There are a lot of reasons why people shave their pubic hair. For many, they feel “cleaner” when it’s more bare down there. But according to science, it’s actually more hygienic to leave it as is than to shave. Check out all the reasons you shouldn’t shave your pubic hair.

Most women have shaved, trimmed or otherwise groomed their pubic hair. And more than half have even gone completely sans fur. The reasons why women and men remove their pubic hair varies, but many cite “hygiene reasons.” The truth is that it’s actually more hygienic to leave your pubic hair than it is to remove it. Pubic hair is a defense mechanism for your nether region. The growth of thick hair helps to trap dust, bacteria and other undesirable elements from invading your body. Scientists also believe that pheromones are trapped in your pubes, making you more desirable to sexual partners.

And while some people remove pubic hair for sexual pleasure, pubic hair actually acts as a kind of cushion to prevent painful friction when bumping and grinding.

When you remove pubic hair, not only are you removing your body’s natural barrier, you’re also leaving it open to new issues.

"Pubic hair removal naturally irritates and inflames the hair follicles left behind, leaving microscopic open wounds," explains Dr. Emily Gibson, MD. "When that irritation is combined with the warm moist environment of the genitals, it becomes a happy culture media for some of the nastiest of bacterial pathogens. Additionally, I've seen cellulitis (soft tissue bacterial infection without abscess) of the scrotum, labia, and penis from spread of bacteria from shaving or from sexual contact with strep or staph bacteria from a partner's skin."

You may also become more susceptible to STI’s as a result of sexual activity.

Although shaving was popular for a while, there’s a new interest in thicker hair from eyebrows to pubes, thanks to celebrities like Emma Watson proclaiming the use of Fur Oil as a way to soften up pubic hair without abolishing it.

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