Whether you rock a bold bush or slay a bald eagle, there are countless ways you can groom your hair down there. But how do you shave your pubes without turning your crotch into “The Itchy & Scratchy Show”?

Here’s your ultimate guide to shaving, trimming, and grooming your pubic hair.

All over the world, people are shaving, trimming, and waxing their pubes. Need some proof?

During a 2015 study, researchers asked 1,110 participants (671 women and 439 men) about their pube grooming preferences. A whopping 95 percent of all peeps had groomed or removed their pubes in the past 4 weeks. Additionally, 82 percent of women and 49 percent of men said shaving was their hard removal technique of choice.

OK, but whyyy do people prefer a groomed genital region? Well, according to a 2017 survey, participants gave the following reasons for shaving their shaggy:

  • hygiene
  • comfort
  • social norms
  • partner’s preference
  • making oral sex more appealing

Ready to give your minge a new dope ‘do? Here are the best ways to shave, trim, and groom your vajayjay.

Choose your fighter

Before we dive into the shaving deets, here’s an overview of popular pube styles for peeps who have a punani.

  • Heart. For lovers ❤️.
  • Brazilian. Everything must go.
  • Postage stamp. A little square!
  • Mohawk. Like a landing strip but thicker.
  • Landing strip. An inch-wide vertical path.
  • French. Business up front, party in the back.
  • Bikini. Remove the pubes that peek out of your panty line.
  • Bermuda triangle (aka martini glass). A triangle facing up or down, totes up to you.

Step-by-step guide to shaving your vagina

  1. Trim your pubes. Trimming off excess hair will make shaving a lot easier. Just be sure to use hair scissors or a hair trimmer. A blunt or rusty pair of scissors you found in the back of the junk drawer won’t cut it (literally).
  2. Exfoliate before you annihilate. Exfoliate the area with a gentle scrub. This helps slough off dead skin cells which helps you get a closer shave and reduces your risk of ingrown hairs. But, be careful not to rub too hard. This can cause irritation or burning on your more sensitive bits.
  3. Use shaving cream. Fragrance-free is best — apply liberally.
  4. Go with the grain. Pull your skin taut and shave in the direction your pubes are growing to avoid enraging your hair follicles.
  5. Rinse and dry. Use lukewarm water to clean off any excess product or hairs. Then, gently pat the area dry with a clean towel.
  6. Moisturize. When it comes to lotion, fragrance-free is the way to be.

Lots of peeps shave their peen on the reg.

During a 2017 study, researchers surveyed 4,198 men about their personal pube preferences. About 50.5 percent reported regular pubic hair grooming — 87 percent groomed the hair above their penis, 66 percent shaved their scrotum, and 57 percent shaved the penile shaft.

Choose your fighter

Folks with a vagine aren’t the only ones who can have fun styling their pubes! Here are some pubic hair styling ideas for folks who have a dong.

  • Briefs. The equivalent of the bikini — everything that pokes out of your underwear goes.
  • Lion’s mane. Remove all the hair from your balls and the base of your penis. Psst. This can make your schlong look bigger… Not that you need that of course.
  • The trim. Keep the full coverage but just take it down a notch. It’s a good choice if you don’t want to shave any hair completely off.
  • Minimalist. Shave all the hair above the penis but keep everything else au naturel. This is handy if you’re uber afraid of nicking your scrote.
  • Landing strip. Shave above the pubic area but leave the penis alone. Voilà!

The penis

Lots of folks grow hair along the shaft of their penis. Here’s how you can get rid of it (at least in the short-term).

  1. Cut back. Trim the hair around your pubic area and shaft with either scissors or a hair trimmer.
  2. Get damp. Spritz some lukewarm water over your Johnson. This will make them easier to shave.
  3. Lather. Use cream, gel, or moisturizer.
  4. Use a clean razor. Shave around the shaft and pubic area.
  5. Rinse and pat dry. You’re done!

The balls

To quote Dr. Evil, “There’s nothing quite like a shorn scrotum. It’s breathtaking, really. I suggest you try it yourself.” Here’s how.

