"[Men] are becoming more aware that it's all right to do it. I think it's more of a trend in summer, not to be ashamed of your body.
"You don't have to pretend the hair's not there."
The most popular waxes for men were on the back and chest, for which the studio had regular, year-round customers.
"We try to educate our clients that the more you do it, the smoother the result."
However, pharmacies in Wanganui are not seeing the same trend.
A Wanganui City Pharmacy employee said she had not noticed any increase in the sale of hair removal products to male customers.
The expectation that men should remove body hair was "idiotic", she said.
Red Eleven modelling agency co-director Amanda Betts said hair removal was increasingly common among male Kiwi models.
"It's becoming increasingly as important to them as it is to our female talent."
Men were also experimenting with hair removal strategies and more aware of what worked best.
"It's very much about personal choice.
"Some men see body hair as an identity, while others couldn't get it off fast enough."
Some clients still requested body hair, especially the "five o'clock shadow", to convey a sense of effortlessness and manhood, she said.
But a hairy back was "never acceptable".
Wellington beauty salon Shannon's owner, Deborah Shannon, said back and leg hair removal procedures were most popular for men in their mid to late-20s.
"Metrosexuals - they certainly are conscious of it and certainly do want to be quite well groomed."
However, men in their 50s also had their backs waxed.
"They're quite conscious [of hair] and they just feel better after it."
Some men liked to have hair removed to prevent feeling self-conscious in their togs.
Ms Shannon, who has worked in the beauty therapy industry for 27 years, said only women visited salons when she first started out.
"It's been a very gradual [increase], but definitely the younger guys prefer to be more hair-free."