Society grew the idea that women should shave their hair to be 'feminine' and 'dignified' and of course not to be shamed. Later, in the early 20th century, the idea became more common among middle and upper class white American women that shaving was an indicator of femininity.
First thing's first: There's no age when girls should start shaving. In fact, girls don't have to shave at all if they don't want to. (And, on the flip side, some boys may want to — and that's OK.)
About 67% of women said they do it because they feel more feminine, 63% said they like to feel soft, and 62% said their partner liked it. Women who didn't shave said they opt out because of the side effects, like itching and bumps, or because their partner prefers them not to.
Pubic hair removal is common — approximately 80 percent of women ages 18 to 65 report they remove some or all of their pubic hair.
No. You do not need to shave your pubic hair. Some girls decide to remove it (as a personal preference) but there are no health benefits. In fact, there are risks involved with shaving your pubic hair including: razor burn (rash), redness, itching (from hair growing back), and infection in the hair root.
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.
Pubic hair may extend out to their thighs, and some girls may have a line of hair up to their belly button. Most girls attain their peak height by age 16, but some may continue growing through age 20.
There's really no right or wrong age for kids to begin shaving. It all depends on when their body changes and their interest level. For instance, some girls start puberty as young as age 8 or 9, while boys start puberty a little later.
“There is no right or certain age to start shaving,” said Rashell Orey, a licensed master social worker at Banner Health. “Some may be eager to start very early, while for others, this could be a scary thought. It's a conversation that you'll need to discuss with them.”
If a boy has no signs of puberty by age 14 (that is, no pubic hair and no increase in size of the testicles), he needs to be evaluated by his physician. Sometimes delayed puberty is normal and sometimes there is an underlying reason which needs to be corrected.
Pubic hair holds on to residual urine, vaginal discharge, blood and semen. Bacteria line up all along the hair shaft just lunching it up and creating odor. (Very appetizing, I know.) Trimming your pubic hair reduces that surface area for bacteria, thus reducing odor.
It's fine to say to her, “I'd like it if you shaved sometime, and I was wondering if you'd be open to that,” and maybe even suggest shaving her yourself and making it a sexy activity—as long as you understand, it's her choice in the end.
Leg hair and arm hair developed to help prevent chafing so we could move around without causing friction.
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.
Folliculitis is typically caused by bacteria. Folliculitis causes red and white pimples to grow around the hair follicle resulting in that prickly feeling after shaving. Rest assured, mild cases of folliculitis should clear on its own within a number of days.
There's really no set rule or right or wrong answer for how often you need to shave. In general, shave every two to three days for a smooth feel and three to five days if you aren't worried about a prickly leg.
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.
Aging is the most common reason your pubic hair turns gray or white. And while you can't change your genes and the normal aging process, you can slow down pigment loss and those white pubic hairs by eating properly, quitting smoking, and decreasing stress in your life.
In separate studies, 59% of women and 61% of men stated that they groomed their pubic region for hygienic purposes. However, there is currently no scientific evidence to suggest any health benefits associated with removing pubic hair — other than the removal of pubic lice.
Trimming will make you feel more confident: Shaving will eliminate odour and sweat and you will feel more confident and fresh. Trimming pubic hair will help you to stay cooler down there: “That extra layer of bush would make you feel hotter. So, trimming will help you to avoid that extra heat and sweat down there.
The key to shaving pubes is to use short strokes with gentle pressure. You can shave in any direction that feels comfortable, but shaving “with the grain” will help to avoid excess shaving irritation. Clean the blade in water every 2-3 strokes to keep your hair from blocking the blades.