Has a fleeting thought during your day ever been, “should I shave my pubic hair?” If so, then you have come to the right place. We’re here to talk about the literal down-low and get real with you about the pros and cons of shaving your pubic hair.
You heard us right, we’ve put together a list of the yes’s and no’s to make sure you make an informed and empowered choice. Remember, at the end of the day, it is still your preference that matters the most, and you should figure out your partner’s preferences (more on that below!) as well.
Before we proceed further, we just wanted to remind you that pubic hair is natural and that there is an unnecessary stigma attached to it – there is no shame in wanting to keep yours or having a preference for a partner. If you do choose to keep yours, we’ve got some tips for you about maintaining it and keeping hygiene on top of your priority list.
But let’s get back to the matter at hand – should I shave my pubic hair? Well, let’s explore a few reasons why you should. In other words, here are a few benefits of shaving your pubic hair:
- In general, societal norms seem to suggest that women with shaved genitals are more attractive and sexually appealing to their partners. If your partner prefers that you shave and you’re comfortable with doing so, it could help you attract more partners or even rekindle the fire in your already existing relationship. Shaving your pubic hair can make you feel more attractive, too, if you’re someone who likes to change up your look every once in a while – this can keep things exciting between you and your partner(s).
- Shaving your pubic hair may make you feel more confident, and this can lead to a boost in your self-esteem. This can drastically affect your moods and make you more uplifted throughout your day. It can also help you change up your style – you can feel more comfortable wearing shorts, skirts, dresses, and swimsuits. This can help you develop a healthy relationship with your body if you begin to enjoy the process of doing things up every now and then.
- A shaved pubic area will feel much more free and uninhibited. And underwear will feel really soft and smooth on it! Get out your fanciest, softest lingerie and give it a shot for yourself! Feel how different good underwear can feel on soft, shaven skin. Various hair removal techniques will allow different levels of smoothness of skin, and shaving (when done right) can bring you a lot of comforts. Your skin will feel fresher, lighter, cleaner, and breezier! Not to mention how exciting the sex can be because of all the increased area upon which you experience sensations.
- The next benefit we’d like to share with you makes a very convincing case – never worry about dirt, hygiene, or lice ever again. It sounds promising, and in addition to all of that, your crotch will be way less sweaty than it has ever been before! Think of how freeing that must feel, and if you dig it, you’re more than welcome to give it a shot.
- Sex can work a lot easier when you’re able to really see everything you’re doing. Shaving your pubic hair will allow you and your partner to get an up-close look at what really goes on down there when you two have sex. And this can be a helpful anatomy 101 session for your partner in terms of demonstrating what you like and watching them show you what they like. Plus, shaving your pubic hair with your partner, or asking them to do it for you, can become a fun couple’s activity that can let you feel more connected in ways that are intimate without having to be sexual!
But of course, you knew we wouldn’t only be talking about the benefits of shaving your pubic hair here. For women who choose not to shave their pubic hair, we’re here for you, and we fully support it.
It can be an important moment to reflect upon, particularly in terms of thinking about your relationship with your body hair and body and how much of it is influenced by societal norms and standards and by the thoughts of those around you. Give yourself some time to sit with the feelings you have about body hair, and really try to figure out why you prefer what you do! And remember that there are no wrong answers; it’s all about making an empowered and informed choice here. Before you make up your mind, here are some reasons why you shouldn’t shave your pubic hair:
- You will be rejecting society’s unnatural and unrealistic expectations of women’s bodies and bodies under the patriarchy in general. This can be a very fulfilling political stance for you to take should you choose it and can make you part of a larger critique of societal standards and the pressures it puts on marginalized bodies to be perceived a certain way.
- If we’re being honest, it isn’t really an easy task to keep your pubic hair shaved and smooth all the time. That requires a LOT of work. Trust us. It takes several rounds and a lot of commitment to keep going at it and make sure, week after week, your pubic area stays shaven and clean. This is some high-maintenance stuff, but there is a half-in and half-out way out of this. That is, the option of trimming your pubic hair without shaving it completely, which can allow for a more manageable schedule and can be a less time-consuming and effort-demanding task to get done. But let’s be clear: regularly shaving your pubic area isn’t an easy feat, and hats off to the people who can commit to that kind of lifestyle.
- It isn’t all rainbows and unicorns with a shaved pubic region, too, and we must remember the unfortunate consequences of shaving your pubic hair in more real tangible terms. The itching! It doesn’t stop! It can feel severe and relentless, and very little will make it stop. One quick and easy way of avoiding this is shaving in the right direction – along the grain, and making sure you don’t press down too hard and irritate the hair follicles. The task is to swiftly remove hair on the outside without getting any bumps, redness, or swelling to actually avoid the itching. But we can’t make any promises on this one; sometimes, it’ll still be itchy when the hair is coming back in.
Finally, we’d just like to say that this decision, to shave it or keep your pubic hair, should be yours and yours alone. You shouldn’t feel pressured into having to do it to please your partner, and you shouldn’t let society define your standards of beauty for you. Feel comfortable in your own skin and what feels natural and right to you. Be the most original and unfettered you that you can possibly be and watch that make a greater impact on your life than the effects of shaving or not shaving your pubic hair.