The History of Shaved Pubic Hair

Pubic hair removal — whether partial trimming, full shaving or waxing — might feel like a modern beauty choice, but its roots go deep into human history. From ancient Egypt and Rome to 20th-century pop culture and beyond, the practice of shaving or removing pubic hair has carried meanings of hygiene, status, eroticism, fashion and even survival.

In this article we’ll trace the major eras, cultural drivers, gender differences, technological innovations and social contexts of the shaved (or groomed) pubic hair trend.

Pre-history & Ancient Civilizations

Ancient Egypt

Some of the earliest known evidence of hair removal comes from ancient Egypt. Women used razors made of seashells, copper blades, pumice stones and sugar-based pastes (a primitive form of what we now call “sugaring”) to remove body hair.

In particular, pubic hair was sometimes removed or minimized in ancient Egyptian culture — removal signaled cleanliness, civilization and social class.
One article notes: “The first razors made from seashells were used by women … Egyptians also removed hair with sugar-based waxes …”

Another notes: “In Ancient Egypt, some women removed their public hair through copper razors, flintstones, and a process called ‘sugaring’…”

Ancient Greece & Rome

Moving into ancient Greece and Rome, we find that hair removal of both body and pubic hair was practiced, but with layered meanings. According to Wikipedia: “In both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, the removal of body and pubic hair may have been practiced among both men and women.”

In Rome, lack of body hair came to be seen among the upper class as a sign of refinement, luxury and leisure. For example: “Wealthy women and men used razors made from flints, tweezers, creams, and stones to remove excess hair. In fact, even pubic hair was considered uncivilized.”

Thus in early civilizations, removing pubic hair was less about “trends” as we think today, and more about class, hygiene, status and ritual.

Other Ancient Cultures

Beyond the Mediterranean/­Egyptian world, hair removal also appears in other cultures. For example, according to an article: “Evidence of pubic hair removal in ancient India is thought to date back to 4000 to 3000 BC.”

So the idea of grooming the mons pubis or pubic region isn’t new—it just has taken very different forms across time and place.

Medieval & Renaissance Periods

Medieval Europe

In the medieval period (roughly 5th to 15th centuries in Europe) the norms around body hair, including pubic hair, shifted somewhat. One Italian-language source (Wikipedia in Italian) states: “Radere completamente il pube era pratica comune presso le prostitute nel medioevo …” (‘completely shaving the pubic region was common practice among prostitutes in the Middle Ages …’)
Also: “A bas-relief from the 12th century showing a woman shaving her pubic hair…” demonstrates that the practice was represented iconographically.
So in some medieval contexts, pubic hair removal was less about general beauty norms for all women and more about particular classes or statuses—often associated with sex work or hygiene in that profession.

Renaissance & Early Modern Europe

As Europe moved into the Renaissance and early modern era, notions of beauty, the body and public appearance changed. Having a “hairless” body (or at least minimal visible hair) became linked to ideals of cleanliness, refinement and even seduction.

For example: The “merkin”—a pubic wig—was used from around the 15th century onward: “Women would shave their pubic hair for personal hygiene and to combat pubic lice. They would then put on a merkin.”

Thus, shaving or hair removal in the pubic region had become a meaningful part of body grooming and social signaling.

19th-Century to Early 20th Century

Shaving and Hair Removal Technology

In the 19th century, developments in personal grooming (such as safety razors for men) made hair removal more accessible. Although much of the focus was on leg, underarm and head hair removal, pubic grooming began to increasingly participate in broader beauty culture. One academic study on American hair removal notes that by the early 20th-century, magazines and advertisers were encouraging women to remove not just underarm hair but often body hair more broadly.
However, full removal of pubic hair was still not the norm for most women in Western society.

The Rise of Swimwear & Visibility

One key driver of change was fashion—bathing suits became smaller, swimsuits exposed more skin, and thus what was visible (and hidden) mattered more. As legs, underarms and torso became exposed, hair removal became more common in those areas—and the pubic region began to be groomed for the bikini line or swimsuit coverage.

