Allyson, 30, Austin, Texas
"I stopped shaving my bikini area in college when my then-boyfriend went on a study abroad trip. While he was gone, I realized I preferred having a fuller bikini area. Ingrown hairs were awful! Razor burn was awful! And the hair helps prevent yeast infections and other issues. I quit shaving my legs [two years later], when one day I calculated the amount of time I spent a week shaving. I felt like I was wasting time on something that didn't matter, so I quit."
"I stopped shaving my bikini area in college when my then-boyfriend went on a study abroad trip. While he was gone, I realized I preferred having a fuller bikini area. Ingrown hairs were awful! Razor burn was awful! And the hair helps prevent yeast infections and other issues. I quit shaving my legs [two years later], when one day I calculated the amount of time I spent a week shaving. I felt like I was wasting time on something that didn't matter, so I quit."
Molly, 23, Durham, North Carolina
"It's funny because I shaved to conform or please in some way, but I was always self-conscious about it. I think that was ultimately because I felt uncomfortable [with myself] in general, physically and emotionally. Only when I stopped did I feel more comfortable -- not the other way around. Having grown out body hair, specifically pubic hair, makes me feel more womanly, more self-assured, more in control."
"It's funny because I shaved to conform or please in some way, but I was always self-conscious about it. I think that was ultimately because I felt uncomfortable [with myself] in general, physically and emotionally. Only when I stopped did I feel more comfortable -- not the other way around. Having grown out body hair, specifically pubic hair, makes me feel more womanly, more self-assured, more in control."