In Trim For The Hair-free Alternative

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday October 9, 1991

By SUZANNE MOSTYN

Guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye but catching on fast is hair removal for the all-Australian male.

An increasing number of men are demanding the hair-free alternative - body waxing and electrolysis - and a booming industry now stems from the male desire to lose back, chest, shoulder, leg or facial hair. For all manner of reasons.

David (not his real name) underwent the transformation from hairy-chested to hair-free in under an hour at The Face Of Man salon in the Strand Arcade, Sydney, having his shoulders, neck and chest waxed free of hair.

In minutes, David was stripped of a somewhat hairy exterior by melted wax applied to the hair and quickly ripped off using cloth patches. Not for the faint-hearted.

Why? David said to minimise the discomfort caused by summer heat. "Around the neck and shoulders it got really irritable and uncomfortable." Recommended by his brother, he said it would also enable a better all-over tan.

The Face Of Man has specialised in skin care solely for men since 1979. The owner and proprietor, Ms Nancy Baliman, a former registered nurse, established the business to treat men with acne, as few outlets catered for them.

The extension from facials and cleansing to waxing and electrolysis was made to meet the trend towards hair-free torsos and limbs. "Lots of guys have waxing," Ms Baliman said. Hair removal was a time-saving tactic for swimmers. Cyclists and bodybuilders sought hair-free bodies for training and competing.

"I don't like to say that it's vanity. I don't believe there's such a thing," she said. "Just because you want to look good doesn't mean to say you're vain."

Clients ranged "from a person that works in the building industry to accountants, solicitors, policemen ... down to the office boy and school boy."Most were not gay. "They are from all walks of life and they're straight."

The amount of hair on a man's body could be "cut down" by removing every third hair by electrolysis to alleviate discomfort.

Ms Baliman said the increase in hair removal for men reflected a reversal of roles. While women had undergone treatment for years, men were following suit.

Women's aesthetic expectations of men were such that many gave their husbands and boyfriends gift cards for treatment. "A lot of the women tend to send the guys in to have it done."

Some women did not like their partners having hair on shoulders or backs, she said. The salon also offered eyebrow shaping.

Treatments cost $15 for 15 minutes, although the charges varied according to the differing amounts of hair on men. Pain depended on the person's tolerance.

Waxing was faster than electrolysis, where an electrical current destroyed the hair root and the follicle was then removed.

But both processes can be, and are, teeth clenching. David chose waxing to achieve the hairless look, which he said would "feel strange for the first couple of days".

And what of his friends who know him as hairy-chested?

"They'll probably have a bit of a giggle, I suppose," he said. "But it feels heaps better."

So is hair-free the new word in male sex appeal?

Apparently not. Ms Baliman said it was now fashionable for men to have a hairy chest.