Women and male body hair.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-04-1999
Women and male body hair.
19
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 11:23am
I am a male getting a divorce. I don't think I'm ready to date or be intimate yet, but when I do, I wonder how women react to body hair. It seems all the "hunks" in magazines and such sport the shaved chest look. I, on the other hand, have a fair amount of chest hair, and my back has patches that are fairly heavy...not over the whole back, just in spots. Is this a turnoff for women? I'll be nervous enough dating again without wondering if I look like a gorilla.

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Avatar for sugarbeat
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 1:04pm
Depends on how old you are. The older the women, the more likely they are to favor 'hairy' men. I think this has to do with what was 'in' when they were growing up.

I personally LOVE chest hair. I hate when men trim or shave it. A little back hair is no big deal, but I don't really like hair on the upper arms.

The reason body builders and models get rid of it is mostly so it doesn't get in the way of showing off their muscles.

Anyways, I don't think you should worry about it too much, unless you are bordering on the monkey look, and then you can consider laser hair removal if you want (but leave the chest hair alone!!!)

Ultimately, I think women care more that you are a decent responsible human being that treats them right.

Avatar for leticiaf
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 1:41pm
I am 26 and my DH is hairy too and I could care less. It may just be me, but the men I grew up around were hairy, so to me men *should* be hairy. There is something rugged and sexy about hairy men :o) When I see those men who have taken a razor to their bodies, it turns me off a bit in all honesty. It's one thing to be naturally smooth, but shaving off your hair is odd to me. I don't doubt you may run into a woman here and there who doesn't care for it, but everyone has their preferences and I doubt it will ever be a deal breaker. If it is, you *really* don't want a woman like that anyway.

Leticia(who affectionately calls her DH furr butt lol)

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-01-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 2:23pm
There are plenty of women who love hairy chests!! And a lots of men with hairy chests have hair on their back as well. I have loved hairy chests since I was 18 or so. It's very manly to me. If a woman makes a big deal about your chest hair, then she's probably not worth your time.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2004
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 2:28pm
I'd have to disagree about younger women disliking the hair. I'm only 19 and I personally love somewhat hairy guys, as do most of my friends. If a guy is naturally smooth than it isn't a big deal, but I want my man to be a MAN and I see the hair factor as a part of that masculinity. Of course, it could be a problem with the gorilla thing. Perhaps it's personal preference, but pretty boys just turn me off, so that whole shaved chest, etc. just isn't cool. Who knows, but that's just my two cents.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-08-2004
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 2:41pm

Hairy or not hairy, makes no difference from me.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 3:36pm
Pardon me for giggling a little, but you sound like some of the women here......"I have stretch marks, will he be grossed out when he sees them?" or "I have cellulite, I can't let him see me naked!".

By the time you like her well enough, and she likes you well enough, I doubt very much if some body hair is going to turn her off! If it does, as the others have said, who needs her? That's so shallow! If we like someone, we don't worry about their little "flaws", and most of us don't consider body hair on a man a "flaw"!

And I agree with the others...it's masculine, and it's cuddly and warm! Don't worry about it.

Avatar for katmandoo2001
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 4:32pm
I wouldn't worry about it but yes, some women will be turned off by it and may want you to shave or wax. But most women don't have an issue with body hair. Everyone has their preferences though.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 4:52pm
ooooooo i LOVE a hairy chest! and i realize a man with a hairy chest will likely have some patches of back hair too...no problem...in fact i wonder if a guy who shaves or waxes would wind up being prickly as in 5:00 shadow!...my man has a gorgeous chest of greying hair and yup, some patches of soft back hair that causes me no problem.

i say be your natural self, there will be many women who find it sexy!

honey

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-21-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 6:13pm
I have to say that I agree with the others. Hair on a man is so rugged and masculine!!! My ex husband was smooth (except his legs) and I thought that's what I liked until later when I began dating other guys and all of them had hair on their chests. I met my fiancee and I instantly liked him and had no idea how hairy he was or wasn't (but I suspected he was due to how manly he appeared in clothes). I later discovered chest hair and some thinner back hair and it never has bothered me a bit. He turns me on so much I can't even describe it. I love how he feels against my body. So I doubt you'll have a problem.

There will be women out there that prefer the "groomed" look, but most of us will be fine with a more natural manly man such as yourself.

Melissa

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 04-19-2004 - 6:15pm
Hi. I am 23 and my BF is 30. He has a super duper hairy chest and the normal patches on his back. I guess some women are turned off by hair, but I think its very manly. Its soft and snuggly. I like it. My dad had a hairy chest, and it seems completely normal to me.

I read that Men's Health mag hasn't had a hairy chest on its cover since like 1990. I think that's odd, considering that the MAJORITY of men have hair.

My BF's roommates are both really buff. One shaves his entire body and is very into the way he looks. The other doesn't have much hair as he is 1/4 Japanese. My BF recently felt compelled to shave his chest and back. It was prickly. I prefer him with hair. Now it is growing back, about a half a cm in length. Its way better now than totally shaved. I made him promise not to do it again.

Maybe you could get a trimmer and just tighten it up a little if the hair is really a problem. I don't think most women would consider chest hair a deal breaker if they were otherwise interested in the person. If it is so unruly that it sticks out of your tee shirt around the neck, you might should trim it. On another note, I really hate when guys don't keep the backs of their necks shaved. It must be done at home between hair cuts!

If your hair situation is extreme (doesn't sound like it) you could always get waxed.

I think it sounds completely normal, not gross, and I don't think you should worry about it.

Sara

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