For example: “The popularity of even briefer swimwear… has led to the removal of more pubic hair.”
So removal of pubic hair shifted from exclusive hygiene or status practice toward one connected to visibility, eroticism, and modern beauty norms.

Mid-20th Century to Late 20th Century

1950s–70s: Swimwear, Media & Grooming

In the post-war era, fashion and media accelerated the grooming culture. The bikini (introduced in 1946) and other skimpy swimwear meant that the bikini line and pubic area came into sharper focus. The notion of a tidy pubic region became more common.

The article on bikini waxing notes: “Styles of pubic hair modification include… removal of all pubic hair from the pelvic region, labia, perineum, and anus…” and links this trend to minimal swimwear.

Thus by the 1960s and 70s, while most women did not completely remove all pubic hair, more were trimming or removing hair in areas revealed by swimwear.

1980s–1990s: Brazilian Wax & Mainstreaming of “Bare”

A major milestone in pubic hair history is the rise of the Brazilian wax. According to Wikipedia: “Brazilian waxing (or the sphinx wax) is the removal of all pubic hair from the pelvic region, labia, perineum, and anus…” and “[It] was first called the Brazilian wax by the J. Sisters salon in Manhattan, founded in 1987 by seven sisters named Padilha from Brazil.”

By the late 1990s to early 2000s, total or near-total pubic hair removal became increasingly widespread in pornography, fashion modelling, and among younger women, leading to a broader cultural shift.

Gendered Norms and Marketing

During this time shaving and grooming became more heavily marketed to women, and beauty magazines, advertisements and razor companies reinforced the idea that body hair (including pubic hair) was unsightly unless removed.

One survey finds grooming in the pubic region was widespread: “Out of 3,316 American women surveyed, 84% reported a history of lifetime pubic hair grooming.”

While men’s grooming also evolved (including pubic grooming), the cultural pressure on women was historically greater.

21st Century: Trends, Technology & Cultural Shifts

Cosmetic & Laser Technologies

As removal technologies advanced (waxing, sugaring, laser hair removal), pubic hair removal became more accessible, less painful and posed new hygiene-/beauty-driven options. The history of hair removal timeline suggests that hair removal methods go back thousands of years, but modern technologies accelerated adoption.
Thus by the early 2000s many salons offered full Brazilian waxing, and home devices (razors, trimmers) made grooming easier than ever.

Pop Culture, Pornography & Fashion

The growth of internet pornography, along with changing sexual aesthetics, influenced grooming norms. For example, the Wikipedia entry on pubic hair notes: “Women working in pornography typically remove their pubic hair … the practice became fashionable in the late 20th century.”

In fashion, visibility of the mons pubis and pubic region (through sheer clothing or faster-revealing swimwear) reinforced grooming expectations. The 2024 trend reversal (the “bush is back”) is a recent reaction to decades of hairless norms.

Cultural Pushback & Choice

As grooming norms became ubiquitous, new cultural critiques emerged. Movements such as #bodyhairdontcare question the assumption that women must remove pubic hair to be “clean” or “sexy.” The Guardian reports: “‘The full bush is back’ declared Vogue in 2018… social movements like #bodyhairdontcare suggest a shift towards embracing natural body hair.”

This shift hints at a new era where pubic hair removal becomes one among many choices, rather than a default expectation.

Why Have People Shaved their Pubic Hair? Key Motivations

Here’s a breakdown of the major motivations across time and cultures:

1. Hygiene & Parasite Avoidance

• Many ancient societies removed pubic hair to reduce parasites like pubic lice (crabs) or to facilitate bathing. For example: “Pubic hair is a defence mechanism against bugs… [but] removal of this hair may become fashionable in some cultures.”
• Prostitutes in medieval England shaved pubic hair for hygiene and to fight lice, then wore a “merkin” (pubic wig) for appearance.

2. Status, Refinement & Class

• In ancient Egypt and Rome, hairlessness symbolised the elite (who did not labour in the sun, did not engage in manual work) and the “civilised.”
• Removal signalled that one had the leisure, resources and social standing to maintain such grooming.

