Maintaining and grooming hair has never been an uphill task for men. Or has it? If it’s the hair on your head or your facial hair, you simply visit your barber and get it cut and styled in whichever way you choose. Not too much fuss about it.

When it comes to your pubic hair, it’s a different ball game (pun intended).

The term “manscaping” has become tremendously popular in men’s lifestyle circles. After all, nobody wants to resemble Wolverine (unless you’re cast in the role itself). Men worldwide now spend as much time or even more manscaping as women spend on their eyebrows and makeup.

The benefits that come with manscaping are diverse. The fundamental reasons most men do it are:

• Stay cleaner
• Remain confident
• Feel sexier
• To inspect their body for irregularities

An added bonus is that manscaping shows off your muscle definition if you spend a considerable amount of time in the gym. 

Despite the good things about manscaping, it does come with a couple of health risks. The biggest concerns include skin irritation, infections, and ingrown hairs. These are caused by the use of inappropriate tools and improper shaving techniques.

So, how can you steer clear of these concerns and manscape seamlessly?

While there are many methods you can choose to trim your armpit, nose, chest, and pubic hair, one thing is of the essence; shave with extreme care.

It’s rather obvious but worth a mention. Shave slowly as you don’t want to be careless with your scissors or razor. The skin down under is one of the most sensitive areas and there’s not much protecting it from the blade.

The most essential tip is to be smart with your choice of shaving tool. Many people first elect to go with a razor. However, razors may not be the best option. Many blades will clog up, meaning you’ll have to go harder on the skin. The outcome is not that desirable.

There are alternatives to a razor. Here’s a rundown:

There are several options you may opt for when shaving your body hair. You’re spoilt for choice.

Some of these methods are straightforward, and you can do them yourself at home. Others, however, are a bit technical and might require the services of a professional.

As you might have already noted, the manscaping method you choose depends on the area you want to shave and the amount of hair you want to cut down.

If you’re sporting a bush in the area you want to shave, it’s essential to trim the hair first. Trimming is beneficial if you have a beard. You know how painful and agonising it is trying to shave it off if you’ve not trimmed it first. 

Regardless of the manscaping method, you’re going for, ensure that you reduce your body hair to manageable levels. Trimming makes the process much easier.

Use a trimmer or a pair of grooming scissors to go as low as possible in the area you’ve chosen to shave. If you’re going for waxing, leave about 1cm of hair as the strips will need something to attach to.

After trimming, it’s essential that you have a hot shower. Why? A hot shower will help open the hair pores and soften the remaining hair. 

If you don’t want to shave everything, ensure the hair is completely dry before you start shaving. Hair tends to expand and relax when wet, then return to its regular length after drying.

Shaving when it’s wet is the preferred way, take your trimmer into the shower with you and begin once the hair and your balls are clean and warm.

Once you’re ready to start shaving, apply a generous amount of shaving cream to add a layer of protection between your skin and the shaver. You might want to pick shaving gel over cream so that you can see the area you’re shaving.

The area under your belt is one of the most fragile and delicate spots in your body. It takes patience and flexibility.

Ensure you have a mirror in the shower with you as well as good lighting so you can see every single part of your balls and pubic area.

When you start groin trimming, ensure you’re relaxed and give yourself enough time. Rushing through it will leave you frustrated. Pull the skin tight, especially when handling the sacks. Remember that the skin there is much thinner and looser. You want to make sure that you have total control when it comes to the area down under. 

Loose skin can make the balls trimmer or razor catch the skin. Of course, you don’t want accidents to happen, even to your worst enemies. That’s why it’s essential to pull the skin taut when shaving.

When picking the most appropriate tools for shaving your balls, pick a body trimmer over a razor. They are much safer and considerably reduce the chances of suffering cuts, skin irritation, and ingrown hairs.

You can look for a clipper that’s specifically designed for handling delicate areas. Go for one that’s gentle enough and has length settings, so you don’t have to shave the hair to skin level if you don’t want to.

If you’re shaving completely, then you should stay prepared for stubble, and it comes fast. Hair starts to grow back in as little as 3 days. 

When shaving for a particular event, such as a bodybuilding competition or a pool party, the rule of thumb is to shave a day before the event. Allowing for the extra day will help reduce the chances of stubble growing back and avoid skin irritation.

You can also shave consistently every few days just to remain on the safe side.
Sometimes, after shaving you could experience itchy skin and might feel quite uncomfortable while the hair is growing back. To counter this issue, apply hair conditioner on your skin right after manscaping.

Hair conditioners contain silicone that forms a nice layer on your hair. Silicone stops the scalp from becoming itchy as the hair grows back. You can apply the same one you use on your head. 

However, if you’ll be applying consistently, find a quality product that’s not going to block the pores.

Remember that ingrown hairs are a reality when it comes to stubble. Body hair tends to be coarser than that on our heads, so you have to prevent them from appearing and causing skin irritation.

Applying a hair conditioner should be enough to prevent ingrown hair. However, in some cases, you may have to get a specific ingrown hairs treatment. 

While you might take all the necessary precautions, the reality is that cuts are part and parcel of shaving. Therefore, it’s only wise to be prepared and have first aid close.

When shaving your balls, the basic rule is if you see any blood, stop shaving immediately. Then, give the area about two days before you attempt shaving again.
If the cut is big and there’s a lot of blood, first apply a little pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding and wash with soap and water. You can apply some petroleum jelly and even use a bandaid. 

If the bleeding doesn’t stop or the cut doesn’t heal after a while, seek medical attention.

To avoid this unhappy situation, choose a ball trimmer like the Balls Archibald.

We hope you’ve made it to the other side completely safe. Now that you know how to take care of your body hair, you need to do it more often. 

For beginners, schedule a day in your calendar for manscaping, once a month is a great starting point. Don’t worry too much about the time you take to complete the task. Your concerns should be primarily about your safety.

Trust us, you’ll be a pro-bro sooner than you think.