It’s common knowledge that most footballers are extremely delicate (and extravagantly paid) snowflakes, and none more fragile, it would seem, than Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio.
The attacking midfielder, presumably feeling the pressure of having the ludicrously groomed (and not necessarily in a good way) Christiano Ronaldo as a team mate, recently decided to shave his legs silky smooth, resulting in what he has deemed to be a debilitating injury.
So, what’s he done? Severed his femoral artery while getting a bit carried away around the inner thighs? Slipped over after applying too much lavender-scented post-shave moisturiser and broken his neck? Misjudged the bath temperature and boiled himself alive like some sort of weird, footballing lobster-man?
Nope, he gave himself a sore “pimple”. That’s right, and in true professional footballer tradition, 21-year-old Asensio has blown things way out of proportion.
The Spanish player sat out his team’s Champions League opener against Apoel Nicosia last night because the painful zit stopped him from pulling up his socks. Not our words, the words of Real Madrid manager, Zinedine Zidane.
Strangely, however, it seems that Asensio is not alone in his quest for hairless pins. In fact, according to Braun, 26 per cent of men in the UK say they are unhappy with the amount of leg hair they have, while 31 per cent go as far as to trim, shave or groom theirs.
And they might actually be onto something. Shaving your legs can do wonders for increasing muscle definition and, if you’re not keen on your chunky thighs, it’s worth bearing in mind that getting rid of some of that fur can make them appear much slimmer.
But how can you get the look at home, without running the risk of having to drop out of your next Sunday league match? Parsa Rad, creative director of The Refinery spa in London’s Mayfair, has some top tips.
How To Shave Your Legs
- “Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. Ingrown hairs are caused when the hair follicle becomes trapped underneath the skin, causing the hair to grow sideways. Regular exfoliation using a gentle body scrub can help prevent this build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, thus reducing the likelihood of potentially painful ingrown hairs – once a week should do it.
- “Don’t go straight for the razor – use a multi-purpose tool such as the Braun Multi Grooming Kit 3080. First, use the closest beard trimmer attachment to trim your leg hair, finishing with the dedicated Body Grooming attachment. It’s uniquely designed foils protect the skin to give you a super close finish without fear of nicking or irritating the skin. Plus, it won’t get dull like a manual razor – a major culprit for causing skin irritation which can lead to ingrown hairs.
- “If, like Asensio, you don’t follow this advice and do end up with an ingrown hair, resist the temptation to pick it – as this can increase the risk of a painful infection. Leave it alone – most ingrown hairs will disappear on their own, or else visit your GP if the area remains painful and inflamed.”
