Pubic hair maintenance is more than a chore; it’s an art. With all the hair removal options available — waxing, shaving, even lasering — it can be hard to decide the best choice for you. How (or if) you manscape or ladyscape is completely a matter of personal preference. All that matters is feeling comfortable and sexy with whatever choice you make regarding your pubic hair.

I don’t recall when I first started shaving my nether region, but I do know it’s been both a blessing and a curse since then. Once I was used to it, I became spoiled by the smoothness and now have a constant need to be bare down there. Being shaven makes me feel cleaner, fresher, sexier and even more confident. The drawback to this is that I shave daily which, in addition to taking up shower time, causes irritation and forces me to stock up on expensive razors often.

To combat this, I recently decided to try waxing for the first time. I have to admit, I had heard mixed reviews about Brazilians and was appropriately nervous for the event. My mom’s co-worker even took the time to advise me on the matter, joking that she or my mom would send me narcotics to prepare for the pain that was coming. On the other hand, my best friend gets waxed regularly and absolutely loves it and encouraged me to make an appointment.

For obvious reasons, I didn’t know exactly what to expect from my first waxing session. Honestly, the hardest part was growing the hair out. It drove me absolutely nuts to not shave at all for a couple weeks. The good news is that after some initial (read: 20 minutes worth of) intense labial pain, I was very pleased with the results. In the weeks since, my hair has seemed to grow in sparser and is less coarse. I haven’t been back yet, but I plan to give waxing another try in the future. In the meantime I’m back to shaving, though less regularly thanks to my wax.

The debate surrounding the obsession with females going bare is fascinating. Ashley Fetters, a Medill alumna and former Current editor, wrote an article for The Atlantic titled “The New Full-Frontal: Has Pubic Hair in America Gone Extinct?” which discusses, among other things, the influence of pornography on pubic hair upkeep and outlines trends in hair removal.

On the flipside, backlash to the bare trend is gaining popularity, as illustrated by American Apparel mannequins that got famous for their full bushes. Even celebrities such as Cameron Diaz and Gwyneth Paltrow have proclaimed their pro-pube feelings publicly.

But with all this debate, it’s important to remember that personal preference and comfort level outweigh “social norms” or fads. I once had a man ask me to go shave as we were hooking up — even though I had shaved earlier and was barely stubbly — so it wouldn’t “chafe him.” I found it rude, degrading and inappropriate, so please never do that to your partner. If you prefer a certain style of pubic hair, bring it up outside of the bedroom and have an open discussion about your preferences AND your partner’s.

The bottom line? How you handle your pubic hair should be based on what is more comfortable for you; don’t let anyone make you feel like being clean-shaven is a necessity or the only “sexy” option. As cliche as it is, the sexiest thing is confidence, so whether a bush or bare genitals does that for you, don’t be afraid to wear it with pride.

As always, stay safe and stay sexy!

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