It was used as a device to cover syphilitic pustules and gonorrhoeal warts in the genital area. In its contemporary form, the merkin is used as a part of erotic play, and it has also crossed over the boundaries of intimate wear into some mainstream genres of dress.
Commonly donned by prostitutes, high society, porn stars, and actors alike - a merkin is used to shield one's private parts from pubic lice, for modesty, historic accuracy in films or filling out full-frontal nudity on the screen.
It's not in Merriam-Webster's, but according to Wikipedia—where Flashlight Merkin illustrates the entry— “a merkin (first use, according to the OED, 1617) is a pubic wig, worn by prostitutes after shaving their geni- talia to eliminate lice or to disguise the marks of syphilis.” Further, currently known as “night ...
Enter the merkin, stage south. For the purposes of grownup, but not adult, films, actors are sometimes asked to regrow hair for parts that demand they be nude yet not reveal everything. But years of waxing and electrolysis can make it difficult to impossible to grow it all back, and that's where the merkin comes in.
merkin. / (ˈmɜːkɪn) / noun. an artificial hairpiece for the pudendum; a pubic wig.
Pubic hair serves several purposes, including disease prevention, maintaining optimal genital temperature, and friction reduction. Whether a person chooses to remove none, all, or some of their pubic hair is a personal choice.
Heidi Klum has gone on the record about her merkin in the 2001 film Blow Dry; Jane Krakowski claims she will donate her hair to “Merkins for Hope” on an episode of 30 Rock. The writer Daphne Merkin, who has covered ribald territory herself, proved just how game she is when contacted for this article.
Celebrities may have more time and money to devote to their appearance, but ultimately the hair removal treatments available are the same. Traditional techniques like threading, shaving, and waxing are still used; however, innovative techniques like electrolysis and laser hair removal promise more permanent results.
For years, the trendiest pubic hair style was a trimmed or bald bush. But we've noticed a recent uptick in the number of people who've tossed out their razors and waxing kits in favor of letting pubic hair grow au natural.
As for the curliness of pubes, Brian Steixner, M.D., Director of the Institute of Men's Health at Jersey Urology Group in Atlantic City, suspects it's because curly hair does a better job at trapping the pheromones secreted from sweat glands around the groin area.
Shaving is one way to remove pubic hair. It is fairly inexpensive, and you can do it yourself. Go slowly, pulling skin taut before running the razor over the hair. Always shave in the same direction that the hair grows, not against it.
Your pubic hair serves an important purpose. That being said, the decisions around your body hair are totally up to you. If you do decide to remove your pubic hair, that's ok too. Just be sure that you use a clean razor, replace dull blades, and keep an eye on any cuts, bumps, or inflammation.
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.
Data showed that 46% of men prefer when their partners go completely bare down there. 70% of women, on the other hand, only expect a trim to keep things neat, not total removal. And while that might not surprise many people, just how adamant guys are about their preferences may be the most shocking data point.
There are a number of hair removal options they could be using, some of which are temporary and others that are permanent. Temporary options include shaving (by far the most popular method), waxing, depilatory creams, tweezing, and trimming.
One factor as to why women groom their pubic hair is partner preference. Fifty-five percent of women do it for sex, 45 percent groom for vacation, and 40 percent do it before seeing a doctor.
Should you shave your pubic hair every day? It might be tempting, but you definitely don't want to shave down there every day — this could lead to increased irritation. “It's best to give the skin some time to recover,” Dr. Garshick explains.
The classic bush is always in style. The bush takes minimal effort, just let it grow and flourish. If you feel it's getting a little too bushy, you can simply trim down the pubes that have gone wild.
The origin of the merkin goes back many centuries to a time when pubic lice were a common problem and women had to shave their pubic area to eradicate the lice and relieve the itching. Someone then invented merkins to replace the shaved hair.
In its contemporary form, the merkin is used as a part of erotic play, and it has also crossed over the boundaries of intimate wear into some mainstream genres of dress. The chosen material the wig is made of — usually nylon, yak belly, or human hair — is woven onto a transparent mesh.
Women aren't just burning their bras. In 2023 they are breaking up with their waxers and throwing out their razors. A trend has emerged online of women rallying against the idea that they should have to hide their pubic hair at the beach – or at all.