Five reasons not to shave your pubes this summer

Pubes. We all have 'em, and what you want to do with them is entirely your own business.

But seeing as quite a few of you told us in a recent Instagram poll that you felt under pressure to remove them, we though we'd share some of the reasons that you might not want to get rid of yours. We're not saying one way is better than the other but we reckon you should have all the facts before you book your first wax of the season.   Pubic hair is not unhygienic Contrary to what you might have heard, once you keep yourself clean it's all good. "Yes, pubic hair can get dirty or matted or collect bacteria," Dr Tami Rowen told SELF. "But if you're someone who regularly showers or bathes, it's not unhygienic to have it.   Pheromones We're all just animals and as animals, we give off natural chemicals called pheromones to attract mates. Your pubes help trap this scent on your body and increase your chances of subconsciously wooing a mate, so if your sexual partner claims they're put off by hair down there, the opposite might actually be true.   Avoiding STDs A 2017 study of 11,000 men and women in the US, those who shaved regularly were 80 per cent more likely to report having a sexually transmitted disease. Now, it might just be that those who shave have more sex. But less skin-to-skin contact could theoretically mean that STIs are less likely to spread.   It can make sex comfier Seriously. It can act as a cushion to protect your delicate down-there area during sex. "The natural oil in hair also provides skin lubrication and decreases friction during intercourse,' Dr Lauren Stretcher, an expert in sexual health, told Femail. "I’ve seen some pretty nasty “rug burn” from rubbing while bare."   Because you don't want to It's 2018. If you want to keep your pubes, or any other body hair, do.