How to Shave Your Back & Back Hair Removal for Men

Shaving your face can be difficult. Shaving your pubic area is even harder. Imagine doing either without the help of sight or reach and you can only imagine the difficulty that faces millions of men everyday who struggle through the twister game that is back hair removal.  While some men enlist the help of friends or significant others, most dudes are forced into figuring out back shaving on their own. Whether you have help or not, learning how to shave back hair is essential towards making sure that the next person that sees you shirtless isn’t left horrified. While we can’t give you an extra arm to assist, we can give you the best back shaving tips to give you a cleaner, well groomed look heading into beach season.

One of the most complicated parts of shaving your back is lacking the range of motion in your arms to reach all of the problem areas on your shoulders and back. Unless you are in Cirque du Soleil or a yoga instructor, you will inevitably struggle in some areas. If you know in advance that you cannot access some of the problem areas, we suggest investing in reach-extending tools that are made specifically for this purpose. These products can be pricey, but having a well-groomed back will pay dividends in your partner’s happiness.

If there is a dense mess of hair back there, you will need to start with a facial or body hair trimmer to chop it down to size. Make sure that the back and shoulders are clean, but most importantly dry. The follicles of the back and shoulders are particularly strong so your trimmer will be having enough trouble without the wetness. Turn your back to a mirror, holding another mirror in the hand that isn’t holding the trimmer and start with slow and steady swipes in any direction that is comfortable. Shaving with the grain of the hair is still ideal here, but in hard to reach areas like this, comfort really supersedes grain direction. Continue until you have removed much of the excess hair, or until you are happy with the results. Some may wish to stop here, but for both longer lasting results and a cleaner look, moving onto a razor is recommended.

When shaving your back with a razor, start first by hopping into a hot shower to clean and soften the skin and loosen the follicles for a supremely close shave. Wash the area completely with a natural soap for men to avoid irritations from generic soap. Follow up by using a natural men’s face scrub (yes, it can be used on the body too) to help further loosen the follicles and clear the pores of the back. When completely rinsed and cleaned, hop out of the shower and set up in front of the mirror with the trimmer. Liberally apply a natural shaving cream for men over the entire area and slowly move your razor over the skin. When you are satisfied with the results, hop into the shower for a quick rinse to remove any excess shaving cream or leftover hairs before liberally applying a natural men’s aftershave to rehydrate and sterilize the area. The final step is paramount towards preventing irritation, discomfort, and most importantly preventing back acne (bacne) before it starts.

After the initial shave, make sure to regularly moisturize the area with a natural body lotion for men to help rehydrate the skin. Like your face, shaving in this area saps the skin of much needed moisture, causing the skin to be dry and irritated. Additionally, every so often try to exfoliate the area by using a natural face scrub for men in between shaves. The former hair over the area served as the first defense against clogged pores, so regularly cleaning the area will help prevent ingrown hairs and bacne breakouts that can look worse than the hair ever did. This should also help loosen the follicles to facilitate a quicker and easier shave on future shaves.

If all this seems too complicated, some guys opt to try waxing or liquid hair removers in this area. Waxing will always provide the longest lasting results without question, but even the toughest of guys will admit that it can be painful. Depilatory products have long lasting results and are very easy to use, but we strongly suggest avoiding these products at all costs. On the worst end, users of these products have found it can cause chemical burns, but even with the best results we are a bit weary of the long term effects. Think about it, anytime that you are putting a product on your body that has the power to dissolve hair you should be a bit concerned with the long term effects it could have on your skin and health.

As summer quickly approaches, following these back hair removal tips will help you feel more comfortable and confident any time you want to pop your shirt off at the beach or in the park. While it may not prevent the looks that you used to receive with hair, you can rest assured that these looks are for all the right reasons.