  1. Trim the hair. The easiest way to do this is with one leg propped up on a sturdy surface. Pull the skin taut with one hand and use the other to carefully trim.
  2. Soak. Dip your balls in warm water. Just like bobbing for apples!
  3. Shaving cream. Lather up with a high quality shaving cream. Shaving gel also works.
  4. Get to shaving. Prop up your legs one at a time to get to those hard-to-reach places. Make sure you go with the flow (i.e., shave in the direction the hair grows).
  5. Rinse and pat dry. That’s it!

Sometimes your booty needs some TLC too. Here are some tips to help you shave your butt crack.

  • Get a good view. Unless you’re a member of an Olympic gymnastics team you’re going to need a mirror. Seriously.
  • Give it a trim. Use an electric razor for best results. A razor can be hard to navigate in that area.
  • But if you do use a razor… Make sure it’s sharp and clean. A rusty old one-blade won’t do the trick and can cause irritation. Also, don’t dry shave. Always use a lubricant to help the blade smoothly go across your skin.
  • Wash up. Splash some cool water on the area to help close the pores.

Rashes, bumps, and burns, oh my! These are all common symptoms of bad shaving habits. Here are some tips to help you reduce your risk.

Rashes

  • Shave in the direction your hair is growing.
  • Avoid using harsh after-shave products or scented lotions.
  • Apply a lubricant (i.e., soap or shaving cream) before shaving.
  • Don’t scratch a rash! It’s only going to make it worse. Trust us.

Bumps

  • Exfoliate your skin before you shave.
  • Shave in the direction your hair is growing.
  • Let my people grow! Let the hair grow out until the bumps disappear.
  • Shave less frequently. The more often you shave the more likely you are to get bumps.

Razor burns

  • Use short, gentle strokes and rinse your blade frequently.
  • Apply a cold washcloth to the area and apply aloe or avocado oil.
  • Rinse the area first and then apply lotion, aftershave, or another kind of moisturizer.

Any time you’re introducing blades to your genitals things have the potential to go south fast. In fact, about 1 in 4 people will accidentally injure themselves while mowing south of the border. Ouchie. Here’s a rundown of the possible risks.

  • Shaving with a razor can be dangerous. In a 2017 study, researchers found that using a razor increases your risk of infection and dysplasia (pre-cancerous cell growth) of the vulva, particularly in those who shave their labia.
  • Skin irritation. Rashes. Razor burns. Bumps. Contact dermatitis. This is most often caused by using dirty razors.
  • Genital burns. Wax is hot. So unless you really know what you’re doing, go to a professional.
  • Ingrown hairs. This happens when hair that’s been shaved, waxed, or trimmed grows sideways into your skin. They can be annoying AF so be sure to exfoliate before you shave.
  • Increased risk of STIs. Open wounds (even small ones) increase your risk of contracting blood-borne pathogens.

So, what if you want to get rid of hair down there but don’t want to run extremely sharp blades over your incredibly sensitive nether regions? Here are some other great options.

  • Waxing. Waxing is done by applying warm strips of wax onto your pubes before tearing them off to pull the hairs out by their follicles. Sound painful? It is! But this is a good alternative if you get itchy from shaving. Plus, it leaves you feeling smoother than the 1999 Grammy Winning #1 Hit “Smooth” by Carlos Santana feat. Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20.
  • Threading. This works by wrapping very thin threads around the hairs and pulling them out by their roots. Like waxing, it’s prob best to leave this to the professionals.
  • Chemical depilatories. These are creams that weaken the keratin so the hairs come loose and can be wiped off with a towel or gentle exfoliating sponge. You should prob avoid them if you have sensitive skin.
  • Electrolysis. This process provides long-term results by blasting energy into the follicles with a futuristic-looking device.
  • Laser hair removal. This is a semi-permanent method that uses concentrated light beams to remove the actual hair follicles under your skin.
  • Trimming. Don’t want to go the full monty? Just use an electric razor or scissors to take a little off the top.

Whether you want to wax ’em, shave ’em or just leave them au naturel, you have no end of options when it comes to what to do with your pubes. Just be sure to use clean razors, be safe, and do whatever makes you feel good about yourself. Don’t let anyone dictate what you should do with your body.