Your pubic hair
Everyone has pubic hair: hair on your genitals, also called pubes. Some people have a lot of pubic hair. Others have very little. Some people shave it or trim it; others leave it as it is. None of these options is healthier or more hygienic than the others are. Do whatever feels good for you.
Puberty
Your pubic hair starts growing during puberty. At first, it's sparse and like down, afterwards it gets thicker and denser.
Styles
There are always different styles in pubic hair. The trend used to be for women to leave their pubic hair as it was. Now you often see that women shave it all off, and sometimes men do too. You can go along with whatever is in fashion, but you don't have to. Do what you think is attractive, and feels good for you.
This is how to shave your pubic hair: 5 tips!
- You need: a razor and some shaving foam, or a mild shower gel. You can buy all these at chemists. There are special razor blades for women.
- Pull the skin taut with 1 hand, and use the other hand to shave yourself.
- Shave in the direction of the hair growth: that's the way to avoid little red lumps and ingrowing hair.
- Shave using short gentle strokes: the skin on your labia and armpits is sensitive.
- Make sure your razor is nice and sharp. When you’re using a blunt razor, you often have to shave the same spot twice, causing irritation. Make sure you don’t cut yourself.
Don’t want to shave, but do want less hair? 3 tips!
- Trim your pubic hair with scissors or a hair clipper. Advantage: less work, no stubble. Downside: hair is still visible. If you don’t want that, you’re better off shaving.
- Waxing: a wax strip (sticky stuff) sticks to the hairs. When you pull the strip off, the hairs are pulled out. Advantage: fast and you prevent stubble. Downside: it is painful and you need to get it done by a beautician.
- Laser treatment - the pubic hair is permanently removed. This is a good option if you have excessive hair growth. Downside: you need to get it done by a beautician and it’s not cheap.
Taking care of your body
When you hit puberty, your body changes. So it usually needs more looking after. Read what you can do if sweating and spots start to become a problem.
Taking care of your vulva and vagina
How do you take good care of your vulva and vagina? Read our tips!
Prevent a bladder infection
Women get bladder infections more easily than men do. That's because the urethra is shorter in women than in men. Read how you can prevent a bladder infection.
Female body
Read how the body changes during puberty, and what happens when a girl gets her periods. Also, read about how the vagina, vulva and clitoris work.