So, is the bush back en vogue? Whether it’s style, statement or just pure laziness, it would seem that the beaver got its fur back. In 2000, when the episode of “Sex and the City” entitled “Sex and Another City” aired where Carrie Bradshaw got her first below-the-belt wax from the Russian esthetician, a trend was sparked: the bald vajayjay. Women began spending upwards of 60 dollars on Brazilian waxes to clear their landing strips. There is even an option for men, the Manzilian. The hairless mons also inspired other forms of genital luxuries like Vajazzling (vulva bling) and the Vagacial (a facial for your mons pubis). Are these trends going by the wayside?
Ms. Bradshaw was not the first one to make such a bold statement; in fact, the removal of pubic hair has quite the history. According to the website The Frisky, the ancient Egyptians would remove pubic hair with bronze or flint razors, the elite Greeks and Romans would pluck their crotch whiskers as soon as they came to the skin’s surface and merkins, or pubic wigs, were worn by prostitutes on their shaved ladyparts to cover signs of sexually transmitted diseases .
British physician Emily Gibson explains on the medical blog KevinMD, that going au naturel has its benefits, and there are reasons why there is scruff on the muff. “Pubic hair does have a purpose,” Gibson said, “providing a cushion against friction that can cause skin abrasion and injury, and protection from bacteria.” In other words, pubes are nature’s fluffy defense system.
However, there is one thing Gibson forgot to mention about the genital sweater: it kept pubic lice alive and thriving. When Brazilian trend was in full swing the occurrence of crabs decreased remarkably (in Britain by almost 30 percent).
“Every time I shave down there I think that it’s a good idea,” junior Rabbit said, “then the stubble grows back, and I get ingrown hairs and I remember how much I hate shaving. Sometimes I just get carried away with my razor in the shower, but I don’t necessarily think that when I shave it looks better.”
Getting rid of the below-the-belt beard is not only stubborn and often painful, it’s also not great for your epidermis and can cause greater issues than just ingrown hairs. Gibson says, “Pubic hair removal naturally irritates and inflames the hair follicles, leaving microscopic open wounds. Frequent hair removal is necessary to stay smooth, causing regular irritation of the shaved or waxed area. When that is combined with the warm, moist environment of the genitals, it becomes a happy culture media for some of the nastiest bacterial pathogens.”
Some students agree that hair is becoming a trend again, but the lawn has to be mowed and manicured. “I don’t think the bush is back necessarily, I think hair is back. It still has to be well kempt,” senior Hare said.
Of course, there are options other than going completely hairless, pubic hair is a spectrum ranging from “Full Bush” to “Topiary” to “Dead-of-Winter-Leafless-Bush.” You don’t have to commit to a particular style. “I like to switch it up either purposefully or not,” senior Bunny said, “when I have more time I like to rock different styles like the landing-strip or the Bermuda Triangle, but during midterms and finals I usually have the full bush going.”
Although there is some controversy over how much is too much, pubes are here and they’re here to stay. With the return of the pubic hair, one thing is for sure, we can finally get back to asking the most important question: “does the carpet match the drapes?”
