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 per product
🧴 Sunscreen + a retinoid
The most boring answer is also the best anti-ageing routine.
Broad-spectrum SPF 30+ every day (reapply every two hours outside), plus a retinoid at night: adapalene or retinol over the counter, or prescription tretinoin. Start slow, every other night, and moisturise.
Realistically: This combo has the best evidence of anything for ageing skin and acne. Most pricey men's serums add little on top.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: Retinoids can make skin dry and flaky for the first 2–6 weeks.
Risks:
- Irritation and peeling from retinoids
- Dark marks from irritation on darker skin
- Don't wax over retinoid-treated skin
Who should do it: You, then a board-certified dermatologist for prescription retinoids, stubborn acne, or a mole that changes.
Ask them:
- Which retinoid strength should I start with?
- Is this acne, rosacea or folliculitis?
- When should I come back if it isn't working?
Salon / spa~$40–$175 per hour; areas often total thousands
⚡ Electrolysis
Truly permanent, one hair at a time. Patience required.
A fine probe goes into each follicle and a small current destroys it. It works on any hair colour and any skin tone, which makes it the answer for grey or blond hair that laser misses.
Realistically: The only method accepted as permanent hair removal, but slow: weekly sessions, often for a year or more for an area. Great for finishing off stragglers after laser.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: Redness and small bumps for hours to a day or two.
Risks:
- Infection if probes aren't sterile
- Scarring or pitting with poor technique
- Temporary dark spots on darker skin
Who should do it: A licensed or certified electrologist (check your state board). Skip at-home devices.
Ask them:
- Are you licensed in this state, and where did you train?
- Do you use single-use sterile probes?
- Roughly how many hours will my area take?
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?
Clinic~$1,200–$1,800 per session
🙃 Chin fat injections (Kybella)
Dissolves fat under the chin, at the cost of a few puffy days.
Injections of deoxycholic acid that break down fat under the chin. FDA-approved for that area only. Usually takes a few sessions.
Realistically: A gradual, modest tightening of the area under the jaw.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: 3–7+ days of swelling per session.
Risks:
- Swelling, bruising, numbness
- Rare nerve injury causing an uneven smile
- Trouble swallowing
Who should do it: A dermatologist or plastic surgeon, or a closely supervised injector.
Ask them:
- How many sessions do you expect I'll need?
- How do you avoid the nerve that controls the smile?
- Would fat freezing or lipo suit me better?
Clinic~$435 average per treatment
😌 Neurotoxin (“Botox”)
Softer lines, not a frozen face, if your injector is good.
Relaxes the muscles that crease your forehead, frown lines and crow's feet. Kicks in within a few days, peaks around two weeks, lasts about 3–4 months.
Realistically: Softens lines. Temporary, so it needs maintenance.
Heads up: In 2024 the FDA and CDC warned about counterfeit Botox injected at homes and unlicensed spas, which put people in hospital.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: None. Don't rub the area or lie down for a few hours.
Risks:
- Bruising, headache
- Temporary droopy eyelid or brow
- Counterfeit product from unlicensed sources
Who should do it: A board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon, or an experienced nurse or PA they directly supervise.
Ask them:
- Which brand is this, and can I see the sealed vial?
- Who supervises you?
- How often do you treat men?
Clinic~$700–$900 per syringe
💋 Fillers
Volume where you've lost it. Temporary, reversible (mostly), and needle-dependent.
Hyaluronic acid gel adds volume or smooths folds in cheeks, lips, jawline or under-eyes. Lasts about 4–12 months depending on the area, and HA filler can be dissolved.
Realistically: Restores volume; overdone filler is what gives fillers a bad name.
Heads up: The serious risk is accidental injection into a blood vessel, which can cause skin death, blindness or stroke. Rare, but it's why the injector's skill matters most.
Downtime, risks, who to see
Downtime: Swelling or bruising for a few days to two weeks.
Risks:
- Lumps, overfilling, migration
- Blocked blood vessel (rare, serious)
- Counterfeit products
Who should do it: A board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon, or a supervised nurse or PA, who keeps hyaluronidase on site.
Ask them:
- Do you keep hyaluronidase on site, and what's your plan if a vessel gets blocked?
- Which product, and can I see the box?
- How many of these do you do each week?
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?