Pubic hair, bush, carpet, fluff, fur, fuzz, nest, rug,
short and curlies etc. Whatever you call it, every human has it, and it seems to greatly affect what people think of it, what it looks like, and whether and how it is managed, or not.

Talking about pubic hair is not new to me. As you can imagine, over the more than twelve years that I have been in the swinger lifetsyle, I have had this conversation with potential playmates many times, and also seen many different ways (styles) in which people wear their pubic hair.

In the swingers lifestyle, you will get to see many different shapes and sizes of bodies,  with as many different approaches when it comes to pubic hair.

While I personally prefer clean shaved pubes in a playmate, and consider anything less than smooth a turn-off, I am not here to tell you whether you should shave it, trim it or let it grow wild.  Whether you choose to remove none, all, or some of your pubic hair is a personal choice, which can be influenced by the media, your sexual partners, social influences and societal norms.

In this article I shall instead focus on the various theories behind why humans have pubic hair in the first place, and why people are so concerned with growing, trimming, styling it or removing it completely.

I think that we will agree that having other people being attracted to us physically and finding us sexually appealing is important enough to clean and condition our bodies to perfection. We dress sexily, we flirt, we flaunt our hairless limbs and display our sexual signals with the use of make-up, flattering clothing and heels etc. Through various influences, we are even taught that smooth pubes are sexy, but is there any scientific data to support this?

Researchers do not fully understand why humans have pubic hair, but theorize that the main purposes of pubic hair in the human body are to reduce friction on the genitals during sexual intercourse and other activities, prevents the transmission of bacteria and other pathogens, keeps the genitalia warm and moisturized, signals the ability to reproduce, and traps pheromones.

However, well-controlled scientific studies have not shown any compelling evidence for any of this.  Let us now examine each of the theorized purposes and the researched facts behind them:

1. Reducing friction
Since the skin on the genital region is delicate, it is theorized that pubic hair acts like a protective buffer, reducing friction during sexual intercourse and other activities where chafing may occur. Some sources even refer to pubic hair as a “dry lubricant.” because it’s easier to rub hair against hair than it is to rub skin against skin.

Research on the other hand has shown that some women prefer the more intense feels that are experienced in the absence of pubic hair, depending on how much stimulation women prefer, and how much stimulation or pressure they require to achieve orgasm.

2. Protection from bacteria and other pathogens
It is theorized that pubic hair serves a similar function to eyelashes or nose hair, by trapping dirt, debris, and potentially harmful micro-organisms, and further that hair follicles also produce an oil (sebum) which prevents bacteria from reproducing, thereby offering limited protection against bacteria and other pathogens.

In reality though, research showed quite the opposite. Pubic hair provided an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and there is no question that having hair-free pubes is cleaner simply because of this fact. It was found that more kinds of bacteria live in pubic hairs - approximately 73 kinds in males and 76 kinds in females.  The kinds of pubic hair bacteria stayed roughly the same for 5 months and could be used to identify an  individual's personal pubic hair bacteria signature.  Pubic hair also offers no protection 
from genital warts and STDs that result from skin-to-skin contact since pubic hair alone is not sufficient enough to protect against STDs, and could, in fact, help the virus thrive. A Chinese study concluded that HPV present in a man’s pubic hair could lead to HPV-related issues in their female partner.

3. Keeping the genitalia warm and moisturized.
Another theory about pubic hair is that it may also keep the genitals warm, which is an important factor in sexual arousal and reproduction.

While this may have been a critical factor in days past, when early man did not wear proper clothes, this is no longer the case. Underwear and clothing sufficiently insulate the genitals against cold, thereby eliminating this function of pubic hair.

4. Signals the ability to reproduce
Pubic hair usually appears at puberty, and is an obvious physical sign of sexual maturity, and consequently, an individual's ability to reproduce. While this may well have served as a visual cue of sexual maturity to prospective mates, this is no longer the case since society as a whole frowns upon and even criminalizes sexual reproduction with persons below a certain physical age.

5. Traps pheromones
Another theory is that pubic hair traps pheromones, or scent-carrying chemical secretions that affect sexual mood and behavior, though not enough is known about this. Pheromones are secreted from apocrine sweat glands  which are more prolific in the pubic region compared to other areas of the body. It is thought that pubic hair may trap pheromones, thereby increasing how attractive one appears to potential sex partners.

