There are two reasons why every human should be thankful for pubic hair. For one thing (and this is especially the case for women), although they say that a little extra weight in the genitalia region provides more “cushion for the pushin,’” that actually applies to pubic hair too; the reason why is it helps to make the friction that comes with intercourse a more comfortable experience. Another reason to appreciate pubic hair? It can decrease the chances of infections being transmitted, including STIs/STDs.
To me, both of these provide enough just cause to want to share additional information on pubic hair, just as much as I possibly can. And while in the past, I’ve tackled things like, “Here Are The Pros And Cons About Different Types Of Pubic Hair Maintenance,” “Pubic Hair Turning White? It Could Mean More Than Just Aging.,” and “Yep. Pubic Hair Has Trends (And Specific Needs) Too.,” today I’m going to get into some things that you may have randomly questioned about your vulva’s hair that you didn’t know who (or how) to ask about.
Are you ready to learn more about pubic hair than you’ve possibly ever known before? Here ya go.
1. Pubic Hair Is Darker than the Hair on Your Head
It’s pretty common for pubic hair to be darker than the hair that is on your head. One reason is because its cuticle layers are thicker. Another is because the melanin that is in the hair follicles that are on your head is less than the melanin that is in the hair follicles that are around your genitalia. Then, once your hair follicles start to die off and less melanin is produced, your pubic hair starts to turn white or gray. It’s pretty common for you to see your first gray pubic hair in your 30s or 40s, by the way.
2. Pubic Hair Can Only Grow but So Long
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you never trimmed your pubic hair, for most people, not much. And by that, I mean that pubes tend to stop growing somewhere between ½”-1 ½ “; that’s because its growth cycle phase is much shorter than the one on your head.
3. Pubic Hair Makes Sex Feel More Comfortable
Here’s an interesting way to look at pubic hair — some health experts refer to it being a form a dry lubricant because it’s so much easier for hairs to rub against each other than skin. And when you’re having sex with someone, you definitely want the movements to be as effortless and comfortable as possible. So yes, if you’ve heard somewhere that pubic hair reduces friction during intercourse, that’s not a myth; that is absolutely correct.
4. Pubic Hair and Pheromones Work Hand in Hand
Since pubic hair is thicker, that explains why it tends to be a different texture from the hair that is on your head as well. And the curliness of it? That can actually work in your favor…at least as far as bedroom activities are concerned. That’s because some health experts believe that the curls of pubic hair make it easier for them to trap the kind of pheromones that make you more (sexually) appealing to your partner.
And since many men tend to really enjoy the natural scent of a healthy woman’s vagina while a man’s pheromones help to put women in a better mood while making her hornier in the process — well, those both sound like good reasons to keep at least a little curly hair going on down there.
5. A Good Amount of People Remove Hair Before Sex (Especially Oral Sex)
Several years back, while I was in a session with a married couple, the wife mentioned that she was glad that she was finally receiving cunnilingus more often. What the husband immediately said in response, I must admit, it tickled me: “Well, that’s what tends to happen over here when the jungle turns into a golf course.” He’s not alone in feeling that way, either, because studies reveal that most people are likely to receive more oral sex when they groom regularly, down below.
What I find to be interesting is what that actually looks like based on gender. While a whopping 73 percent of men prefer that there is no (pubic) hair on a woman, only 56 percent of women prefer that to be the case (personally, I am not one of them; I just need things to be well-manicured). Something that didn’t surprise me is the fact that young people seem to be more caught up in all of this than older people are. That tracks.
6. Shaving Is Most Preferred. Waxing Isn’t As Popular As You Might Think.
Several years back, a study on pubic hair was conducted at the University of California-San Francisco. A little over 3,300 women between the ages of 18-65 were asked about their pubic hair maintenance practices, and 62 percent said that they either shaved or waxed off all of their pubic hair, while 22 percent trimmed, and only 16 percent did nothing. Their findings also revealed that going completely bald was most popular among white, college-educated women.
Meanwhile, a similar study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Texas. It featured almost 1,700 women between the ages of 18-40. What they shared is that 77 percent preferred to remove pubic hair by shaving it off, while only 16 percent waxed, which is kind of a trip when you think about how popular the Brazilian wax continues to be. Hmph.
7. Pubic Hair Can Intensify Clitoral Stimulation
If you’ve ever attempted plucking a pubic hair (maybe because one is ingrown or something), you already know how uncomfortable that is. That’s because each pubic hair follicle is attached to a nerve, and that is what makes this point make so much sense.
Yet one more reason why you might want to keep some pubic hair around is if your partner gently pulls or tugs on the ones that are on your pubic mound, that could actually intensify how stimulated your clitoris becomes. Try it. You just might like it.
