Unless you're going with a '70s throwback look where body hair was in style, most women know they're expected to keep the hair "down there" to a minimum. But mastering the technique is a huge pain -- not to mention confusing. Just a couple of years ago, it was all the rage to go completely bare (Brazilian), and before that, it was the "racing stripe." The styles change quickly. The methods of removal do not.

So what do YOU need to know about getting control of your pubic hair? Here's a primer for the common methods used to remove unwanted hair down there.

There are many different ways to shape and remove excess body hair. I like to use scissors to trim it down to a manageable length before I attempt to shape it up properly. Here are some options for removal, along with their pros and cons:

Shaving -- You can use a razor -- the same one you use on your legs and armpits -- to properly shape your pubic hair. Shaving your hair down there has a couple of drawbacks: You can easily nick the skin, cause ingrown hairs, and wind up with razor burn. The shaved hair will grow back within a couple of days, and when it does, the hair may feel coarse (as the hair shaft has a blunt tip from being shaved). As the hair grows back, it may make the pubic area very itchy and uncomfortable.

Bikini Wax -- You can buy home bikini waxing kits, but it's going to be a lot easier to simply go to the salon and have it done professionally. The upside to this method of hair removal is that it takes a few weeks for the hair to return. And when the hair does grow back, it may be thinner. The downside is that it can be pretty costly to maintain and, most importantly, the waxing process can hurt.

Depilatories -- These are the creams that you can purchase at most stories to remove hair. Be careful to choose one that specifically says it's safe to use in the pubic/bikini area. I happen to like this method because it's inexpensive and can be done at home. Before you go hog wild, however, test the product and wait 24 hours to make sure you're not allergic to it. Depilatories are great, but they can be irritating to the skin.

Tweezing -- It would take you weeks to properly tweeze your entire bikini area, so tweezing is not recommended to remove ALL the bikini-area hair -- just a few stray ones that are left behind after shaving or waxing. The hair will grow back pretty quickly (not as quickly as if you'd shaved it) and it hurts like crazy to do, but it's worth it for a few small stray hairs.

Do you have any other tips for removing the hair down there?

 

Image via photosteve101/Flickr