Will the debate around women’s body hair ever end?

This conversation is still rooted in a single truth: women cannot make choices about their own bodies without facing social repercussions

Barely a month goes by without reports of a new genital grooming trend. From Gwyneth Paltrow’s advice on vaginal steaming to detoxing masks for your vulva, there is truly no end to the nonsense women are peddled.

It’s easy to scorn the people who go in for such treatments. But it is little wonder we’re confused about how best to look after our bits, given the conflicting information we receive.

In 2016, a research paper by the University of California found a correlation between pubic hair removal and increased rates of STIs. This week, a new study by Ohio State University suggests that women who wax or shave off all their pubic hair are not, after all, at greater risk of contracting STIs.