There are many different ways of wearing a merkin, although most involve placing the merkin on the pubis or the scrotum.

In Hollywood film-making, merkins are used in films where they are worn by actors and actresses to prevent inadvertent exposure of the genitalia during nude or semi-nude scenes. If a merkin was not worn, it would be necessary to restrict the shot to exclude the genital area; with the merkin in place brief flashes of the crotch can be used if necessary. The presence of the merkin protects the actor from inadvertently performing 'full-frontal' nudity – some contracts specifically require that nipples and genitals be covered in some way – which can help ensure that the film achieves a less restrictive MPAA rating. A merkin is also used if the actor has less pubic hair than required for the role, as in the case of Kate Winslet in the film The Reader or the nude dancing extras in The Bank Job. Read More...