Male body depilation: prevalence and associated features of body hair removal

Sex Roles: A Journal of Research,  May, 2005  by Michael Boroughs,  Guy Cafri,  J. Kevin Thompson

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The scope of this study did not include an examination into why men have undertaken these behaviors. One possibility might be the cultural phenomenon known as Metrosexual. This term, coined by Simpson (1994, 2002) as cheeky satire, was also a sober social observation. It can be defined as a fashion-conscious urban heterosexual man with a strong aesthetic sense who spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle. This might be one contributing explanation to the emergence of male body depilation. Other possibilities include sales strategies by companies looking to increase profits from an untapped market segment. Heterosexual and gay men (Simpson, 1994; Toerien & Wilkinson, 2003), like women, are subject to the effects of exposure to media on their body image (Agliata & Tantleff-Dunn, 2004). Perhaps as shifts in economic affluence produce greater equality between men and women, pressure increases on men to take better care of themselves and do something to look more attractive to their target audience (Simpson, 1994). The goal of this project was to undertake an examination into the process of depilation with less concentration on the purpose of depilation. Future work on the motives behind such body modification efforts is clearly indicated.

This study documented that the most frequently reported sites of body hair removal and reduction were the groin, chest, and abdomen. Body image issues were key factors in instigating body depilation. Participants suggested that the most salient reasons for depilation were greater cleanliness, sex appeal, and making their bodies appear more defined or muscular. Consistent with our previous investigation (Boroughs & Thompson, 2002), participants again indicated that they "felt cleaner" or "looked more defined/muscular" as a result of either shaving or trimming their body hair. It is interesting that a considerable minority of men reported that there was no external influence that contributed to the start of their body hair reduction or removal, which suggests that the idea was spontaneous in nature. Others acknowledged that talking to someone, the media, and seeing others engage in body depilation influenced them to try depilating, and, for many, these behaviors have been sustained over time. In particular, participants noted the inclination to depilate as being more important for strangers (i.e., the general public) than for those familiar to them (e.g., friends or significant others). Although on average the men reported only moderate affective disturbance related to their depilation, a small but considerable group of men reported more serious effects.

The results of this study document body hair removal among men, a relatively new phenomenon that has implications for research related to body appearance and gender identity in a variety of academic disciplines. With respect to body image research in the area of clinical and counseling psychology, the finding that some men reported distress related to their hair removal has important implications. Extreme anxiety related to hair removal might conceivably lead to social avoidance and, potentially, to BDD. A formal BDD evaluation was not conducted along with this study; however, the fact that 16.6% of participants reported that they would experience significant anxiety if hair removal was prevented indicates the importance of further evaluation into the clinical relevance of depilation. Future researchers should target weightlifters/bodybuilders and athletes involved in sports such as swimming, given that this subgroup of men frequently report removing body hair and BDD has been prevalent among these athletes (Pope, Gruber, Choi, Olivardia, & Phillips, 1997).