You’ve probably been there before. You reach down to pull off a stray hair, only to realize it’s actually chest hair poking or sticking through your shirt. Embarrassing? Yes, usually. Hopefully, no one saw it. What can you do about it?
There are several solutions to chest hair sticking through your shirt. Try and avoid shaving it, as the sharp edges of stubble can easily pierce through fine material. Trimming down or waxing would be better solutions. Wearing an undershirt would, of course, prevent these hairs from piercing through as well.
If these fixes don’t suit you, wear a different shirt. Shirts made from microfiber or tissue fabric are more likely to let hairs peek through than double-ply cotton, for instance.
Although that was your answer in a nutshell, it would definitely be worth discussing these solutions in more detail.
We’ll talk about what you should do, and why. If one fix isn’t for you or doesn’t work for you, hopefully, one of the others will do just fine.
How To Stop Chest Hair From Sticking Through Your Shirt
Here are your best options. Although they may not be the only ones, I’ve found that they’re the most practical solutions.
As a man that’s suffered from this before, it’s important to keep it simple considering how often you’ll most likely need to maintain this practice.
1. Don’t Shave It
The solution seems simple. Just get rid of it. A lot of men in this modern age would have no problem with it whatsoever.
But the chest hair removal method you choose could actually end up causing more harm than good.
Shaving chest hair is a key cause of chest hair ultimately puncturing through your clothes. This is usually an unfortunate revelation because, for the first few days, it’ll feel and look great. Smooth as ever, and nobody will suspect a thing.
But once that chest stubble starts to grow out, all hell breaks loose.
But more relevant to this article is the fact that chest stubble, just like any stubble, is sharp.
The shorter the stubble, the sharper the edges. Not only will it feel rough, but these sharp edges are perfect for puncturing through the fibers of a shirt.
Because of this, you’ll find yourself having to very frequently shave your chest to try and fix this perpetual problem.
I’ve written about trimming vs shaving chest hair in a separate article, in case you wanted to dig deeper.
2. Try Waxing Or Trimming It
Waxing would be a better solution than shaving. Although it isn’t entirely different from shaving, at least you’re removing the hair strand at the level of the root.
With shaving, you simply cut the strand closer to the skin.
Eventually, you will get the same problem. Chest stubble will start to kick in, and you’ll be back to square one.
However, with waxing, due to the fact that you’re removing the hair at the root level, you’ll have a longer grace period before the chest stubble becomes obvious. In other words, it’ll stay smoother for longer.
Trimming down the chest hair is probably my favorite solution. The main reason for this is that it gives you complete control. It’s up to you how short you trim it down to.
Plus, I often find that it isn’t hard to produce a natural-looking result with a trimmer or groomer. The edges aren’t as sharp as shaved hair, and so they’re less likely to cause trouble.
The length to which you trim is mostly down to personal preference. It needs to suit your style. If you would rather be completely hairless, trimming wouldn’t be the best option for you.
It needs to be long enough that the chest hair edges don’t stick through your shirt. This will be a sweet spot you’ll have to experiment with, as it partly depends on the texture and thickness of your hair.
For me, the 1/4 inch length works well. It’s long enough for the edges to not end up too sharp, and it’s short enough to not cause little bumps under my tighter shirts.
Again, test it out and find your number. This may be the ideal solution.
3. Wear An Undershirt
Those of you living in warmer climates probably shudder at the thought. In fact, it may be so warm where you’re reading this from that this isn’t really an option.
However, even the lightest and thinnest of undershirts should be enough to act as an extra barrier between your chest hair and the outside world.
For example, tissue fabric or microfiber undershirts are light enough to not feel uncomfortable and yet should still do the trick.
If you do happen to live in a colder climate then this may be an ideal solution – you could do with the extra layer. Try and find one which doesn’t look too obvious under your shirt. A V-neck is usually a safe bet.
The best thing about this solution is that it really is a quick fix. Let’s say you’re getting ready for work. You pop on your favorite shirt, only to notice your chest hair mercilessly poking through it sporadically and with no shame.
You can simply cover it up with an undershirt, not be late for work, and not draw any curious stares during the course of the day.
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4. Wear Shirts Made From Thicker Fabrics
Again, living in a warmer climate may not allow for this. But this is one of the most obvious solutions that people tend to ignore for whatever reason.
They immediately jump to trying to change their chest hair when the problem may be easily fixed by a trip to the mall.
Although microfiber shirts are light, comfortable, and durable, it isn’t hard for chest hair to slip out through those fibers. It’s a pretty common occurrence.
That’s an example of your shirt material working against you in this instance. There are better options.
2-ply cotton, for instance, wouldn’t let a single chest hair through. That may be a little too thick for your liking, but you get my point. The thickness of your shirt plays a huge role.
Thin, airy fabric with a low thread count per inch and many small holes between the threads allow chest hair to stick through with no problem. Try and avoid this.
5. Wear Looser Shirts
Tight clothing is never a hairy man’s best friend. I don’t use the term “hairy man” in a derogatory sense. Body hair is a pillar of masculinity and should be appreciated as such. But the clothing we wear needs to account for it.
When chest hair is shorter, for instance, after recently having been shaved, it’s way too easy for it to stick through a tight shirt.
Even a single size larger could make all the difference. Tight shirts may be great for accentuating a muscular physique, but any appeal is quickly destroyed when people see those hairs poking through.
Plus, if you were going to wear an undershirt as well, a looser shirt may well be necessary to account for it.
6. Use Fabric Softener
Using fabric softener is a simple and effective way to reduce static cling. Doing so, it’ll help to reduce the risk of chest hair sticking through your shirt.
The fabric softener will coat your clothing with a thin layer of lubrication, making it less likely to cling to your skin.
There are plenty of options available. Some prefer to use liquid fabric softeners, while others prefer dryer sheets.
In addition to preventing chest hair from sticking out, it’ll help keep your shirts feeling soft and fresh.
It’s definitely one that’s worth a try.
7. Add Layers
Adding layers over the shirt is a simple way to hide the appearance of chest hair sticking out and create a more complex and visually interesting outfit.
Of course, it won’t be an option for those living in warmer climates. In addition, it may even seem like a “cop-out” to some.
But simply adding a cardigan or blazer over your shirt is an easy way to deal with the problem without having to reach for a trimmer or waxing strips.
They’re often left open and so won’t cover all those chest hairs peeking through – but they’ll help.
For a more comprehensive solution, consider a crew neck sweater or a hoodie.
8. Wear Darker Shirts
Wearing dark shirts can reduce the visibility of chest hair that sticks through them. Colors such as black, navy, and charcoal essentially camouflage chest hair that pokes through.
Consider the fabric.
Those made from thicker materials such as wool or cotton are less likely to show chest hair that sticks through. Thinner fabrics such as linen, on the other hand, could be a problem.
Overall, if you weren’t too keen on trimming or waxing, it’s definitely possible to reduce the appearance of chest hair sticking through your choice of clothing.
Conclusion
It’s one of the most common issues men face when they start trimming their chest hair. Unfortunately, it isn’t usually even something you’d think you’d have to worry about initially.
Hopefully, the fixes I’ve listed in this article are more than enough to help you ease the struggle.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