8. Pubic Hair Needs an Exfoliant and Conditioner
As for me personally, when it comes to self-care and maintenance for my skin, two things that I try to get a few times a year is a back facial and a vajacial (which I agree with one author who said that it should actually be called a vulvacial since the treatment focuses on the outer part of the vagina). The back is because, even though I adore my African Net Sponges, since I can’t actually see all of my back, I like having an esthetician thoroughly tend to it. And my vajacials — well, not only does it pamper my vulvar skin that is waxed, it can also soften my pubic hair and remove/prevent any ingrown hairs and hyperpigmentation that may be going on in that space.
That said, if you want to treat your vulvar skin yourself, use some exfoliating gloves to exfoliate that area and then apply some conditioner to your pubic hair in order to soften it up a bit. As far as the gloves go, apply gentle pressure and rub in circular motions. Also, if you recently had a wax appointment, wait 48 hours before exfoliating, so that you don’t irritate that part of your body. Conditioner-wise, a regular conditioner is fine; just make sure to avoid having it get inside of your labia or into your vagina as much as possible, so that the ingredients of the conditioner don't irritate it.
9. Apparently, a Hot Trend Is Full Bushes in Bikinis Right Now
It’s your hair, so do with it what you will. That said, though, I must admit that I did “pause and ponder” when I recently read that a pubic hair trend right now is rocking full bushes while in a bikini. Honestly, that leaves me with so many questions that I’m just gonna say that if you’re — pardon the pun — big on trends, that’s what’s hot with pubes, so…go with God on this one. LOL.
10. Pubic Hair Thins with Age
A hormone that’s produced at an accelerated rate during puberty is something that is known as androgens. Although males produce them more, we have them as well, and a part of what they do is help our bodies to produce pubic hair. Anyway, as we age (especially once we’re post-menopause), our bodies tend to produce fewer androgens, which can result in thinning pubic hair and even pubic hair loss. After menopause, this will start to become more obvious.
___
If you already knew about all of this, I’m impressed. Do me a solid and spread the word to others.
Something that never ceases to amaze me about the human body is that all of its parts serve super relevant and necessary purposes.
As you can see, pubic hair is not exempt. Not at all.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Shutterstock
RELATED
When I asked a few women I know if they ever tried that before, I was surprised to discover that not only had they, but many didn’t treat it as some random social media fad — they actually still do it to this day. Partly, because it’s fun to them and partly because their partner(s) seem to go crazy for it.
Listen, any time something sexual works like a charm, I’m going to shout it out — (late) trend or not. And so, if you’ve never heard of the whole coconut thing, you tried it and forgot all about it, or you just want to try something new/different/else tonight — here’s a reminder, in article form, that coconut-ting is still alive and well, y’all. And the men are all about it!
But First, The Grapefruit Technique
Video Credit: Myem/YouTube (Funny part starts at 2:40)
If this woman is not familiar to you on sight, you ain’t a real one. LOL. Although I know that a lot of people think that the concept of grapefruiting came from the movie Girls Trip (you can see the clip from the film here) that absolutely is not the case. Auntie Angel (whose real name is reportedly Denise Walker) is the creator of the Grapefruit Technique and although I thought that this video came out way earlier, apparently it made its way onto the YouTube streets sometime back in 2014.
If for some reason, you’re not familiar with grapefruiting on any level, I will tell you right now that I had to download this video because it is absolutely NSFW — so you should probably watch it on your lunch break (on your phone with the volume as low as possible) or at home…because chile, the sound effects? Whew, the sound effects. LOL. However, when I sat down to pen this piece, I thought it was hilarious that this video is what immediately came to mind because it seems like, when it comes to “blow his mind sex hacks,” fruit is constantly on the menu.
When it comes to oral sex, it’s grapefruit.
When it comes to ride ‘em cowgirl, it’s a coconut.
What Is the “Coconut” Sex Trend?
@windy_moraba #duet with @mysteri0us.gir1 spell coconut with your waist 😂😂😂
Okay, so what in the world does a coconut have to do with intercourse? Well, for starters, if you and your partner are looking for an all-natural lubricant, coconut oil works well. HOWEVER, do keep in mind that the disclaimer on this is you shouldn’t use it if condoms are in the mix because they can actually cause rubbers to be less effective (silicone lube is a solid bet for condoms, by the way).
There is another way that coconuts are kinda-sorta incorporated when it comes to making sex more pleasurable — and it actually became pretty popular right after COVID lockdown (2021): spelling C-O-C-O-N-U-T with your hips while you’re on top of your partner.
It’s wild how I forgot all about this until a client of mine was telling me how much her husband liked her on top while it wasn’t her favorite thing to do because it felt awkward to her. When I said, “Have you ever heard of spelling ‘coconut’ with your hips before?” — at first, she looked at me like I was crazy and then she busted out laughing: “Girl, no” was her reply.
Hmph. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it because, as wild as it might sound on the surface, the word isn’t the point so much as the movements that come with spelling it out are.
When you’re moving your pelvis around to make a “c,” “o” or U-turn, not only does it intensify the level of sensation that both you and your partner feel during intercourse, it can also increase the level of blood circulation to both of your genitalia which can make your orgasms more satisfying too.
