Let’s face it: An itchy manhood is a hell of an annoyance. Who wants to be caught with their hands down their pants because their favorite appendage is demanding to be scratched? Good manhood care can help to reduce manhood itch, and for some men that good care may include manscaping.

Manscaping
As most men know, manscaping refers to shaving or trimming body hair, specifically the hair on the manhood and balls. It’s been going on for a long time; some records indicate that priests in ancient Egypt manscaped their whole bodies every three days. But for centuries, manscaping was kept “underground” and practiced only by a few. It’s only in recent years that shaving the balls and manhood has become more acceptable in everyday culture. A quick glance at any gym locker room will most likely reveal that a healthy portion of its clientele has taken a razor and/or scissors to the groin recently.

Why manscape?
The question many men ask about manscaping, of course, is “Why do it?” There can be any number of reasons, including:

• Prepping for surgery. Not the most appealing of reasons, but men who are getting some work done there usually need to be clean-shaven.

• She likes it. One survey found that half of women interviewed preferred their man to be either wholly or partially shaved down below.

• It’s cooler. Lose the insulation and the cojones can better withstand those hot summer days.

• It looks cool. Some guys just really like the way their packages look unwrapped.

The itch factor
One of the major reasons a guy may manscape is because of his itchy manhood. For some men, the hair creates or exacerbates the itchiness, so it makes sense to see what happens if the foliage is chopped down. Although the itch factor often increases for a day or so after the first shave, after that most men find that the need to scratch diminishes significantly.

Beginners who want to try manscaping can take heed of the following tips to help reduce after-shaving itch:

• Start with a trim. Rather than shaving away all those years of hairy growth in one fell swoop, take the scissors and trim the bush down to a quarter inch or smaller. Then use a manual razor, not an electric razor, to finish the rest. Using an electric trimmer on the long hairs will cause some of them to pull; the irritation can lead to abrasions which will itch when the skin is bare.

• Exfoliate. After the initial trim (and before the close shave), exfoliate the skin using a loofah sponge. This rids the skin of excess impediments and allows for a closer shave – which in turn means less itchiness.

• Lather well. Before applying the razor, lather the area well with shaving cream or gel. Manhood skin is very sensitive, so use one that has no fragrances or other chemicals that will irritate the skin.

• Clean the razor. Rinse the razor after every stroke to keep it from accumulating excess skin that may cause a “bumpy” shave.

• Dry carefully. After shaving, rinse off any excess shaving gel and then use a soft towel to pat – not rub- the area dry. Rubbing will irritate the newly-shaved skin and increase the likelihood of itching.

• Crème it. After manscaping, avoid an itchy manhood by making sure the area is well moisturized. This can be accomplished by applying a superior manhood health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil). Soothing and re-hydrating the sensitive manhood skin will diminish itching, especially in the immediate post-shaved period. Try to find a crème that includes at least two active moisturizing ingredients, such as the high end emollient shea butter and the natural hydrator vitamin E. Be sure the crème also includes vitamins A and D. Vitamin A has antibacterial properties which are essential for protecting newly-shaved skin, while vitamin D is called a “miracle vitamin” for fighting disease and keeping cells healthy.

Visit http://www.menshealthfirst.com for additional information on most common manhood health issues, tips on improving manhood sensitivity and what to do to maintain a healthy manhood. John Dugan is a professional writer who specializes in men's health issues and is an ongoing contributing writer to numerous websites.