“I think gorilla-like back effusions of hair are rather a turn-off”: ‘Excessive hair’ and male body hair (removal) discourse

•Thematic analysis generated three themes ‘explaining’ men's hair removal.•Two contradictory themes: men's hair as natural, men's hair as unpleasant.•A third theme: Groom ‘excess’ hair provides interpretative framework.•Men's body hair practices associated with changes in masculinities.•Vagueness of notion of excess may provoke anxiety and body hair removal.

Men's hair removal practices are becoming mainstream, seen as a consequence of changing masculine norms and men's relationships to their bodies. This is often presented as a straightforward ‘shift’ from men's ideal bodies as naturally hairy, to increased hairlessness, and the consequence on men's body concerns as inevitable. This paper analyses qualitative survey data from Aotearoa/New Zealand using critical thematic analysis, and describes three themes. Two themes capture contradictory ideas: that men's body hair is natural, and that men's body hair is unpleasant. A third theme introduces the concept of ‘excess’ hair, which allowed sense-making of this contradiction, mandating men's grooming of ‘excessive’ hair. However its vagueness as a concept may provoke anxiety for men resulting in hair removal. This paper adds to a body of research demonstrating a cultural transition: the ways changing masculinities, increased commodification of male bodies, and shifting gender roles impact on men's hair removal practices.