As the Sex Coach, many women ask me about the best way to remove hair "down there." It's one of the most common questions on the Ask the Sex Coach message board, but there is no one right answer for everyone. Because each of us has unique needs, tastes and, yes, styles, the real answer is: it depends.

It depends on how much nuisance you are ready to face, how much (if any) money you want to invest, how painful a procedure you think you can endure and then (for the fun part), what will make you feel the most erotic -- alone and with a partner. After all, we're talking about the most private parts of you, aren't we?

If you're ready to try something new, there are five basic options for taking it off. Each one should help you feel more sexy, more feminine and pleasing to both yourself and a partner. They vary in cost, work involved, intensity of sensation and also how they make you look and feel. Here are the
basic options:

• Shaving
• Creams and depilatories
• Waxing
• Brazilian Bikini
• Electrical or laser treatments

Shaving

Description: Using a sharp razor, scissors or an electric shaver, shave off some or all of the hairs that grow over and around your pubic area.

Pros: It's cheap, easy and you can do it to yourself anytime, anywhere.

Cons: Shaving requires keeping it up; if you don't shave off the hairs regularly, you can expect to have that dreaded itch from the stubble of regrowth. Also, some women won't get the clean, stubble-free look they want with this method.

Tips: Use your regular conditioner on these hairs and you may find they come off more easily. Once you find a regular pattern, you won't feel itchy or uncomfortable. And if you find it appealing, you can use scissors to make pretty patterns for your pubic hairlines, such as a heart shape or a plain strip. Get more tips here.

Sexual Bennies:

• Some men and women enjoy sharing a shaving session as part of their lovemaking rituals. Watching yourself be shaved can feel intimate, and sharing the ritualistic aspect of shaving each other's pubic areas can heighten excitement as foreplay for much more after you are done.
• Something magical happens when you alter your body image and use your body as a canvas. Try it.

Creams and depilatories

Description: Remove hair from the bikini line by spreading on a thick layer of cream and waiting for 5-10 minutes. The cream makes the hair soft and easy to wipe away. Read more about creams and depilatories here.

Pros: Just as with shaving, this is a technique that is inexpensive that you can do yourself at home. Plus, you can be more aggressive about where you apply the cream because there is no risk of cutting yourself in that delicate area.

Cons: Most of these creams have a very unpleasant, chemical aroma. They can also sting your skin. Allergic reactions aren't uncommon so be sure to test out any product on your wrist first. And read the instructions carefully. I am not a big advocate of putting anything harshly chemical onto the inner labia or vulva, so go easy to avoid burning. Ouch! And again, some women will have stubborn hairs that are resistant to these creams, not producing the smooth results you're looking for.

Sexual Bennies:

• Just as with shaving, you can share this as sexual ritual, especially as part of your foreplay experience.
• You feel different and heightened sensations on your skin. You'll love the changes.

Waxing

Description: This procedure is usually done at a salon. To start, you lay on a table wearing your underwear (you can leave your top on). Hot wax is applied to the bikini line (and upper legs) with a flat wooden tongue depressor against the hairy skin. Then a strip of linen is layered on top and pressed down against the wax. Once it's adhered to the hairs, the practitioner rips the whole thing away in one quick motion.

Pros: This is an efficient and easy method for hair removal. Most women get great results: smooth skin, usually appearing as though you've never had hair there at all. (Note: This one is best done by a pro. It's hard to get at those angles on your own, plus it's not easy to put yourself through that much pain. Most nail salons now offer this at low cost, but you also can invest in your own home kit. Be sure to use your head when choosing a salon. Is it clean? Do you know someone else who went there and was satisfied?)

Cons: It smarts! Having someone zip a cloth full of hot sticky stuff across your flesh -- yanking out your hairs -- does have some pain associated with it. And doing this yourself is messy to the max unless you're very skilled. It's also more expensive than shaving or creams. Regular maintenance usually requires a visit every month or two but even occasional trips will be an added cost to your budget. Some women will experience small red bumps. Get solutions for this problem here.

Sexual Bennies:

• Waxing will give you the smoothest results. Once the heat from the zipping cools down and you have succeeded in removing all remnants of stickiness, your skin feels alive and as smooth as silk.
• There is less friction to prevent easy thrusting of the penis in and out of the vagina. Sexual intercourse can be better.

Brazilian Bikini

Description: A more comprehensive version of simple waxing, this method removes hair not only from the bikini line, but also tackles the inner thighs, buttocks (yes, most women have some hair there) and sometimes the entire pubic region. Read more about Brazilian bikini waxes here.

Pros: This is the Mercedes Benz of waxing. The pros always do it for you, removing all unwanted hair down there. You get to feel like a sexy temple Goddess when you're done and all you see is bared flesh inside and out.

Cons: It's pricey and it can be quite painful. Plus, the procedure is pretty invasive, so you need to be very comfortable with yourself. Most salons will require you to remove your underwear completely and in order to get at every possible angle, your practitioner will be moving your legs around and touching you in some very intimate ways. But, once you find someone you trust, the procedure becomes second nature. (Well, as much as any trip to the gynecologist or dentist does). Again, maintenance costs are high.

Sexual Bennies:

• You are totally revealed, nothing held back! You get to feel in charge of your sexuality and your sensuous body in all of its glory.
• Most men will tell you (and female partners, too) that oral sex on a woman who has removed her public hair is simply wonderful! Your lover doesn't have to fight against friction to stop his tongue techniques and, gulp, no nasty hairs between the teeth. Let him have that pleasure.

Electrical or laser treatments

Description: These treatments are always performed by a licensed clinician or M.D. Electrolysis removes unwanted hairs with an electric needle that probes into single hairs (one at a time), conducting an electrical current that kills the root and prevents regrowth. Laser hair removal uses the pulsation of a laser light to kill hair growth when applied to small areas (about the size of a quarter) around unwanted hairs.

Pros: These techniques are for permanent hair removal. If you can't stand those hairs, kill them for good.

Cons: These are expensive procedures. Electrolysis usually requires many visits before all hairs are removed for good. Over time, the cost can add up to hundreds of dollars. It's also very painful. Laser also requires expensive equipment and (hopefully) competent medically trained personnel, and costs could run to thousands of dollars. It can be painful and may require additional costs for numbing creams.

Sexual Bennies:

• You'll never have to think about it again.
• Your body feels smooth in ways that you can only imagine.
• Many men adore seeing a woman's pubic mound naked, as a reminder of her youthfulness (in a safe and appropriate way). Allow that to happen.