# Greatly relieved that the pube-shaving trend is abating **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 12, 2014, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924 "2014-07-12T11:19:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/21 "2014-07-12T18:51:10Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Had my spouse burn his pubes off once, but that was very much an accident. No lasting harm done, or even short term hair, really. He’s a lot more careful about he does nekkid now. You can’t drop a comment like that and not tell us the story. Getting back to the OP, guy here and when it comes to pubes I’ll take them anyway I can get them. Shaved is nice, trimmed is nice, natural is nice. The point is by the time I get close enough to find out the condition of hair, my brain is too busy screaming “WE’RE GETTING LAID” to worry about it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/22 "2014-07-12T19:12:31Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > On the pubes-shaving issue, I don’t really have a strong opinion one way or the other. > > But I don’t see anything :dubious:-worthy in thinking that something looks good on one gender but not on the other—whether it be pubic hair, a beard, a ponytail, or whatever. The fact that if they want their partners to do it for their benefit, they’re not willing to do it for theirs, if their partner likewise finds it attractive. Or at least, don’t seem to realize that it would work both ways. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/23 "2014-07-12T19:50:11Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Female here. > > I don’t go full Brazillian, but I do get regular bikini waxes. However, I get waxed not primarily for my husband’s enjoyment, it’s for comfort. I suspect a good portion of the women who get waxes feel the same way. Comfort? WTH? One of the most uncomfortable things in the world is the itchiness of pubes that are starting to grow back in. I’m really curious as to what you find comfortable about shaving. Female, of the generation where neither the men nor the women expect women to shave their pubes. And I thank God for that. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/24 "2014-07-12T20:39:31Z")
I’ve read, and I find it believable, that prostitutes have been the fashion leaders since, like, there have been prostitutes. They sport risque fashions to make themselves recognizable whilst working the streets, and all the other females stampede to emulate them. I’ve read that they were the first to paint their faces with rouge. They were the first to wear those high glossy boots. They were the first to shave their legs. They were the first to wear “haute pants”. Like spammers constantly innovating to stay a step ahead of the spam filters, prostitutes were always coming up with some new scandalous fashion to stay a step ahead of the mainstream fashion. Prostitutes were shaving their pubes, and advertising the fact, at least as far back as the mid-1970’s, perhaps even farther back. Cite: All the “XXX” classified ad brochures in the newspaper racks outside of liquor stores in certain neighborhoods. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/25 "2014-07-12T21:03:14Z")
Am I the only one who read the article? No one is going to comment on the creative director for American Apparel being named Marsha Brady? Anyway, my limited experience with pubic hair removal had to do with an allergic reaction to an antibiotic that decided to form a rash under my arms, around my neck, and everywhere the pubic hair grew. I had to trim it very short with scissors ( **not** shave it, not with that rash) for the steroid creme to get where it needed to be. When it was growing back, I found it really annoying. I can’t imagine having actual razor stubble there. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/26 "2014-07-12T21:03:39Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Comfort? WTH? One of the most uncomfortable things in the world is the itchiness of pubes that are starting to grow back in. I’m really curious as to what you find comfortable about shaving. > . She stated she waxes. Waxed hair does not itch growing back in (and waxing lasts a lot longer, you don’t have to do it that often). People who have that nice wispy public hair may not realize that having heavy wirey pubic hair that grows three inches out onto your thighs is actually pretty uncomfortable, sweaty, and smelly in the summer. Not to mention, universally considered unsightly when it shows wearing a modest bathing suit ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/27 "2014-07-12T21:19:16Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Prostitutes were shaving their pubes, and advertising the fact, at least as far back as the mid-1970’s, perhaps even farther back. Cite: All the “XXX” classified ad brochures in the newspaper racks outside of liquor stores in certain neighborhoods. Well, it was either that or implement a sex-industry counterpart of a mashgiach to certify them as crab-free. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/28 "2014-07-12T21:24:16Z")
