When it comes to ladyscaping, there's really no hassle-free method. Shaving requires gymnastic-like abilities to reach all your nether region nooks and fighting the urge to scream profanities during a bikini wax is an exercise in superhuman restraint. But a lot of women choose to go bare down there anyway.
If skipping all the fuss (and pain) and going au naturel sounds like your next move, here's what you can expect:
You’ll have fewer ingrown hairs.
If you've shaved and especially if you've waxed, you may have had your fair share of pesky ingrown hairs. "When you pull out a hair it can recoil and start to grow downward instead of up," explains Dr Jeannette Graf. "That can lead to inflammation, redness, itching and sometimes even cysts." Exfoliating the area can help keep ingrown hairs at bay, but ditching your hair removal routine altogether ensures that they'll be a thing of the past.
You'll see less hyperpigmentation.
For some women, hair removal can lead to skin discolouration. "The friction from short hairs rubbing against skin or clothing can lead to inflammation, and in an effort to protect itself, the skin will produce extra melanin, thereby darkening the area," says cosmetologist Kevin Mendelson. "And laying out in the sun in a bathing suit only makes things worse. UV exposure increases melanin production, which can cause the discoloured area to darken even more." Going natural can prevent hyperpigmentation from worsening.
Your skin will be less inflamed.
You know how a grooming session leaves you with itchy, dry skin? It's not surprising—it's your body's natural reaction. "We have pubic hair for a reason," says Dr Larry Shapiro. "It protects us from rubbing and irritation and holds on to oils that help moisturise the skin. When you're not removing hair, the skin will be softer, more supple and less inflamed."
Your hair won’t really be thicker.
That's just a rumour. "When you allow hair to grow in, it may initially appear to be thicker. That's because shaving cuts hair at a blunt angle and exposes the cross section of the shaft, creating a temporary illusion," says Dr Joshua Zeichner. A week or two in, and you'll likely see that your hair isn't any thicker than before.
You’ll discover your preferences.
Whether or not you choose to remove hair from any part of your body should be a personal decision, but that's not always the case. A study found that 21% of women groomed down there because their partner asked them to. One of the more empowering perks of ditching the razors and wax is learning more about what works for you, says Shapiro, whether that's returning to your grooming routine or rocking a bush.
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