Pubes! You’ve got ‘em. Maybe you love them, you hate them, or you’re indifferent. There are so many different ways to manage (and celebrate) pubes and none of them are wrong, so you do you. Just don’t go around believing these completely false myths about them.
- Your hair and pubes are the same color. No, the carpet doesn’t always match the drapes. It may sometimes but it doesn’t have to. Who knows where this myth came from, but I’ve seen it used when talking about red headed women. They’re just wrong, though, because one hair color doesn’t mean the same pubic hair color. The same goes for arm hair color, which you know can be different from hair color.
- Hair grows indefinitely. This is just totally silly. Have you heard of or seen a woman with her pube hairs down to her ankles? It just doesn’t happen. Rather, the hair stops growing at some point. Women’s Health asked an expert who found that it “generally stops between .5 and two inches.” It will even shed and regrow at this point. So, no worries. There’ll be no Godzilla pubes today.
- Pubic hair protects against STDs. Oh man, I hope this isn’t a widespread myth otherwise we’re going to have some serious spreading of STDs. Some people believe that the skin to skin contact is what passes STDs, but do we need to go over basic sex education? This is not the case. Pubic hair just isn’t sufficient to prevent the spread—please use condoms and other precautions.
- Guys hate pubic hair. Fun fact: “Pubes also act as a trap for pheromones, those extraordinarily powerful, sexually stimulating scents – making you smell more sexually attractive.” That’s just one perk of having hair: it captures men. Further, men don’t hate pubic hair. If you find one that can’t handle your pubes, you’ve found yourself a little boy—kick him to the curb.
- Having pubic hair is dirty. Actually, pubic hair produces a good smell if anything—remember those pheromones that we were talking about? Also, Rebel Circus said that “There is yet to surface any real, science-backed evidence that proves a hairless vagina is a healthier one.” I’ll stick with science on this one.
- Fully grown is only for wild feminists. I am feminist hear me roar. I have hairy pits, legs, and definitely a hairy vagina. Eyeroll. The point of feminism is that you have a choice in matters like this without judgment. It doesn’t necessarily mean that every feminist is going to choose to keep herself hairy; she just knows the option is there if she ever wants it.
- Women who have it are prudes. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s the idea that women who have a full bush are prudes. It takes a lot of energy to maintain a shaved crotch and women who don’t are assumed to not care about how sexually attractive they are. Though this insinuates that less pubic hair is equal to more attractiveness and we’ve already established that this isn’t true.
- Thick hair means fertility. This must be some age-old myth because it’s just ridiculous. I mean I know that primally we’re always looking for reasons to mate with someone, but a big bush doesn’t actually mean anything. It’s certainly not an indicator that a woman is more fertile. So, don’t go equating thick pubic hair to a better chance at babies.
- It makes sex less enjoyable. I guess this one is all about preference and opinion. If you feel that pubic hair gets in the way, go ahead and shave it off. No biggie. Though for the most part pubic hair doesn’t have much of an impact on how enjoyable sex is. For some people, it may even make sex more enjoyable. According to sexMD, “At the bottom of each little hair follicle, there is a nerve ending. When you brush across each hair, it sends a little sensation down the shaft to that nerve ending.” So, pubic hair could potentially make sex more intense.
- Some people’s skin is too sensitive to shave. It’s not that anyone, in particular, has too sensitive of skin. It’s that they need to shave the right way with the proper creams and technique. There’s a certain way to shave or wax pubic hair and if you don’t do it that way you’re prone to cuts, bumps, and infections. According to Women’s Health, the best way to shave is to invest in a good razor, prepare the area, apply shaving cream, shave smart, and immediately wash the area.
- It’s itchier. In the beginning, as you’re adjusting to having a bush, you may be a bit itchy. Once it’s grown in, however, you’ll be just fine. Actually, shaving can cause more itching due to things like razor burn. Shaving also causes your hair to grow back a bit coarser and sharper, leaving room for discomfort. However, you want to keep your bush is totally up to you, just know that grown out isn’t itchy.
- There’s a norm. There’s no one standard way to have your pubic hair. All women choose to wear it their own way. There’s no norm to try to keep with. Where would this myth even come from? Perhaps how women look in porn, but I thought we stopped taking porn as anything real like forever go.
