Men in the county are following a smooth new trend by ridding themselves of unwanted body hair. And according to a leading Shrewsbury skin clinic they are opting for a pain free way of doing it. 

Wendy Hartwig, a laser nurse practitioner at The Skin Clinic based at The Dental Spa on Oxon Business Park, Shrewsbury, says she has seen a marked increase in the number of men booking laser hair removal treatments since last summer.

"Laser hair removal has become even more popular," says Wendy, "since, unlike waxing, it has become virtually pain free. Maybe that is why men are becoming keener to go for the smooth look! The laser beam actually kills the hair follicles, so it also offers a permanent hair reduction solution." 

As well as the smooth look being popular from a fashion point of view it is particularly favoured by athletic men who believe body hair can hinder their performance. The most popular areas for male treatments are reported to be the back, chest, legs and 'unibrows' - eyebrows that grow so far across the nose that they join up.

Wendy says: "We were the first skin clinic in the county to offer pain free laser hair removal and it has just become more and more popular. In fact a year ago we had to extend our opening hours because we were having difficulty making sufficient appointments to fit around our clients' work commitments."