Beauty Beat: Men Bare It All

Once again, Michael Phelps is ahead of the pack. Swimmer chic is on the rise as more and more men choose to remove their body hair. An Australian study found that most men had de-fuzzed: 63 percent of gay men and 33 percent of straight men had partly or completely removed hair from their back or backside at least once in their lives, and 82 percent of gay men and 66 percent of straight men had removed pubic hair.

Most men remove hair monthly or less frequently. Waxing, shaving, and creams are preferred for back and butt, and shaving (with blade or trimmer) is preferred for groin. The number one motivation is concern about appearance.

Researcher Yolanda Martins says hair removal is probably even more prevalent in the U.S., as we're more body-focused. She also says the trend is accelerating. Women in the trenches tell her that some men "now apologize for their body hair in intimate moments."

Take It All Off!

• Nad's Hands free hair removal cream, $7

  After 5-10 minutes, hair wipes right off along with the cream. (Not for use on 'nads.)

• Norelco bodygroom+, $50

  The kit includes both a trimmer and a shaver for all your manscaping needs.