▁a ▁pub ic ▁w ig . ▁Mer kins ▁were ▁originally ▁worn ▁by ▁sex ▁workers ▁after ▁sh aving ▁their ▁m ons ▁pub is , ▁and ▁are ▁now ▁used ▁as ▁decor ative ▁items , ▁er otic ▁devices , ▁or ▁in ▁films , ▁by ▁both ▁men ▁and ▁women . ▁ ▁History ▁and ▁et ym ology ▁The ▁Oxford ▁Comp an ion ▁to ▁the ▁Body ▁dates ▁the ▁origin ▁of ▁the ▁pub ic ▁w ig ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 4 5 0 s . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁publication , ▁women ▁would ▁sh ave ▁their ▁pub ic ▁hair ▁for ▁personal ▁h yg iene ▁and ▁to ▁combat ▁pub ic ▁l ice . ▁They ▁would ▁then ▁don ▁a ▁mer kin . ▁Also , ▁sex ▁workers ▁would ▁wear ▁a ▁mer kin ▁to ▁cover ▁up ▁signs ▁of ▁disease , ▁such ▁as ▁sy ph ilis . ▁ ▁The ▁Oxford ▁English ▁Dictionary ▁dates ▁the ▁first ▁written ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁term ▁to ▁ 1 6 1 7 . ▁The ▁word ▁probably ▁origin ated ▁from ▁m alk in , ▁a ▁der og atory ▁term ▁for ▁a ▁lower - class ▁young ▁woman , ▁or ▁from ▁Mary kin , ▁a ▁pet ▁form ▁of ▁the ▁female ▁given ▁name ▁Mary . ▁ ▁Contempor ary ▁use ▁In ▁Hollywood ▁film ▁making , ▁mer kins ▁can ▁be ▁worn ▁by ▁actors ▁and ▁actress es ▁to ▁avoid ▁in ad vert ent ▁expos ure ▁of ▁the ▁gen ital ia ▁during ▁n ude ▁or ▁semi - n ude ▁scenes . ▁With ▁the ▁mer kin ▁in ▁place , ▁brief ▁flash es ▁of ▁the ▁c rot ch ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁if