Should men shave their armpit hair?

When it comes to body hair, there’s always some question of whether or not guys should be manscaping and why or how it should be done.

One thread in Reddit’s infamous and highly-addictive /r/AskReddit forum recently begged the big question: should men shave their pubes and armpits? Though the former area of hair below the belt has been fiercely debated, the latter hasn’t nearly as much discussion.

In the past, we’ve written about how and why men could stand to give their armpit hair a once-over with a razor. As attitudes about body hair have evolved and changed, it bears asking again whether or not men are shaving their underarm hair.

As usual, Reddit responders had strong opinions, each diverse and different in their reasoning. Here are a few of the replies from Reddit users about their pit preferences.

One Redditor got real about why it’s not necessary.

“Nah. We all grow hair there. Just wear deodorant and wash them. I’m not often snuggling in the pit… I think the majority of people don’t care that much about it compared to other important qualities, and if their preference leans strongly either way they’ll let you know.” -itsame_throwaway101

Another got even realer about the most important issue with shaving.

“Nobody cares what you do as long as you clean out the drain when you’re done.” -Imadethis4things

Others were apathetic.

“Hygiene? Like if it’s a crazy problem maybe trim once in a while? If not, well then let it be.” -ChickenAgent

Some were a bit more forthcoming.

“I trim/groom. Otherwise it traps sweat.” -Bananafoofoofwee

One had an unusual line of reasoning.

“Armpits, no. More hair means more warmth for me to snuggle in.” -kecoagendut

And one made a great point.

“No. Because it grows back thicker, harder, better, faster, stronger. We can’t handle that kind of power.” -PyrrhicVictory7

So, which one should you be doing? Well, sorry to break the news, but there’s no right answer.

In terms of aesthetics, some people prefer not to have busy hair or visible hair as they raise their arms. And others notice excess sweat or odor that can be associated with hair during physical activity.

Hair can be a good thing. According to some theories, underarm hair can reduce sweating as well as friction. It’s even been considered an ancient symbol of sexual attractiveness.

If you’re going to shave, it might be uncomfortable, especially your first time.

Dr. Mona Gohara, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University, told GoodHousekeeping.com that shaving the armpits can result in “irritation, folliculitis, rashes, inflammation, and even infections from dirty razors.”

Cleanliness is crucial, whether you’re hairy or hairless. If you wash yourself and use deodorant regularly and you still want to shave or wax, it’s important that you use the correct methods and tools on your sensitive skin. Be sure that everything is clean, that you’re being gentle, and most importantly, you’re shaving because you like it, not because someone else prefers hairless pits.

In this case, the question of whether or not to trim your underarms is most easily answered by deciding whether or not you want to. No? No problem.