Male Experiences of Hair Removal and Loss: Depilation Practices and Motivations

The document from April 2016 explores the reasons and psychological effects of hair removal and hair loss in men. It reveals a trend of men preferring less body hair and more head hair, with a study of 200 heterosexual males showing increased participation in depilation, particularly of the chest, abdomen, armpits, and upper legs, using methods like shaving, waxing, and laser treatments. Motivations for hair removal include improving appearance, enhancing muscular definition, increasing sex appeal, and cleanliness. Male pattern baldness is associated with distress and lowered self-esteem, but men are noted to have more grooming flexibility than women and do not tie their self-concept as closely to hair. The document concludes that male grooming, including hair removal and managing hair loss, is becoming more recognized in the context of male body image and self-presentation, but does not impact men's self-consciousness or body shame to the same extent as it does in women.