterone? Testosterone can cause hair growth but it's not always a sign of high testosterone levels. Testosterone and oestrogen are sex hormones, and they help determine how your hair grows. This means not only where, but also the texture, thickness and colour of that hair.
As with shaving any part of your body, shaving your armpits also opens up the possibility of getting razor burn, ingrown hairs and irritation, and the underarm area is definitely one of the more uncomfortable areas to experience this in.
The individual occurrence and characteristics of chest hair depend on the genetic disposition, the hormonal status and the age of the person. The genes primarily determine the amount, patterns and thickness of chest hair. Some men are very hairy, while others have no chest hair at all.
Men typically have more 'corynebacteria' – the smelly bacteria, in their armpits than women do. Why? Men have thicker skin in their armpits and sweat more fatty substances, which is the perfect recipe for corynebacteria to breed.
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.
The main role of pubic hair is to reduce friction during sex and other forms of exercise, protecting the delicate skin around the genital area. Just like eyelashes and nose hair, pubic hair helps prevent the transmission of bacteria, trapping any dirt, debris, and microorganisms that could be harmful to the body.
If you're getting around a bit, you'll inevitably come across a woman who says shave it or miss out. Unfortunately, you'll be pleasing that minority while losing favor with the majority. It turns out that a third of women in the survey like chest hair. They think it's manly, and they want a little fuzz on their dudes.
Muscularity is sexy.
In a separate study, women reported that their short-term sexual partners were more muscular than their other partners. The researchers suggest women have fewer requirements for muscular men.
Here's a good—if not obvious—rule of thumb: Depending on the extent you trim your chest, your stomach should be shorn to at least the same level, probably even shorter. It's a visual thing, really. As for below the belly button, don't hesitate to simply pick up a trimmer and go to town.
Women's current preferences for men's pubic hair
Another survey of 300 women found 64 percent preferred their guys trimmed, 16 percent preferred a clean-shaven man and 20 percent found the natural look best.
The completely shaved look is popular with 38% of Americans. Men (50%) are nearly twice as likely as women (27%) to say they like this style. About two in five women (38%) say they dislike this style. The natural look, where a woman doesn't remove any of her pubic hair, is liked by 36%.
Pubic area
We'd recommend any length between 1 and 3mm for everything except the balls. This will leave you feeling clean and fresh without causing ingrown hairs, itchy stubble or razor burn. If you like your sack as smooth as silk, again, don't shave. Trim as close as possible.