Fridae

What is it?
This is going to be short and sweet: pubic hair is the hair that grows on and around your genitals. Depending on how hairy you are this can range from a soft downy "mustache" to a forest, covering not only the area "up front" but back on through the anal cleft as well. (And if you happen to catch the crabs, your forest can even have critters living in it!)

On most people, the "curtains match the carpet", that is to say that the hair color on your face usually tends to match the area around your privates. (Thus the question, "but is he or she a true blonde?").

Pubic hair is a secondary sexual characteristic meaning that it only appears at puberty and stays with you for the rest of your life and yes, it does turn gray along with your head hair.

What is it for?
In short, nobody really knows. It is likely to be an evolutionary holdover for indicating the onset of fertility or perhaps to trap the (yet undiscovered) "human pheromones". Many animals release special chemicals called pheromones to attract mates and there has been speculation for many years as to whether they exist in humans. The jury is still out. In any case, if they do exist, their effect is likely to be subtle since obvious behavioral changes would have been noticed by now.

Of particular concern to men
It is quite normal for some men to have hair on the lower end of the shaft of their penis. There is a less common condition in circumcised men called "hairy penis" in which the skin has been stretched up the shaft of the penis causing hair to grow much closer to the head.

How to care for it
As a general rule, it needs no special care other than what it gets during your normal showering or bathing with soap and water.

See our section on "Crabs" to learn about the most common STD affecting pubic hair.

Unlike the hair on your head or face, individual pubic hairs automatically fall out once they reach a certain length and so require no cutting to maintain. However, many people enjoy shaving or trimming their pubic hair for the way it feels or looks. Others take a lot of pleasure out of the experience of doing it to themselves or their partner. (Many men like to shave their testicles and most will tell you that it strongly increases the sensation of touch.)

---

Here are a few pointers to make the experience go a little more smoothly.

� Before shaving, take a long, warm bath. Shaving in the shower is also a good way to make sure that they skin is constantly lubricated.
� Be careful. Spread the skin gently before each stroke. It may be easier to trim the hair with clippers first before starting to shave for the first time. However, don't use electric clippers close to the skin, which on your testicles or your labia majora (the fleshier outer lips of your vagina) is much more elastic than on your face and can easily end up in the wrong place between the blades. Be careful of hair follicles (particularly on your scrotum) which are often raised and easily cut.
� Use a sharp blade. Don't go over an area more than twice with the razor: first time go "with the grain" to cut the hair, on the second stroke go "against the grain" for a close shave.
� If you want to shave the area around your anus, it's best to get somebody else to do it for you. Unless you are spectacularly agile, it's likely that you won't be able to see the area to shave it safely.
� Do not use shaving creams with strong perfumes like menthol. You will regret it as soon as they touch your more sensitive areas. Creams with aloe or other conditioners are a good idea.
� Most hair removal creams or lotions are too harsh for your pubic region. If you really want to try, however, test them in a very small spot before moving on to larger areas.
� Do not share razors with your partner because there can be a risk of transmitting blood-borne diseases including HIV and Hepatitis. Use disposable razors.
� It is important for you to try not to get nicked, particularly around the anus since bacteria from your bowel movements can cause infections.
� After shaving, wash the area thoroughly using an anti-bacterial soap. A little baby powder can help to reduce irritation due to perspiration.

Be warned: if you don't plan to keep the area shaved, you may go through a very itchy time when the hair grows back. This can last up to a week as the new hair comes in. People who exercise regularly may want to skip shaving altogether since the chafing associated with the movement of your limbs can be very uncomfortable.

Yes, you can artificially color your pubic hair, but it is tricky.
� If you're a brunette, you're probably out of luck. To have another color "take" on black hair will require you bleaching it to a lighter color before dying it. Bleaches (like peroxide) are severe irritants and will be very painful experience if you get them on any of your sensitive membranes (on or in the anus, penis or vagina).
� The experts recommend that you use the same dye you would use for a man's beard.
� Limit any coloring to the area "in front" (the pubic mound). Trying to color the hair between your legs or in your anal cleft will probably result in the dye getting into some pretty sensitive areas.