It was a full moon one cold October night; I could feel a chill in the air as I walked home. That’s when I realized it was one of those nights — one where he’d grab his razor and shaving cream.  

I rushed back to my room, but it was too late; there he was, my werewolf, shaving his beard.  

When asked, 11 out of 20 people said they didn’t mind body hair on their partner. Out of the 20, 10 were male and the other were female. 

Nine females said that they preferred their partners with hair, Katy Slawinski a senior at Kent, being one of them. “I just prefer my guy with some hair, it gives that touch of masculinity that I enjoy,” she says. 

“I like it when my boyfriend shaves his armpits,” says Sam Lutton, a junior at Kent, who prefers when her guy’s smooth. It’s not so much a hygiene aspect, but rather staying safe from dermatitis due to, for example, beard burns.  

For those who do enjoy a nice, clean shave, it comes with some high maintenance costs as well. Different hair removal products are becoming so expensive in the current inflated market.  

But, how can your body be affected by razors? When speaking with Dr. Patty Diaz, a resident physician at MetroHealth, she points out that it all depends on an individual’s body. 

“Some individuals may be more prone to razor burn, irritation … just always be gentle on your skin,” Diaz mentions. The technique is another aspect she adds saying “make sure to shave in one direction and not cause excessive pulling of skin.” 

She also says that most people who shave do so from a cosmetic point of view for a boost of self-esteem which can contribute to overall mental well-being. 

In  2018, a Times article by Heather Widdows stated that we’re not in a ‘70s Playboy and Chest Hair era. Six years later,  I’m not so sure if that’s still true. While models might still be waxing, it seems like most people want to see their guy with a bush. 

Widdows adds that “everybody has to be hairless every day” and that it “becomes redefined as a hygiene practice.” Grooming is an important part of everyday hygiene practice, but that doesn’t mean going completely hairless. These practices can include just cleaning up edges, or even just trimming your hair down. 

Today’s society includes body hair within beauty standards. We’re seeing it in ads, films and even daytime television. Of course, everyone is going to have their opinions on body hair, which can be due to a multitude of different beliefs.  

When it comes to men, body hair has always been a symbol of masculinity, but it doesn’t define it. Society’s norms for women have made them feel the need to completely shave their body hair before a night out. Now though, we are seeing more women feel comfortable with hair in certain areas.

This comes from partners understanding that shaving comes with its complications and, not to mention, how time-consuming it is. Another aspect we also see now are couples bonding over the idea of shaving each other. 

These intimate activities lead to partners discovering new parts of their significant other they might not have realized before. This can include trust and delicacy if it comes to a blade, and love received through touch. 

Diaz cautions on how often you shave, or perform other methods of hair removal as hair typically has to be a certain length before repeating removal techniques. If there’s an open wound or cut, these techniques can also lead to further irritation and inflammation that can lead to infections.

Most importantly, especially for your boy, make sure you’re switching out your razors regularly or you’ll summon a curse worse than a werewolf.

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Hi! I’m Kayla Friedman, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.