Trimming Chest Hair With Clippers: The Essential Info

The right tools are essential when it comes to body grooming. But it’s important not to get carried away. There are so many devices available, but you only need one or two to get the job done. So, can you trim chest hair with clippers? 

Clippers usually work well when it comes to cutting through hair that’s coarse and thick, like chest hair. However, it’s usually best to use a dedicated body groomer as opposed to doubling up your devices.

That’s the answer in a nutshell. Sure, it’s possible.

But I wanted to delve deeper.

It isn’t the most exciting topic. But it’s an important question that’s asked very often and rarely answered adequately. 

Let’s get to it. 

The Difference Between Trimmers And Clippers

There are many similarities and a few important differences. 

They are similar in that they both consist of a body, blade, and often – multiple attachment guards or combs to vary the length.

You’ll also have a power cord exiting the other end (if they’re corded). 

But clippers are designed to cut longer hairs. The blades are larger and wider.

They’re used by barbers to cut the bulk of scalp hair before they go in for the finer details. 

That sums up clippers quite nicely – they deal with bulk, and not the finer details. They aren’t great for outlining, edging, or shaping. 

Trimmers usually come with a wider range of attachment combs, or a more precise adjustable comb. This gives you more intricate control over length. 

Trimmer blades are narrower and better for getting into those hard-to-reach areas like under the chin. They’re often used for the face and body. Put simply, they’re great for honing in and getting some intricate stuff done. 

Many of them also come with a detachable shaving head (foil or rotary). This gives you a cleaner finish in certain areas if that’s what you want. 

Those are the key differences. 

Why You’ll Usually Want To Use A Dedicated Body Groomer

For one, although clippers do give you some versatility with length, body groomers will usually give you more. They usually come with a wider range of available length settings.

So, if you wanted complete control over that chest hair, a trimmer may be your best bet. 

There are areas of the chest that can be tricky to tackle with clippers.

The narrow blade of a body groomer would be more effective in these areas. 

Another reason why you may eventually want to invest in a trimmer or groomer is the risk of overuse. Let me explain. 

A lot of you may have asked this question because you want to “double up”. You’re using clippers for another purpose and want to know if you can also use them on your chest.

The risk of using the same device for multiple areas of the body is that you use it very frequently. Using something so frequently will inevitably shorten its lifespan. 

You just have to balance the benefits of not having to buy a separate trimmer or groomer against the risk of your only device losing steam sooner than it would otherwise. 

Can You Shave Your Chest Hair With Clippers?

Technically, no you can’t. You can only shave using a shaving device. This will usually be in the form of an electric shaver (foil or rotary) or a manual razor. 

To clarify, shaving refers to the act of cutting the hair very close to the skin. The naked blade of a clipper or trimmer can cut pretty close to the skin (usually around 0.4-1 mm length), but not as close as a shaver. 

Whether or not you should really be shaving your chest in the first place is a different argument. Personally, I never would. It’s stubbly and never usually looks great. 

2 Extra Tips

• Keep it clean. Most clippers come with a tiny little brush and some blade oil. Read the instructions and clean them frequently. Hairs that clog it up will eventually start to affect its performance. 
• If it’s cordless, always charge it before using it. You’d be surprised by just how much more efficient a cutting device is when it’s properly charged.