“Should I be manscaping before a date?” That’s quite a question. In other news, this may be the most TMI article I’ve written.

But the question has been asked so, as a professional, I am here to answer it.

The short answer is “no,” because — if you want to find a long-term, compatible relationship — you need to steer clear of first date sex.

Later in this article, I’ll delve a little deeper into why you need to turn down sex on the first date to up your chances of getting a girlfriend.

But first, let’s talk a bit about manscaping and the motivations for trimming up what you’ve got going on down there before a date.

What is Manscaping?

Just like landscaping keeps your lawn neat, trim and tidy, manscaping keeps your manhood from looking like it’s trapped in Gandalf’s beard. Yes, I said it.

Manscaping is the sculpting, trimming and shaving of your pubic hair. Obviously, there is nothing wrong with keeping scraggly and overgrown hairs at bay. During intimacy, you don’t want a woman feeling like she’s elbowing her way through the trenches in Vietnam to simply find the goods. However, you need to be careful not to overdo it when it comes to manscaping. Why?

Too Little Hair is Just as Bad as Too Much

Body hair is a normal, healthy part of being an adult. Moreover, men can get away with a harrier look because it exudes masculinity. Thus, there’s no need to go waxing your chest, arms, and legs unless you’re a Wilhemina model and have been strictly advised to do so in anticipation of wearing a Speedo®.

If you go completely bald, it’s going to quite frankly creep a woman out. Boys don’t have hair — men do. 

Benefits of a Bush

Let’s face it. From an evolutionary standpoint, hair wasn’t meant to be shaved. We have hair down there for a reason.

The cavemen obviously didn’t have slacks, sweatpants, and underwear to keep their junk warm, so going wild and free was a necessity to keep from literally freezing your balls off. But there are actually a number of other health benefits when it comes to pubic hair, including protection from bacteria.

How to Manscape

Let’s go back to landscaping. A well-manicured lawn is a beautiful sight to behold. When you hire an expert landscaper, there is great care taken and attention to detail.

The same holds true for manscaping. You don’t want to simply go in there blindly hacking away like you’re trying to take out all your aggression via weed wacker. Plus, lest we forget there are some very sensitive areas to be aware of (hi, scrotum). If your manscaping goes awry, it can lead to a great deal of pain and discomfort. Nothing kills the mood like a nick in your balls.

Men’s Health chatted with manscaping expert (yes, you read that right) Steve King to dive deep into the dos and don’ts of grooming your pubes. It’s a good read if you want to really amp up your game when it comes to maintaining your nethers.

The Basics

As for the basics, always keep the following in mind:

• Keep a set of grooming tools that are exclusively for manscaping. You don’t want to manscape with the same things that you use for your face. Yikes.
• If you’ve really let yourself go in the hair-down-there department, don’t simply start with an electric razor. It could compromise your tool (I’m still talking about the razor here, FYI) and create a sloppy look. Trim things up with scissors first.
• For best results, shave after taking a hot shower. This allows the pore to open and eliminates dirt and grime. You don’t want to shave dry because it’s more difficult and can lead to things like razor burn.
• Use high-quality, moisturizing products to reduce the risk of razor bumps.
• Don’t rush, for obvious reason. And when it comes to super sensitive areas (balls), proceed with the highest caution.

Finally, enjoy this cautionary (hilarious) tale, told bravely by actor Colin Farrell during an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show. 

The Dangers of Manscaping for a First Date

Have you ever heard that women avoid shaving their legs (and whatever else) before a date because they want to avoid rushing into sex? The same rules apply to manscaping.

Manscaping before a date puts you in a sexual mindset. Honestly, why would you be attending to grooming below the belt if you weren’t hoping for sex?

But if you’re looking for a long-term girlfriend, you need to avoid first date sex. There are various reasons for this.

Reason #1: The Relationship Will Evolve Naturally

The early stages of a relationship should be paced accordingly. You want to take time to get to know someone in order to find out if you have a potential for a long-term future. And someone’s bedroom prowess is not going to be able to tell you whether or not the two of you have what it takes.

However, when you experience an electric spark with someone from the first date, it can be tempting to hop into bed. I get it. Still, good things come to those who wait, and it’s important to build some anticipation before taking your relationship to an intimate level. This can be easier said than done, which is why I developed a failproof dating blueprint for the first three dates.

My Failproof Dating Blueprint

Typically, you should wait for three dates until becoming physically intimate. Follow this dating structure to ensure the most success:

• The first date should take place during the daytime, should last no more than an hour and should cost between $10-$15. The purpose of the first date is to build trust and rapport. If you need guidance on first date conversation, check out my article on the Top 25 Questions to Ask a Girl on a First Date.
• The second date should be something active and free. When you choose a physical, free date, like hiking, you can break the touch barrier and escalate sexual tension. Need help choosing the perfect second date? My articles on 18 Physical Second Date Ideas That Get You Moving and 30 Second Date Ideas That Will Knock Her Socks Off will help you sweep a lady off her feet!
• The third date is the time that you can have a nice, intimate dinner and deepen your conversation. This is when it is likely and appropriate that physical intimacy will occur.

FYI, the third date is the time that — yes — you should be manscaping in preparation. This date is imperative because it allows you to see if you and this woman have long-term potential. Allow yourself to get a little more vulnerable during the conversation by asking a set of relationship-oriented third date questions to see if you two are a fit when it comes to morals and values.

Reason #2: A Little Reverse Psychology Goes a Long Way

A little reverse psychology can greatly increase your success in the dating world.

Women are used to having men trying to strategically maneuver their way into their bedrooms at the end of a successful first date. For women that feel apprehensive about hooking up on a first date, this often leads to a cat-and-mouse game that invariably leads to the woman not wanting to see the guy again or subsequent awkwardness during the next date that can cause any initial chemistry to fizzle.