3. Fashion, Aesthetics & Visibility

• As swimwear and lingerie became lighter, pubic hair (which could be visible) came under aesthetic management.
• Marketing and beauty industry norms promoted hair removal as part of “clean, smooth” skin for modern femininity.

4. Eroticism & Sexual Norms

• In modern pornography and erotic culture, hairless pubic regions became a sexual aesthetic. For example: “The removal of pubic hair … became fashionable … women working in pornography typically remove their pubic hair.”
• Grooming the pubic region thus became part of sexual presentation and partner expectations.

5. Technological / Commercial Drivers

• The invention of razors, waxing salons, laser treatments and depilatory creams made removal more accessible and normalized. One article notes the role of advertising: “Marketers told us we needed to starting around 1915.”
• Thus, hair removal shifted from niche to near-mainstream in many parts of the world.

6. Identity, Culture & Gender

• In some religious or cultural traditions (for example in Islam), removal of pubic hair is part of hygiene practice (fitra).
• The norms differ by gender, body type, orientation and subculture; what counts as “groomed” vs “natural” is culturally contingent.

Gender Differences & Pubic Hair Removal

Women

Historically, women’s pubic hair grooming has been more heavily policed socially. The beauty industry targeted women’s body hair removal first (legs, underarms, then pubic region). The 2007 Barnard/Hansen study shows women faced strong norms around removing body hair.

With the rise of the bikini, teen culture and pornographic norms in the late 20th century, women increasingly adopted partial or complete pubic hair removal.

Men

While men have also groomed pubic hair (trimming, shaving, waxing), the social pressure has historically been less intense than for women. However, in recent decades male grooming (including pubic region) has grown significantly—spurred by sexual aesthetics, pornography and mainstream grooming salons. Wikipedia notes pubic hair removal in “modern Western cultures” can apply to men as well.

Thus the practice is increasingly gender‐inclusive, but with different historical trajectories and social expectations.

The Technology & Methods of Pubic Hair Removal

Ancient to Pre-modern Methods

• Razors made from seashells or copper: Egyptians used these as early as ~3000 BCE.
• Pumice stones and flint: Scraping or abrading to remove hair.
• Sugaring / Bee-wax methods: Ancient Egyptians and Middle Eastern cultures used paste of sugar, water and lemon (sugaring) to remove body hair.
• Depilatory creams: Early chemical hair removal in some cultures. The “Hair removal” article notes depilatory methods in ancient times.

Modern Methods

• Safety razors & electric trimmers: 19th–20th century innovations.
• Waxing / Bikini waxing / Brazilian waxing: Removing hair from root, especially from bikini region. Example: “Brazilian waxing … removal of all pubic hair … first called the Brazilian wax … in 1987.”
• Laser hair removal / electrolysis: Permanent or semi‐permanent hair reduction, increasingly used in pubic region in recent decades.
• Sugaring revival / home kits: The sugaring method persists as a gentler option.

Hygiene & Safety Considerations

As methods evolved, so did awareness of risks. For example, issues such as ingrown hairs, skin irritation, or infection became recognised in waxing contexts. The 2016 JAMA Dermatology survey noted hygiene motivations for grooming.

Cultural Shifts & Social Meanings

From “Hairless = Elite” to “Hairless = Normal”

As we saw, in ancient Rome or Egypt hairlessness could signify elite status. Over time this shifted: by the 20th century, hair‐free or groomed pubic regions became normative (rather than exceptional) via mass media, advertising and pornography.

Visibility & Swimwear/Media

With the increasing exposure of the body in swimwear, lingerie and nude photography, pubic grooming entered the realm of “what’s visible = what’s groomed.” The bikini’s popularity and sheer clothing pushed grooming practices further.
 Likewise, internet pornography’s rise in the 1990s onward accelerated the “bare” aesthetic.

Backlash & “Natural” Revival

In recent years, there has been a pushback. The “bush is back” narrative signals that full or partial pubic hair (or leaving it unshaved) is once again a valid aesthetic. For example: “Celebrities like Doja Cat and Julia Fox are bringing back pubic hair… the full bush is making a comeback.”
This suggests that grooming now is more of a choice rather than a default expectation—though social and commercial pressure remains strong.