I thought it started with porn, but maybe that makes sense. It is also might make sense for prostitutes to shave because of the “ick factor” of how many partners they have per night. It may be hypocritical, but I do like the bush to be triangular and not to extend out onto the thighs or hip area if you know what I mean (definitely much more than a “landing strip” though). But I have sort of similar standards for eyebrows on both men and women, and beards on men. With eyebrows, don’t pluck them really thin, but do clear out the space above your nose so it is not a monobrow; and pluck or trim hairs that get all long and curly and wiry. For beards, keep shaving the part that is down on the neck, up to the point where the jawline begins. As for whether I would be so disgusted that I’d refuse to get laid, probably not–unless it was someone only borderline doable already. But it’s certainly something I don’t like seeing in porn, for instance; and it’s a thrill to see someone European or whatever who still sports a full bush. My wife has never shaved or waxed, and also does not wear makeup or heels, and I like that. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/29 "2014-07-12T21:28:43Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > What the Hell? I just don’t get this at all. > > What is the big deal about this? > > Why do so many people feel so strongly about this? I just don’t understand. Can anyone explain this? > > Why do people seem so reluctant to identify their gender when they make these kinds of comments? Why are people so reluctant to say whether they are male or female? > > The only evidence I can recall comes from a scene from the TV show, “Fargo”. Some hot lady (Gina Hess played by Kate Walsh) made some statement about Lester picking her pubes out of his mouth. But, I just didn’t understand that and I likely didn’t quote it correctly. What gives? > > Personally, I can’t imagine that pubic hair would have any taste and if it did, it surely wouldn’t taste any good. Would it? > > Kate Walsh is definitely a very lovely lady. But I can’t imagine that her pubic hair (or anyone else’s pubic hair) would have any taste to it. Especially a good taste. What??? You don’t understand how pubic hair could end up in someone’s mouth? And you think taste is the problem when it inexplicably does? And this has what to do with gender and pubic hair preferences?:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/30 "2014-07-12T22:13:13Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Why do so many people feel so strongly about this? People feel strongly about things related to sexual attraction. It’s not complicated. > [@](#): > > The only evidence I can recall comes from a scene from the TV show, “Fargo”. Some hot lady (Gina Hess played by Kate Walsh) made some statement about Lester picking her pubes out of his mouth. But, I just didn’t understand that and I likely didn’t quote it correctly. What gives? The point she was making is that they had engaged in oral sex quite recently. The pubes were just the evidence of that. It wasn’t a question of whether or not anyone had shaved. > [@](#): > > Personally, I can’t imagine that pubic hair would have any taste and if it did, it surely wouldn’t taste any good. Would it? Pubic hair can tickle or get stuck in your teeth or mouth, which might be slightly annoying. It doesn’t have anything to do with taste, really. Often pubic hair is very good at capturing and holding the smell and the fluids of sex, (vaginal fluids) which can be quite sensuous. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/31 "2014-07-12T22:29:13Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I’ve read, and I find it believable, that prostitutes have been the fashion leaders since, like, there have been prostitutes. They sport risque fashions to make themselves recognizable whilst working the streets, and all the other females stampede to emulate them. > > I’ve read that they were the first to paint their faces with rouge. They were the first to wear those high glossy boots. They were the first to shave their legs. They were the first to wear “haute pants”. :dubious: Do you have a cite for this? Because, quite frankly, it sounds like a load of bullshit. I highly doubt most women wanted to look like prostitutes. Quite the opposite, in fact. Actually, leg-shaving became popular during the early part of the 20th century, when hemlines started getting shorter – women didn’t want leg hair showing, or poking through their stockings. As for wearing make-up, people (men AND women) have been wearing it since time began. If you’re talking about modern days, once again, that most likely started during the 1910s, 1920s – especially with the flapper look of the 20s. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/32 "2014-07-12T22:46:14Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > It may be hypocritical, but I do like the bush to be triangular and not to extend out onto the thighs or hip area if you know what I mean > … > My wife has never shaved or waxed, and also does not wear makeup or heels, and I like that. But if her hair was such that it _did_ grow out onto her thighs, you _would_ prefer that she shave or wax, correct? To make it triangular as you say? I’m just pressing the point because the “natural look” is rarely genuinely preferred. Typically, men claim to want the “natural look” but they actually want the “natural hair, but not too much of it, in case you have too much it should be trimmed to my preference – but not too much, then I would feel bad” look. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/33 "2014-07-12T23:33:25Z")
It’s a valid pushback that I knew I was setting myself up for when I made those comments. But I think I have a pretty good retort for this: just because I don’t think a man would look very attractive if he not only completely shaved his head and face but waxed off his eyebrows as well, it does not make me hypocritical if I also don’t think it looks good to have a giant mane of hair and bushy beard that has never been so much as trimmed since infancy. Fair point? ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/34 "2014-07-13T00:16:09Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Comfort? WTH? One of the most uncomfortable things in the world is the itchiness of pubes that are starting to grow back in. I’m really curious as to what you find comfortable about shaving. > > Female, of the generation where neither the men nor the women expect women to shave their pubes. And I thank God for that. I work out a lot, in running shorts or lycra/spandex capri pants for weightlifting. Having hair all over the place is pretty uncomfortable. My husband has never offered an opinion. I prefer to wax. It just feels cleaner and, yes, far more comfortable. > [@AHunter3](#): > > Male. I ratify the above sentiments completely. > > I don’t consider that I have the right to dictate to women their grooming habits but shaving the pubes, just like shaving the eyelids and cutting off all the eyelashes, just seems tragic. What the fuck are you talking about with this shaving the eyelids? Who has hair on their eyelids? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/35 "2014-07-13T00:20:50Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > It’s a valid pushback that I knew I was setting myself up for when I made those comments. > > But I think I have a pretty good retort for this: just because I don’t think a man would look very attractive if he not only completely shaved his head and face but waxed off his eyebrows as well, it does not make me hypocritical if I also don’t think it looks good to have a giant mane of hair and bushy beard that has never been so much as trimmed since infancy. Fair point? Totally. But you said “my wife has never shaved and I like that.” You do acknowledge that it’s just a coincidence that she already conforms to the look you prefer. In another world, you would be saying “well my wife shaves/waxes, but just to clean up the edges, and I like that.” ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/36 "2014-07-13T00:38:25Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > There were three sentiments there, I thought. Were you really rolling your eyes at my preference for the appearance of the pubic area as it has looked throughout nearly all history other than the past decade or so? Or was that not included in “both”? It was not. Men don’t force women to shave - there’s no oppression. And is your “underlying motivation” wonderment alluding to the cliché about men wanting to have sex with prepubescents? It’s cleaner and there’s no pubes for oral sex. You really don’t need worry your pretty little head about women’s motivations for grooming. just sit back and enjoy the view… whatever your preference. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/37 "2014-07-13T00:38:39Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Why do people seem so reluctant to identify their gender when they make these kinds of comments? Why are people so reluctant to say whether they are male or female? said the person who did not self identify. > [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > The only evidence I can recall comes from a scene from the TV show, “Fargo”. Some hot lady (Gina Hess played by Kate Walsh) made some statement about Lester picking her pubes out of his mouth. But, I just didn’t understand that and I likely didn’t quote it correctly. What gives? It appears you need it explained to you. Pubic hair is called '[nature’s dental floss](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nature%27s%20dental%20floss)" because it gets caught in your teeth. > [@EmAnJ](#): > > I don’t go full Brazillian, but I do get regular bikini waxes. However, I get waxed not primarily for my husband’s enjoyment, it’s for comfort. I suspect a good portion of the women who get waxes feel the same way. waxing is suppose to be very painful. Razor stubble is always uncomfortable wherever it’s located and shaving is often a painful daily chore. And og help anyone who shaves against the grain and gets ingrown hairs. All this is a tremendous amount of work to look like a prepubescent girl which personally squigs me out. If this fad is dead then good riddance to it. Pubic hair is one more erogenous zone that a gentle touch can add to versus a razor-burned minefield of pain. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/38 "2014-07-13T00:52:05Z")
I’m thinking he meant eyebrows, maybe? Although I don’t know many people who shave their eyebrows either. (If I had hair on my eyelids, you better believe I’d find someway to get rid of it!) ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/39 "2014-07-13T00:59:49Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Pubic hair is one more erogenous zone that a gentle touch can add to versus a razor-burned minefield of pain. Seriously off the mark here. My ex-wife had the wax thing done every 6 weeks or so. She said it added greatly to her enjoyment of oral and digital stimulation. She suggested I shave to see how even more skin-on-skin would feel during intercourse. In a word, great!! We both loved it. Also made it more pleasant for her to perform oral on me. I’ve now been divorced over a year, and now dating a woman who, coincidentally also waxes. Same results. No mine-field of pain. To me its analogous to sex with a condom versus sex without a condom. More skin area exposed, more stimulation. Regardless, if I had wound up dating someone with a full bush, no big deal, as someone said earlier, so what\> By the time I get to that point, I’M GETTING LAID!!! Truly YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2014, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924/40 "2014-07-13T03:32:17Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > What the fuck are you talking about with this shaving the eyelids? Who has hair on their eyelids? So, this came out a little more rudely than I meant it. That being said— > [@Guinastasia](#): > > I’m thinking he meant eyebrows, maybe? Although I don’t know many people who shave their eyebrows either. (If I had hair on my eyelids, you better believe I’d find someway to get rid of it!) I guess. But shaving would be a pretty ridiculous way to try to shape one’s eyebrows. I don’t get that either. I don’t know. And **leftfield 6** is correct. If you’ve got a razor-burned minefield of pain, you’ve doing something very wrong. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatly-relieved-that-the-pube-shaving-trend-is-abating/692924.md?page=3)