I'm a young woman (virgin, too) and I'm just wondering... exactly what am I supposed to do with pubic hair? Am I supposed to shave it all off, or do nothing, or I dunno, trim it? Do guys have preferences with trimmed and shaved or none? Help!

Dear Curious, Reader #2, and Reader #3,

Pubic hair, and what to do with it, are among the most popular topics on Go Ask Alice!. So rest assured; you're not the only ones pondering your pubes. Just as people have a variety of practices for grooming the mammal fuzz on their heads, faces, armpits, and legs, there's no right or wrong look for women or men when it comes to the hair down there. Some people prefer things trim and tidy, while others just go "au natural." Feel free to leave things as they are or experiment with a new 'do — either way, your hair will keep growing as usual.

Like the rest of our body hair, pubic hair varies by color, quantity, and texture. No two patches are alike, and grooming (or not) is completely up to you. There are plenty of women and men who could care less, or don't think twice, about hair — pubic or otherwise. To the contrary, just as some folks may favor a sleek bob or a spiky mohawk, other folks may prefer a certain look below the belt on themselves or a partner. Some women grow the thickest bush in the forest, while others prefer a blank slate. There are also women who like to trim a little here and there, from the patch of hair that looks like an upside-down triangle covering the mons pubis (the soft area of fatty tissue over the pubic bone) and/or the hair around the labia majora (the outer lips of the vulva). When it comes to man-scaping, there are just as many options. Some men find that being clean-shaven gives the appearance of larger equipment, while others prefer a more grizzly look down below.

Sometimes shaving is simply about function, not form. For example, swimmers and bikers have been known to remove every last strand of hair in hopes of shaving seconds off their finishing times. In the bedroom, pubes may have different performance value. Some people enjoy a clean shave for added friction, while others may like playing hide and seek behind extra fluff.

If you want to do away with some, or all, of your love fuzz, rest assured that this decision is by no means permanent. After trimming or removal using the methods discussed below, pubic hair almost always grows back. That means if you cut, color, or otherwise change your hair, you won't be stuck with the look for life. As the hair starts to grow back, however, it can be itchy and uncomfortable. If you only shave once, your hair usually grows similarly as before. While shaving may seem to make hair grow in faster, thicker, or coarser, the number of hair follicles stays the same. What may have appeared to be increased hair growth when someone was maturing and beginning to shave was not due to shaving, but to normal growth and development.

People use a variety of methods to shape and/or remove pubic hair. One method is trimming with manicuring scissors similar to the way a regular hairstylist would cut hair on your head. Other options are shaving, waxing, tweezing, or using depilatories. The following is a list of some pros and cons of these techniques.

Shaving

• Hair grows back within a few days
• May be uncomfortable and itchy as it grows back
• Hair may feel coarse when it grows back, because the hair shaft will have a blunt tip
• Possibility of cutting the skin, razor burn, and/or ingrown hairs
• Inexpensive
• Can be done at home

Waxing (commonly known as "bikini wax")

• Hair grows back after a few weeks
• Slight discomfort when the hair is being taken off
• Hair regrowth may feel thinner as it grows back
• Can be costly
• Can be done at home but may be easier to have it done professionally

Tweezing

• Hair grows back quickly
• Plucking is painful
• Can be used to remove a few stray hairs that may be bothersome but not recommended for the full job

Depilatories

• Product must say that it's safe to use on the pubic or bikini area
• Can test product in a small area and wait 24 hours to be sure that no reaction occurs
• Can cause irritation
• Inexpensive
• Can be done at home

Despite all of the modern mowing, there's no law saying that you have to do a darn thing in your pubic zone. If you do decide that you want to sport a new look, all of the above-mentioned options are fair game. There are many pubic posts in the Go Ask Alice! archives, so you can read up on the who, what, why, when, and where of pubic hair, starting with the beauties listed below.

Alice

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