Is having pubic hair deemed unhygienic

[taylor74]

Just following on from another thread.
Do people see others who don't shave or wax down below as unhygienic.
Personally I'm smooth below but that's my preference.
What's others views on this?

Can you use an epilator down there? I epilate my legs and underarms, it doesn't hurt my legs but my underarms do hurt. I'd only do the creases at the top of my legs, just so that I can wear my swimming costume without looking like a yeti. Does anyone else or is it an area that can't be epilated?

I used to let it go a bit wild and then saw a post by a MNer who said she had stopped getting thrush when she started shaving it all off. As I was prone to thrush as well, I tried it and it did work! I use Veet down there and usually intend to leave a landing strip but am so bad at it that I usually end up taking the lot off as I can't get it symmetrical.

DH shaved his balls once, "for me". I was horrified. They went all stubbly and nastily itchy for a couple of days. I think he expected me to return the "favour" or something - he was out of luck. He's never done it since...

Right - haven't read the thread at all - BUT - my name says it all.

For God's sake women - what the fuck are you doing????????

Jeysus - a nice pre-pubescent fanny?????

Nice.

Let it roam free - in my experience the only men who don't like it are slightly strange & a little bit frightened of women.

Look what happened to Ruskin.

Plus - as for oral sex - all the lovely smells collect in your hair - have you never smelt a men's armpit & felt all faint????

They feel the same about your pubes. Should they ever get the chance.

I have mohair shorts (my fave ever phrase learnt from Mumsnet) so I do have to 'see to' my bikini line fairly regularly as I like to go swimming.

If I even attempt shaving, my DP would probably be accused of attempted murder due to the cuts I inflict on myself, so I use cream (PS find Nair is much better than Veet) and it always smears its way around and removes more than intended, so sometimes I just go 'off with the lot'.

I have had many an erotic time when a man (very trusted) has shaved me and I did like it when DP let me shave him. (Never again for him, stubble was too horrid on such soft skin). But they were 'on occassion' situations, not everyday, yummy rumpy pumpy.

I agree with all who have said 'each to their own', I especially agree that the hair is there to protect.

I also think some musky smells may be held in the hair, which in a clean person would be similarly attractive to fresh sweat in hairy armpits.

So... in summary.

• shaved bush: hygienic externally but internally prone to infection

• shower-dodger with full bush: unhygienic externally but less prone to internal infection

• bush as nature intended combined with minimum daily shower/wash: hygienic externally AND internally. We have a winner.

If millions and millions of years of evolution have left us with full and glorious bushes, then who are we to question?

5Dollar - am with you there on all points....

It's seems like such a silly and pointless way to spend a large portion of your time.

I didn't think anyone shaved their armpits because of hygiene but because of how bad peoples reactions are if you don't. Well that's the case for me anyhows

& you shave your armpits Penguin ????

I do but at least it only takes 10 secs

I keep mine neat but not totally off. I'm 29.

And am ROFLing at some of these comments! :o

I say - let it flow free.

If I ever even think about bush removal again SLAP ME

I couldn't care less what people do with their body hair - up to you. But I do think it's important that women realise that this is about FASHION (and yes, heavily influenced by porn). Those of us over 40 grew up at a time when it was considered [gasp] perfectly normal and not ugly to have public hair. Every time I hear a woman say, "I do it because it feels cleaner/more hygienic" or talk about how a bit of trimmed hair is ok, but obviously no-one wants a big hairy bush, I cringe because YOU ARE STRENGTHENING THE NEW CULTURAL ASSUMPTION THAT WOMEN'S BODY HAIR IS DISGUSTING OR UNCLEAN.

Sorry to shout but I really think this needs saying. Again, do what you want with your own stuff, but do take on that your choice of words when you broadcast it has a real impact on other women.

Porn helped set this new fashion, that's for sure. But the reason it has taken hold so quickly is because women in the mainstream have taken it up and set it as a new standard.

Haven't read this all. I work in a GU clinic so see a fair few pubic regions. Most clinics I have to tell people to stop shaving as they are spreading infections around esp warts.

5DollarShake - I have been no more prone to internal or external infections since I started shaving. And a daily shower and shave leaves me feeling comfortable - far more comfortable than having a 'full bush as nature intended', so the full bush option is not a winner for me.

Hester - please stop with the sweeping generalisations - it insults the intelligence of those who hold a different opinion to you. When I decided to shave off my bush, it wasn't 'the fashion'. I did it to see what it felt like, and liked the feeling. And I'm sorry, but it does feel cleaner and more hygienic for me - but I fully accept that my opinion is not going to be shared by everyone else, and I also accept that hygiene and cleanliness are dependant on regular washing etc, not whether someone is shaven or not. But if I am asked why I shave my ladygarden, I will tell people what I honestly feel. So please stop shouting at me about cultural assumptions and my responsibilities to the image of pubic hair.

Well said, Hester.

And there is also the subliminal message that girls' bodies are more desirable than women's.

OK, SDTG, just seems strange to me that a whole generation of women suddenly decided, completely individually, that they preferred the feeling of a depilated public area. Just like that, with no cultural influence whatsoever.

Because that's what you'd think from MN threads.

'OK, SDTG, just seems strange to me that a whole generation of women suddenly decided, completely individually, that they preferred the feeling of a depilated public area. Just like that, with no cultural influence whatsoever.

Because that's what you'd think from MN threads.'

I said further up the thread that I thought globalisation may have had an effect since in some cultures it has been done for a long time without the influence of porn.

I'm in complete agreement with spiders legs, pubic hair makes for better sex, the hair traps the pheremones, inhaling that gorgeous musky scent of your partner is one of the joys of life.

I've removed mine once, never again, it ruined sex for me, DH wasnt at all keen either, I felt sterile and sexless, the smell of veet and then moisturiser does not enhance sex one little bit, I also felt all sweaty and clammy while it was growing back, I do trim my undercarriage, but only because it's becoming quite long and wiry and is actually a bit uncomfortable so i take it back to about a centimetre.
So it doesn't automatically make for better sex, if it does for you then great, but it's not a given.

Even though I blamed porn earlier lets not forget the power of beauty industry marketing either. Those who sell products for shaving, waxing, make up etc. are wanting you to believe that natural you = bad as then you consume more of their products. Look at the incredible success of mens' grooming products over the past 20 years for an example of how well the sales and marketing arms are doing their jobs of relieving people of their readies in order to boost shareholder value.