How To Trim Armpit Hair With Scissors (Simple Method)

Since our armpits are usually out of sight, many people put their own out of mind. As a result, armpit hair can become too long or too dense, which makes it difficult to keep it clean. Thankfully, armpit hair is easy to trim, and you can use scissors for the process.

Hair scissors are a great tool for trimming your armpit hair down to a decent length. Scissor trims do require some patience and a lot of attention. However, the end result usually looks and feels much more natural. 

Having said all of this, some people do find that using clippers is just easier and more efficient. 

Keep reading to learn more useful information about scissor trims; how often to do it, how to do it, and what alternatives you’ve got to choose from. 

Disclaimer: There is a risk of injury when using scissors to trim any sort of body hair. It’s important to bear this in mind before choosing to do so. The following routine is based on personal experience and opinion; it may not be appropriate for everyone’s individual circumstances and shouldn’t be considered “complete”.

Can You Trim Armpit Hair with Scissors?

While you definitely can trim armpit hair with scissors, it is important to use hair scissors for this process. 

In other words, not the old, generic, rusty pair you’ve got buried in your kitchen drawer. 

Hair scissors are much easier to use, as they are made specifically for cutting hair. They’re smaller and designed with thinner blades to trim the hair without snagging.

Hair scissors can be purchased online or from most retail stores. So long as you also have a mirror, you should be good to go. 

If you need scissors, click the image to check out this reasonably priced pair on Amazon.

How Often Does Armpit Hair Need Trimming With Scissors?

Armpit hair should usually be trimmed with scissors around every four weeks. 

You know that your armpit hair needs trimming if it begins to poke out even when your arms remain down by your sides, or if deodorant starts to clump in the hair instead of being absorbed.

Of course, you do not need to wait for these signs if you feel like your armpit hair is already getting too long. 

Ultimately, how often you trim your armpit hair is down to your personal tolerance level, as well as your rate of growth. 

How to Trim Armpit Hair with Scissors

Although trimming armpit hair with scissors is simple, paying attention to all of the steps is important.

You should feel better after trimming your armpit hair, not worse.

Remember, if you don’t feel comfortable performing this routine by yourself or feel you might hurt yourself, do not attempt it.

Step 1: Choose A Length To Trim Down To

Before you start snipping away at any armpit hairs, choose an approximate length to keep in mind. 

Picking a length will make it easier for you to trim all of the hair down to that desired length. 

The benefit of using scissors is that you can trim the hair to different lengths if you want to. This can make the end-result look a lot more natural. 

Clippers, on the other hand, are more appropriate if you want an even trim throughout. 

But in general, you’ll want to have a length in mind before you start trimming. It doesn’t need to be exact, but you should have an idea of what you want to end up with. 

Most people looking for a natural, yet neat look keep their armpit hair around 1 to 1.5 inches long. 

Any more than that can look untidy while aiming for any less gets difficult to maintain with scissors.

Remember, if you’re looking for very short stubble for your armpit hair, it’s usually best to go with a pair of clippers instead. 

Step 2: Raise The Arm And Tuck The Elbow

Raise your arm to the side so your armpit is in view. 

It also helps to tuck your elbow behind your head so that none of the skin in the armpit is folded over. 

Step 3: Keep The Scissors Parallel

Try to keep the scissors parallel to your skin. A bathroom mirror will be crucial here. 

Hold the scissors vertically so that the blades are facing the ceiling, not directed toward you. This is usually the safest way to trim armpit hair and avoid accidentally pricking the skin or snagging extra long hairs. 

Step 4: Trim in Short Strokes

Trim your armpit hair in short strokes. 

If you hesitate or close the blades slowly, you may cut the hair unevenly by pulling too hard for too long with the blades. 

Leaving around an inch of length is a good way to avoid getting too close to the skin when you snip. 

It is okay to pause between trimming. Do not feel like you have to rush. 

Again, you don’t want to risk little nicks here and there; it can make the whole process a lot more unpleasant. 

Alternatives To Trimming Armpit Hair with Scissors

As handy as hair scissors are for trimming armpits, there are other options for doing so. Scissors can also be used in addition to other tools for overall maintenance. 

Scissors vs Clippers For Trimming Armpit Hair

Some people feel that clippers are easier to use for trimming armpit hair than scissors, as clippers come with guards that prevent the user from cutting below a certain length.

Longer guards can be used to simply thin the hair out, while short ones can be used for trimming.

Due to the guards, clippers allow you to trim armpit hair to an exact length and make it less likely you’ll snag.

But as I mentioned earlier, using clippers and trimming down to an exact, even length throughout can sometimes look unnatural. 

At the end of the day, many men don’t really mind this as the armpits are so out of sight anyway. 

They just want a quick and efficient way of removing the hair so they can focus their grooming efforts on more visible parts of the body. 

Scissors vs Razors For Trimming Armpit Hair

Unlike scissors, razors would be capable of cutting the hair down to the level of the skin. It’s the only way to get a truly smooth result. Even a pair of clippers used without a guard would leave behind very short stubble. 

If you’re looking for smooth underarms, an option would be to trim the hair down to stubble using a clipper with no guard, before using a razor.

A razor would not be able to shave down long armpit hair; it needs to be shortened with clippers first.

Using a razor is more likely to irritate, so be sure your skin is suited to it and that you’re comfortable with the technique before attempting it.