Why you should never shave your bikini line - and what to do down there instead

Lots of women choose to get rid of their hair down there.

In fact, 96 per cent of women have at least once - a study of 2,000 women by shaving brand Gilette says. What's more, over half of women opt to entirely remove their pubic hair, according to a poll by Cosmopolitan.

But what's the best way to do it? There's no shortage of options out there, and shaving, waxing, laser removal are just some of the methods available to choose from.

Although shaving may save you pricey trips to beauty salons and a lot of pain, it turns out that it's actually bad for your health - here's why it's time to ditch the razor.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists told the Sun that having at least some pubic hair is important as it forms a natural barrier between your skin and bacteria.

Removing it by shaving actually irritates the skin - leaving the area much more prone to infections such as the dreaded thrush.

They said: "Pubic hair also prevents foreign particles like dust and pathogenic bacteria from entering the body, and helps to control the moisture of the area which decreases the chances of yeast infections."

Worst of all, apparently shaving pubic hair inflames the hair follicles left behind, leaving behind "microscopic open wounds" - grim.

Waxing has a similar impact on your skin if you're opting to remove the majority of your pubic hair, but there is one key reason it's better for you.

According to gynaecologist Tania Adib from The Lister Hospital in Chelsea, it's risky as you can't fully see everything down there while shaving - so you might cut yourself.