# Question for guys who have hair on their chest... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627 "2009-03-16T15:42:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/21 "2009-03-16T21:34:33Z")
> [@Tanaqui](#): > > Perhaps you should also consider it if you want your girlfriend to continue “woman-scaping” her body. We don’t come without leg and armpit hair naturally, for the most part, and it is a pain in the ass to maintain (and yes, it can be very itchy for girls too, if we don’t keep up the facade.) If you aren’t willing to make the effort for her, why should she make the effort for you? It is a fair enough trade, I think. I can’t speak for the OP, but my answer would be “Fine, don’t bother.” In my experience most women do all that hair removal because that’s the way _they_ like it. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/22 "2009-03-16T21:48:28Z")
> [@wisernow](#): > > I somehow am not in favour of doing that because of the following reasons: > > 1. The hair on my chest is rather soft, not too dense or bushy and does not make me look ugly or at least that is what I believe. > 2. I do not have particularly toned pectorals and so, having a hairless chest is in no way going to enhance my appearance. > 3. On the few occasions that I had to shave parts of the chest, such as when getting an ECG, the shaved area was a little itchy until the hair had grown back to a somewhat moderate length.. This leads me to believe that the itchiness will be a lot more if I shave the whole of my chest and as the hair grows back. > 4. As a result of (4) above and to avoid the itching, I assume I will be required to shave my chest more regularly, which presumably, will eventually become a chore as it is with my beard. Shaving is not something that I like very much and would therefore like to avoid any addition to what I already have. How about adding 5) I am not an eleven year old girl. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/23 "2009-03-16T21:56:19Z")
OK, here’s what you do. Buy volume 1 maybe volume 2 as well of the reissue of “Savage Sword of Conan” that Dark Horse has put out. Then shave the hair off your chest. If you subsequently regret it, just read “Savage Sword of Conan” volume 1 (or 2 as well). You should have a full thatch returned within a week. You may also grow an extra testicle, but these things happen. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/24 "2009-03-16T22:50:24Z")
> [@wisernow](#): > > 1. How much hair do you have on your chest? How would you describe it in terms of density and how much area does it cover? Lots. It covers the whole thing, pretty much. Not as thick as an Amazon rainforest (which I’ve seen a few men like that) but enough that my girlfriend calls me “monkey man”. > [@](#): > > 1. Do you shave your chest? Nah, not normally. But I’ve done it maybe 2-3 times just to see what I looked like and how it felt. It was alright. But I’m not gonna put that much effort into doing it on a regular basis, no way. > [@](#): > > 1. If yes, then what made you start doing that? How often do you have to shave to maintain a hairless chest? See answer above. If you really wanted to be “smooth” you’d have to shave every day, and even then, it’s still gonna feel coarse to the touch within hours after shaving. Way too much work. > [@](#): > > 1. Does it itch when the hair regrows? I don’t remember it itching particularly. > [@](#): > > 5.Does it make the hair any thicker either in terms of volume or for each strand? You mean when it grows back? That’s just an old wives’ tale. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/25 "2009-03-16T22:55:26Z")
I did it once, out of boredom more than anything. Never again! Very uncomfortable when it stubbled up and way too time consuming for me to keep up with. ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/26 "2009-03-16T23:42:37Z")
> [@wisernow](#): > > 1. How much hair do you have on your chest? How would you describe it in terms of density and how much area does it cover? Not too thick- covers pretty much the whole chest and tapers off as it goes south, then starts to get thick on my belly again. It is black, and the rest of my hair everywhere on my body is reddish brown. > [@wisernow](#): > > 1. Do you shave your chest? Did once. Apparently the hair makes my pecs look more defined- I looked unbelievably different, and not in a good way. My girlfriend never asked me to do that again. > [@wisernow](#): > > 1. If yes, then what made you start doing that? How often do you have to shave to maintain a hairless chest? N/A > [@wisernow](#): > > 1. Does it itch when the hair regrows? OMFG yes > [@wisernow](#): > > 5.Does it make the hair any thicker either in terms of volume or for each strand? Nope ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/27 "2009-03-17T02:55:57Z")
Logical or not; I associate pubic hair as unsanitary. So I pretty much shave all pubic hair that I have easy access to. I don’t shave my pits. But that’s not because I don’t want to but rather I’d get a ration of shit from any friends or family that noticed. I’ve also noticed that shaving the hair around my stomach area has a “sliming” effect. I’m not morbidly obesse by any stretch of the imagination. But then again you’re not likely to see me on the cover of Men’s Health magazine any time soon, so any little bit helps. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/28 "2009-03-17T05:10:40Z")
