For many men, the beach should be a place to relax — but body image concerns are holding some back.
A survey of 2,000 men revealed that 21% avoid swimming or sunbathing without a shirt because they feel self-conscious about hairy backs and shoulders.
Another 27% worry about showing their bellies or “man boobs.”
The study also found that nearly 1 in 5 men have received negative comments about their body hair, which left 20% feeling embarrassed.
When it comes to grooming:
- 30% prefer to keep body hair trimmed
- 27% embrace it naturally
- 45% religiously maintain visible areas like beards and necklines
- 26% admitted they groom “down below” even if other areas are left untouched
Back hair, however, remains the toughest challenge. 71% said it’s impossible to reach alone, while 58% said it’s too hard to even see — leaving many men with uneven patches.
The research was part of the Philips OneBlade 360 “Got Your Back, Bro” campaign, which encourages men to feel confident in their grooming choices.
To help, the brand even set up a pop-up grooming den at Brighton Beach, offering free back shaves so men could enjoy the beach without worry.
According to the study, 72% of men say appearance is important to them, with more than half citing personal preference as their top motivation for grooming.
Others do it for comfort (47%) or because of hot weather (32%).
Philips’ male grooming lead Fiona Atkins summed it up: “The key is to do what makes you comfortable. Everyone deserves to feel their best and enjoy summer, whatever their grooming style.”