At the end of the day, spelling “coconut” is simply reminding you that there are more options to riding than simply sitting there while your partner pumps for all he’s worth or you humping up and down like you’re on a pogo stick.
Spelling “coconut” is an easy hack to bring some variety into cowgirling. However…
Honestly, the “Fruit” Isn’t the Point. THIS IS.
GiphyFrom grapefruiting and spelling “coconut” to reading articles that I’ve penned for the platform like “How To Improve The Taste Of Sperm” — fruit and sex are always going to be a winning combination, one way or another. However, the main point of this article isn’t about making sure that you are a master speller so much as providing you with tips that will make the cowgirl position something that you are confident about and you find a ton of fulfillment in doing.
You can make both of these things happen by incorporating the following things:
Stretch beforehand. A charley horse during sex is the worst thing ever — and chile, don’t let it be right before you’re about to climax. SMDH. Yeah, if you want to feel more comfortable when you’re on top, make sure that you stretch beforehand and that you are well-hydrated. That will reduce the chances of experiencing a totally-out-of-nowhere muscle spasm — whether you decide to “spell” during sex or…not.
Bring pillows into the mix. Sometimes riding is a challenge because your partner feels farther away from your body than you would like. Putting a pillow underneath him can help to elevate his pelvis, so that you don’t feel like you’re stretching and straining. Speaking of pillows, a longer one can really come in handy because it can give your knees some additional support as well.
Also, ask him to put his knees up. Speaking of making the “grind” easier for you, ask your partner to put his knees up. That way, your back can recline on his legs as you’re moving your hips around. You’d be amazed how much this one hack can do for you. Straight up.
Add lube. When you get a chance, check out “The Wetter, The Better: 10 Creative Ways To Use Lubricant” and you will automatically see why bringing lubrication into a cowgirl session is an absolute must. It reduces friction. It makes your movements glide with ease. And it’s just more fun. Promise you that.
Lean in. If your partner happens to be on the larger side of life, one way that you can control his depth is by leaning forward into him. That way, your hips can better control how much or little he is inside of you, so that you can get into a position that gives you the sensation that you are looking for.
Get him to multitask. Again, whether you are spelling “coconut” or not and whether you are riding cowgirl or reverse cowgirl — something that is awesome about being on top is it frees your partner’s hands to do, umm, other things. And since it is so much easier to have an orgasm while your clitoris is being stimulated, get your partner to put some of the lube that we discussed earlier on his fingertips, so that he can gently rub on your clitoris while you are riding him. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Don’t wanna spell? Hula Hoop then. What if you try the whole coconut thing and it’s not a favorite for you (or him)? No problem — when’s the last time that you hula hooped? Pretend that you have one of those around your hips and move around that way. I’d be shocked if you ended up feeling “meh” about that option.
5 Guys Tell Me What They Love When Their Partner Is on Top
GiphyA part of the reason why I am “team cowgirl” is because it provides a lot of benefits to the woman: she has more control, it tends to be more comfortable for her, it’s a great position for a quickie and the orgasms tend to be that much more — wonderful. However, as I was thinking about spelling coconut, in general, I couldn’t help but wonder what guys thought about it and the cowgirl position overall.
If you’re curious, here’s what five of ‘em said.
1. Braxford. Engaged. 35. “Y’all be spelling up there? Who knew? My favorite thing about when my fiancée is on top is what I think every man likes: the view. It’s a chance to see her entire body and experience it at the same time. Not even doggy style accomplishes that. Damn, where’s my lady at?”
2. Denez. Single. 42. “Do you know how many ‘spots’ you have access to when y’all are on top? Breasts are in my mouth. Hickeys are on her neck. Prop my head up on a pillow and her tummy is getting licked. When a woman is riding you, it’s sensory overload! It’s crazy how each one looks amazing in that position too.”
3. Omar. In a Serious Relationship. 29. “[He said her name yet I’m not going to share it] isn’t a very vocal lover. Her body and technique are insane, so even though I love dirty talk, I’ve learned to compromise — except when she’s on top. She’s not saying much but those moans? And yeah, we tried the coconut thing. ‘Cs’ and ‘Os,’ hell yeah. ‘Ns’ and “Ts’? Nah.”
4. Nolen. Single. 45. “45 isn’t old but it’s old enough for your back to show out on you when you least expect it. My experience has been that women don’t want a lot of thrusting when they are on top, so it’s like having some of the best sex without having to do much at all. Well, aside from trying not to bust too quickly. I take that back: riding is easy on the body; it’s work on the brain.”
5. Ivan. Married. 37. “I like the spelling sh-t because it switches things up. We make a game out of it by her picking a word and spelling out while I try and guess what it is. We also try to see how many words that we can get to before one of us cums. 12 words is pushing it unless it’s like ‘dog’ or ‘cat’ or something. I’ve guessed ‘coconut’ a few times and I get what the excitement is all about. Spelling bee sex: try it.”
Yep. I concur.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Giphy