I find the girlfriend’s request a little odd. **Why** would it be nice? > [@Tanaqui](#): > > Perhaps you should also consider it if you want your girlfriend to continue “woman-scaping” her body. We don’t come without leg and armpit hair naturally, for the most part, and it is a pain in the ass to maintain (and yes, it can be very itchy for girls too, if we don’t keep up the facade.) If you aren’t willing to make the effort for her, why should she make the effort for you? It is a fair enough trade, I think. What are the odds that she’s really making the effort for him, though? What men might think is low on the list of why I shave, down below “I don’t like how it feels when I don’t,” and “I like how it feels when my legs are smooth,” and “We smell less if we’re sweaty but have shaved arm pits.” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/29 "2009-03-17T06:11:30Z")
I am totally opposed, in principle, to all of this anti-hair behavior going on. I like my chest hair, and my eyebrows too. And unless a guy has an extremely chiseled body, the hairless look accentuates every little defect. Don’t do it! ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/30 "2009-03-17T06:45:59Z")
I could never figure out why guys are so afraid of shaving. It’s hair it GROWS back…LOL I am a male (gay) and in the summer I shave my chest, 'cause I don’t tan if I don’t. I’m not really hairy either. I can (almost) get away without shaving for two days. If it looks bad, it’ll grow back. Now it’s in to shave your chest and I go to the gym and a lot of guys are shaving under their arms too. Tank tops with hairy chests are definately out. I have shaved and it starts to grow back like in 12 hours you’ll notice. Kind of like your face. If you wax it’s better it’ll stay off for a week. You can use _Nair_ and that’s good for a bit longer than shaving, about 24 (a little less than) hours. It doesn’t itch, I suppose everyone is different. If you itch on your face, you’ll probably have issues. Waxing probably would hurt most guys but you get used to it quickly. Like I said it grows back. Every summer I shave my head. Why? I dunno, I just feel like it. I certainly look bad with no hair, but it grows back. And saves me my July and August haircut too boot 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/31 "2009-03-17T08:41:43Z")
> [@wisernow](#): > > **So, the questions for you guys who have chest hair –** > > **1. How much hair do you have on your chest? How would you describe it in terms of density and how much area does it cover?** A lot of chest hair. Goes all the way up to my neck and peaks out of my T-shirt. > [@](#): > > **2. Do you shave your chest?** No! Chest hair is my masculine pride and joy. I remember the day at 15 when I discovered my first chest hair — it was like the day when a girl gets her first period. A shaved chest is just itchy and irritated. And if you have pale, untoned flesh, it just looks worse when it’s bare. ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/32 "2009-03-17T09:12:56Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I can’t speak for the OP, but my answer would be “Fine, don’t bother.” In my experience most women do all that hair removal because that’s the way _they_ like it. I can’t speak for the OP, but I have read enough threads on this message board to know that plenty of men would not have that response. And again, I can’t speak for all women, but I know that I don’t bother shaving my legs or my pits in the winter, when no one is going to be seeing them. Where I live, many of them friends are effectively celibate, whether it is because they are single or because the SO is back at home, and just yesterday I was talking to some of them about how our leg hair is the longest it has ever been because we just don’t bother shaving any more. Because shaving is a pain in the ass. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/33 "2009-03-17T12:38:22Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I am totally opposed, in principle, to all of this anti-hair behavior going on. I like my chest hair, and my eyebrows too. And unless a guy has an extremely chiseled body, the hairless look accentuates every little defect. Don’t do it! Yes. Find someone who appreciates chest hair for the good thing it is. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19adc/32.png) [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Am_The_Lorax)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627/34 "2009-03-17T14:05:00Z")
Chest hair is sexy on a man. Itchy stubble, not so much. Like others have said, it’s a lot of maintenance to commit to. You could try it, it will grow back if you or your girlfriend don’t like it, and I’m guessing she won’t like it as much as she thinks she will. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-guys-who-have-hair-on-their-chest/489627.md?page=1)