DIY$20–$100 for a good trimmer
✂️ Trimming & shaving
The 90% solution. Cheap, quick, and nobody has to see you naked except you.
A body trimmer with a guard gets you tidy without the risks of a razor. If you shave, do it after a warm shower, with gel, in the direction the hair grows, with a fresh blade (swap every 5–7 shaves).
Realistically: Trimming covers what most guys actually want. Shaving the scrotum or around the butt is where most nicks, razor burn and ingrown hairs happen: in one large US survey about a quarter of groomers had injured themselves at some point.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: None. Razor burn settles in a day or two; ingrown hairs can hang around for a week or three.
Risks:
- Nicks and cuts, especially on the scrotum
- Razor burn and ingrown hairs
- Folliculitis (infected hair follicles)
- Passing on skin infections by sharing razors
Who should do it: You. Stand up so you can see what you're doing, use clean tools you don't share, and moisturise after with something fragrance-free. See a dermatologist for bumps that keep coming back or look unusual (warts and herpes can look like ingrowns).
Ask them:
- Are these ingrown hairs, folliculitis, or something else?
- Would a prescription wash help my recurring bumps?
- Would laser make more sense for me?
DIY$10–$30 for washes and gels
🧴 Bumps on the back, chest or butt
That “butt acne” is usually something else, and it's fixable.
Most bumps on the butt, back and chest are folliculitis (irritated or infected hair follicles) from sweat, friction, tight clothes, shaving or waxing. A benzoyl peroxide wash, getting out of sweaty gear quickly, loose clothes, and a break from hair removal fix a lot of it.
Realistically: Give any routine 6–8 weeks. Adapalene gel (over the counter) helps acne-type bumps.
Heads up: Painful lumps that keep coming back in the butt cheeks or groin can be hidradenitis suppurativa, which needs a dermatologist, not a scrub.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: None.
Risks:
- Benzoyl peroxide bleaches towels and sheets
- Irritation if you overdo exfoliating
Who should do it: You, then a board-certified dermatologist if it doesn't clear, hurts, or keeps coming back.
Ask them:
- Is this acne, folliculitis or something else?
- Would a prescription wash or antibiotic help?
- Could this be hidradenitis?
Salon / spa~$60–$120+ for a male Brazilian
🍯 Waxing & sugaring
Smooth for 3–6 weeks, in exchange for about ten seconds of regret.
Both pull hair out at the root. Sugaring uses a paste of sugar, lemon and water; waxing uses warm wax. You need about a quarter inch of growth between sessions.
Realistically: Smoother and longer-lasting than shaving, but not permanent. Claims that sugaring causes fewer ingrown hairs are mostly salon lore, not research.
Heads up: Waxing is one of the common causes of folliculitis. Pick a clean salon that never double-dips its applicator sticks.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: Redness or bumps for a few hours to a day or two. Skip sex, saunas, the gym and tight clothes for 24–48 hours.
Risks:
- Ingrown hairs and folliculitis
- Burns from wax that's too hot
- Skin tearing if you use retinoids or isotretinoin
- Infection if hygiene is poor
Who should do it: A licensed esthetician with real experience doing men, especially for intimate areas.
Ask them:
- Do you use a fresh stick every time you dip into the wax?
- How many male Brazilians do you do?
- What should I avoid before and after?
Clinic~$300–$1,000 per session; full series into the thousands
🔦 Laser hair removal
Much less hair, for a long time. Not quite “forever.”
Laser light is absorbed by the pigment in the hair and heats the follicle. Most people need several sessions 4–6 weeks apart, then occasional touch-ups.
Realistically: A big, lasting reduction, often most of the treated hair, with regrowth finer and lighter. The FDA calls it permanent hair reduction, not removal. Works best on dark hair; blond, red, grey and white hair barely respond.
Heads up: Darker skin can be treated safely, but it needs the right laser (usually a long-pulsed Nd:YAG) and an experienced operator.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: Usually none. Redness and swelling like a mild sunburn for 1–3 days.
Risks:
- Burns or blisters, more likely with inexperienced operators or the wrong settings for darker skin
- Lighter or darker patches, occasionally permanent
- Cold sore or herpes flare in the treated area
- Eye injury without proper eyewear
Who should do it: A board-certified dermatologist or a clinic where a physician experienced with lasers supervises. In many states a technician fires the laser, so ask who that is.
Ask them:
- Which laser will you use for my skin tone and hair colour?
- How many male intimate-area treatments have you done?
- Will you do a test spot, and what happens if I get a burn?
Clinic~$650 per area; multi-area series several thousand
🧊 Fat freezing (CoolSculpting)
A small bulge, a bit smaller, slowly. Not weight loss.
A device chills a pinched bulge of fat until some fat cells die; your body clears them over 1–3 months. Cleared for areas like belly, flanks, thighs, back, upper arms and under the chin.
Realistically: Up to about a fifth less fat in the treated bulge per session. Modest and gradual.
Heads up: A rare reaction, where the area grows a larger, firm bulge months later, was once quoted as 1 in 20,000. A 2025 review put it nearer 1 in 450, and it seems more common in men. Fixing it usually means liposuction.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: None to a few days of soreness or numbness.
Risks:
- Temporary numbness, bruising, pain
- Paradoxical fat growth (see above)
Who should do it: A dermatologist, plastic surgeon or closely supervised clinic.
Ask them:
- What's your rate of paradoxical fat growth, and what happens if I get it?
- How many sessions will my area need?
- Am I a better candidate for something else?
MedicalThousands per area
🏥 Liposuction
Real surgery for real contour change.
A surgeon removes fat through small cannulas. Bigger, faster change than non-surgical options.
Realistically: Noticeable contour change, but it isn't a weight-loss tool, and fat can return elsewhere if weight goes up.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: Days to a couple of weeks, plus weeks in compression garments.
Risks:
- Lumpy or uneven contours
- Fluid collections and infection
- Blood clots and other rare serious complications
Who should do it: A board-certified plastic surgeon operating in an accredited facility.
Ask them:
- Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
- Is your operating facility accredited?
- What's a realistic result for my body?