Leg Shaving - Men

Men

Among Western men, the shaving of legs is unusual.

Seneca suggested that in ancient Rome it was considered an ostentatious bit of effeminacy, contrary to underarm hair removal: "One is, I believe, as faulty as the other: the one class are unreasonably elaborate, the other are unreasonably negligent; the former depilate the leg, the latter not even the armpit" (letter 114). Summers cites Ovid, A. A. i. 506 "Don't rub your legs smooth with the tight-scraping pumice stone."

Male leg-shaving is most common in sporting situations. Most male swimmers, bicycle racers, and some male non-racers shave their legs regularly. There's no objective evidence to support the practice and little common agreement as to its rationale, although a multitude of reasons are given. The various reasons include: faster healing and easier cleaning of road rash, less pain during leg massage, aesthetics, vanity – by more clearly displaying leg muscles – fitting in with cycling peers, "feeling faster" without the feel of wind on body hair so less drag, a sense that Lycra cycling shorts "stick" to the skin better with shaved legs, and a sense that the absence of leg hair assists in preventing ingrown hairs in the upper thighs from tight-fitting Lycra shorts.

Many athletes also shave their legs or bodies to facilitate therapeutic massage that is frequently a part of their training or post-race recovery programs. They may also shave their legs if they tape protective gear to them to prevent the tape from pulling painfully on the hair when removed. Shaving of the legs is also frequently practised by male models and bodybuilders, since it accentuates muscle definition.