A merkin is also a wig for the genital regions. They were popular in Elizabethan times, and were available in many different patterns and colours. Yes, really. I remember seeing an article in a newspaper in late 1999, which claimed that merkins were due to make a comeback. It had an attractive spread of assorted merkins, in pink, blue, green, Union Jack pattern, Stars and Stripes, etc etc . . . .
Very exciting. Ahem.