Do men really opt for chest hair waxing?

Manscaping a guy's back or shoulders might sound appealing, but what happens when the pursuit of a hair-free body goes too far? We're talking about chest waxing – a method used to remove chest hair. This isn't some far-fetched horror story; men turn to it as a shaving alternative. Waxing offers longer-lasting results since it pulls hair out from beneath the skin. Don't be misled: it’s painful. This is grooming with a dark twist, using methods that can feel more like torture. It might also reflect the evolving, sometimes conflicted relationship Americans have with male body hair.

Back in the day, when men transitioned from cave dwellers to office workers, shaving their facial hair became a societal expectation—especially for those aiming to climb the career ladder. After getting used to that, the focus shifted to aggressively removing ear and nose hair. Next came the eradication of the unibrow, and the trend of the metro-hairless look gained momentum. Now, here's a thought to consider: could men be becoming too feminine? What ever happened to the pleasure of a warm coat of body hair on a cold winter night?

Who’s leading the no-body-hair movement—men or women? It seems women are taking the lead. A 2005 Cargo Magazine survey revealed that around 40 percent of women thought their partners should trim their chest hair at least a little, while 22 percent believed it should be removed entirely (ouch). Men appear to be getting on board as well, with almost one in four saying they go fully hairless through one method or another.

As if that wasn’t enough to make you think male body hair might become a thing of the past, 63 percent of women surveyed also agreed that a little grooming below the belt wasn’t such a bad idea.