Their primary reasons for doing so involve partner expectations and their sex life. But, not everyone is willing to feel like a young seal pup down there, and some women are holding the line on pubic hair. Yup – pubic hair trends are making a comeback.
Seven percent said they went the route of permanent removal by way of laser hair treatments, and 26 percent said they regularly trim their pubes to keep things tidy. That leaves just three percent of women who said they leave their pubic hair entirely alone—no trimming, no tweezing, no shaving, no nothing.
A combination of polls shows that 80 to 90 percent of women prefer some amount of grooming for starters. Only 10 to 20 percent prefer guys with a completely unkempt bush; this means that going wild below the waist is not the default look. It may require less work, but you're not playing the odds.
CANCEL that painful waxing appointment, ladies – style bible Vogue has declared the bush is back. Opting for full pubic hair has been gaining popularity since 2013 when Gwyneth Paltrow said she favoured the “70s vibe” of the natural look.
The 80s into the 90s, revolted from the extreme natural body-hair movement of the 70s. Many believe this has to do with the rise of the fashion industry, and the improved cameras putting more scrutiny on people's bodies. Skin follicles that used to be hidden by low resolutions were now on full display.
It is more hygienic not to shave it (although depilation does make pubic lice homeless). In removing their pubic hair, most women will get cuts or ingrown hairs, and some will develop inflammation of the hair follicles or hyperpigmentation.
In general, pubic hair in females naturally covers the labia majora (outer lips) to the inner thighs and form a triangle-like shape up to the pubic bone. Some women will naturally grow thicker or thinner hair than others, so typically there's no cause for alarm when there's slight variation.
Brazilian wax: the triangle
(Yep, that means around your bum). If you want to feel totally smooth and hairless, go Brazilian.
Pubic hair is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about since it serves multiple purposes. Right from providing a cushion against friction that can cause skin abrasion and injury to protection from bacteria and unwanted pathogens.
The natural look, where a woman doesn't remove any of her pubic hair, is liked by 36%. Men (42%) are more likely than women (30%) to say they like this.
Interestingly, 84 percent of the men surveyed had a preference when it came to a woman's pubic hair, but only 9 percent would end a date or sex because of a women's grooming habits -- so they must not care all that much. And of the men polled, a whopping 88 percent do some grooming of their own.
To keep the pubic area smooth and hairless, you'll need to shave regularly, even daily. Consider if this is worth the trouble; it may become tedious after four or five weeks.
The practice of removing female body hair is not new, it can be traced back to ancient Rome and Egypt. Some of the first razors, made of copper, were used in Egypt and India around 3000 BCE. Egyptian women removed their head hair and considered pubic hair uncivilized.
Pubic hair removal is common — approximately 80 percent of women ages 18 to 65 report they remove some or all of their pubic hair.
The short answer: going au natural is the healthiest pubic-hair policy. "Your pubic hair is there to protect the skin around your lady parts because that skin is very sensitive," Donnica Moore, MD, a Chester, New Jersey-based gynecologist and president of Sapphire Women's Health Group, tells Health.
Pubic hair is naturally thicker and more coarse than hair that grows on other parts of your body. But like other hair, your pubic hair requires natural oils to stay healthy.
The religious etiquettes of Islam specify that removal of pubic hair should be initiated at menarche, and done at least once every 40 days [13, 20].
Lather the hair and surrounding area with a chemical-free, fragrance-free, natural shaving cream or soap. If you have a vulva, do your best to avoid getting the product inside your vaginal canal, warns Carroll. Pull the skin tight and shave slowly with the grain of the hair to minimize ingrown hairs.
Pubic Hair Trends
According to the researchers, when asked if they removed their pubic hair, 80% of women and 39% of men removed their pubic hair near the time of the survey. Also, 3% of women and 21% of men had never removed their pubic hair.
Both guys and girls grow hair — pubic hair — around their genitals during puberty. Some people have a lot of pubic hair, and some have less. Some people choose to remove their pubic hair for cosmetic reasons. Shaving around your genitals can cause razor burn and ingrown hairs that can be very uncomfortable.
You're Less Likely To Get Rashes
If you don't shave, those things aren't really a possibility anymore, leaving you and your lady parts in peace. Indeed, Dweck listed infected hair follicles (folliculitis), rashes, and irritation (razor burn) as some of the most common issues she sees from patients who shave.