Gender, Power & Sexual Norms

Pubic hair removal also intersects with gender norms (what is expected of women versus men), sexual norms (what is considered “sexy” or “clean”), and power (who controls grooming norms). For example, the Barnard study argues that promoting hair removal has sometimes aligned with ideals of youthful, “childlike” femininity.
Understanding pubic hair history thus also means seeing how grooming practices reflect broader social dynamics of attractiveness, age, gender and sexual desirability.

Regional & Cultural Variations

Middle East / South Asia

In Islamic hygienical jurisprudence, removal of unwanted body hair (including pubic hair) is considered part of fitra (natural disposition).
In India, removal of pubic or body hair among certain castes (e.g., Nair women) was observed in early 20th-century ethnographic writing.
Thus, in many non-Western cultures, pubic hair removal has both religious/hygiene dimensions and aesthetic ones.

Indigenous / Tribal Cultures

Some tribal or indigenous cultures practiced total body hair removal (including pubic region) for ceremonial, aesthetic or identity reasons. For example: According to one Italian Wikipedia article: “The Daiaki of Borneo … dedicate much time to total depilation, including the pubic area.”
These practices often have meanings quite different from modern cosmetic discourse—and remind us that “hairless” does not always equal “Western”.

Western Culture

In Western Europe and North America, removal of pubic hair became widespread only relatively recently (20th century). The waxing/Brazilian trend, plus advertising of shaving, shaped today’s dominant norms. For example: “In Western societies… in some parts, removal of pubic hair was little common until the 20th century.”

The 21st-Century Landscape: Trends, Data & Meaning

Prevalence & Survey Data

A 2016 survey (JAMA Dermatology) found that among U.S. women, 84% reported having groomed their pubic hair during their lifetime.
Another source notes that by the early 2010s, many women in Western industrialised societies removed all or most pubic hair.
At the same time, recent data suggest an increase in trimming or partial grooming rather than full removal—especially as the “natural bush” aesthetic returns.

Resurgence & Choice

As noted, the “bush is back” narrative (2023–24) indicates a cultural pivot. According to reviews, more salon-goers are requesting minimal grooming instead of total removal.
Likewise, the presence of the merkin (pubic wig) on fashion runways (Maison Margiela, 2024) signals how pubic hair has become a statement rather than a default absence.
In short: pubic hair grooming is now framed more as personal preference or identity expression, rather than automatic beauty requirement.

Health & Safety Considerations

Removing pubic hair isn’t risk-free. Shaving, waxing or other depilation can result in ingrown hairs, folliculitis, small cuts and increased STI vulnerability (due to compromised skin barrier). For instance: “Recent findings suggest maintaining your pubic hair in its natural state can reduce your risk of having an STI.”

Thus historical grooming practices, and modern ones, also bear implications for health and hygiene.

Why History Matters: What Does It Tell Us?

1. Grooming is culturally contingent: What’s considered “normal” (hairless mons pubis vs trimmed vs full bush) varies by time, place and social group.
2. Beauty norms evolve: What was once rare (total pubic hair removal) can become mainstream within decades.
3. Commercial & sexual industries shape norms: Advertising, razor markets, pornography and swimwear industry all drive grooming trends.
4. Grooming intersects with power and gender: Norms about female grooming in the pubic area reflect broader ideas about sexuality, youth, attractiveness and control.
5. Choice is expanding: With the “bush is back” and natural-hair movements, grooming practices are increasingly framed as individual choices rather than rigid standards.
   

Conclusion

The history of shaved pubic hair is far richer, older and more culturally layered than many realise. From the elite women of ancient Egypt to the modern bikini wax salon, the removal of pubic hair has meant hygiene, status, sexuality, visibility and identity.

While for some time the dominant beauty norm in much of Western society was a smooth, hair-free pubic region, the 21st century is seeing a turn toward variation and choice. Recognising that pubic hair grooming is historically contingent frees us to understand it not as a “must do” but as one among many options—driven by culture, fashion, body politics and personal preference.