As far back as 3000 BC women have been grooming their pubic hair. Some of the hair removal techniques used at the time included ripping hair out with a twisted twine, burning it off with lamps and using arsenic paste.

At different times in history various cultures set a standard for pubic hair. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans preferred pubic hair to be removed and in the Middle Ages the wealthy preferred pubic hair bushy and full.

A patent was filed for the first safety razor in the late 1880s marking the beginning of the end of painful hair removal. This allowed pubic hair shaving to be far less painful than in the past. Fast forward to today and there are several safe methods for pubic hair grooming.

Some methods are very unpleasant and others are painful and all of them seem expensive. You can buy products to use at home or you can visit a salon and spa for hair removal. In this article we will cover the most popular methods of hair removal down there.

General waxing consists of either warm or cold wax applied to the pubic hair region and then pulled off with strips of cotton. Waxing can be extremely painful but it does allow you to control how much hair is removed. One benefit is that you will remain hair free for several weeks.

Brazilian waxing is the same procedure as above but all hair (including any on the buttocks) is removed except for a small "landing strip" of hair. Brazilian waxing is more extensive and often a great deal more painful than general waxing but it gives you the feeling of being hairless down there!

Shaving has several advantages and disadvantages. Shaving is done with a razor in the privacy of your home and gives you complete control of how much hair to remove. Shaving allows you to determine how much hair to remove and even allows you to create a design if desired. Unfortunately, shaving does not last as long but it is virtually painless if you can avoid ingrown hairs.

Depilatories are hair removers like Nair that are available at the drugstore. These products require you to apply a cream or gel, wait a certain time and then rub off your hair. Unfortunately, many depilatories don't remove your hair if it is very coarse and the product and the rubbing can leave you with a sore, burning feeling.

Electrolysis involves a tiny and thin metal probe being slid into a hair follicle. Each hair follicle must be shocked with electricity that damages the follicle. This method is time consuming, painful, tedious and expensive but is permanent once all follicles have been destroyed.

If you do decide to visit a salon or spa for hair removal visit first before making an appointment. Make sure the location is clean and in good repair. Check to see if the aesthetician is licensed. Ask how they sterilize their supplies or if they provide a new set for each client. It is also important that they use a fresh, disposal bed covering for each client.

(c) 2007, Davis Virtual Assistance. Reprints welcomed so long as article and byline are used intact and all links made live.