A. You may not be surprised to learn that the medical community has yet to publish volumes on the topic. But the prevailing theory is that the hair down there traps desirable scents and pheromones, the signal-sending chemicals believed to play a role in arousing potential partners.

A study exploring why humans have become less hairy over the course of evolution suggests the hair that does remain on a man’s face and head is proof of its importance in sexual attraction. By extension, the same could be said of pubic hair. A woman’s pubic hair may also be useful as a kind of trap filter that prevents light debris from entering the urethra or vagina, much like eyelashes help protect the eyes.