The reality is that you will have more of an odor or a smell if you have pubic hair, or do not groom because the bacteria populations are going to thrive there. Pubic hair will also trap dirt, sweat, oil, genital secretions, urine residue, and menstrual blood. It then depends entirely upon your sexual partner whether or not they are attracted or repulsed by such smell.



7580 people were surveyed, if which 59% of women and 61% of men stated that they groomed their pubic region for hygienic reasons.
In another survey conducted, 76% out of the 600 persons surveyed shaved their pubic hair, while 21% trimmed and styled their pubic hair instead, also for hygienic reasons.  These statistics are very much in line with my own observations and experiences in the lifestyle.

The amount of hair in the pubic region varies from person to person, and there is no standard for the amount, thickness, or the area that pubic hair will cover.  Like all other areas of the body, pubic hair does require regular cleaning, and should be washed whenever you shower or bathe, in order to help prevent funky or offensive odours. your pubic hair does have some risks and potential side effects, but most are mild.

Grooming pubic hair has been common practice for centuries, and some theories link this to the porn industry, where hairless pubes is the norm, causing lots of people remove their pubic hair to conform to this aesthetic standard. 

In the same survey involving 7580 persons as aforesaid,  31,5%  of women reported grooming their pubic hair because they believed it would make their genitals more attractive. In the same survey, men were found to be less likely than women to groom for this reason.

21,1% of women participants in the survey attributed their pubic hair grooming habits to partner preference, with a similar percentage of men stating the same. It was also found that men were more likely than women to report a preference for a sexual partner without pubic hair, while women were more likely to prefer that their partner has trimmed, partially shaved or waxed pubic hair.

Other participants in the survey, said that removing their pubic hair was simply a matter of personal preference; citing comfort, routine, and sexual confidence as motivating factors, while some were of the opinion that removing their pubic hair increased their genital sensation during sexual activity, suggesting that there is a link between pubic hair removal and self-reported sexual functioning.

If you decide to trim your pubic hair short, take care not to trim excessively short because it can become prickly. Instead try to leave it just long enough so that the hairs bend easily when you push on the ends of it.   

If you prefer shaving clean, bear in mind that shaving aggressively and  really close to the skin without using some kind of emollient shave cream, is going to make you more prone to breaking or nicking the skin, allowing the bacteria that naturally live in the pubic region to get under the skin and cause bumps and infections. As an alternative consider other hair-removal methods such as waxing or laser hair removal.

Some of the things you can do to reduce your risk of an injury or infection during and after grooming your pubes are as follows:

• Wash yourself beforehand to help prevent the transmission of bacteria.

• Disinfect your razor blade or scissors and change blades often. Make sure all of the tools you need for the job are disinfected. Change razor blades on a regular basis, and avoid using the scissors you use to trim for other things.

• Use a handheld mirror. Make sure you can see what you’re doing, and go slowly.

• Keep skin moist and lathered. If you’re shaving, your skin should be wet. Use soap suds or shaving gel to keep the area lubricated.

• Proceed in the direction of your hair growth. For smoother results and less irritation, trim or shave your hair in the same direction it grows in.

• Moisturize after your shave or wax to help soothe irritated skin. Use a natural oil or lotion to prevent skin from drying out.

• Avoid tight clothes for a few days after as wearing your underwear too close to your skin can worsen irritation. If you can, opt for loose underwear after a fresh shave.

• Exfoliate regularly and use a gentle loofah or scrub to remove dead skin.

Whatever you decide to do with your pubic hair is entirely up to you, but if you are expecting to be successful in finding suitable play mates in the swingers lifestyle, do not be surprised if a potential play mate refuses to engage with you only because you have pubic hair. You really cannot blame him/her for imagining all manner of dirt, urine residue, and other juices/fluids matted in your genital hair.

Be practical.  Pubic hair can get pushed or pulled during sex, which can then make intercourse uncomfortable for both partners.  Pubic hair can also tickle the nose, or smell really bad, making it very challenging and uncomfortable to perform oral sex on the person with pubic hair

As a rule, I never perform oral sex on anyone, either male or female with pubic hair,  because I absolutely refuse to floss while eating!!