My Public Hair – Should I Shave It or Not?

When it comes to personal hygiene, one major aspect that has been trailed by diverse reactions is the issue of keeping or doing away with public hair, the hair that grows in the frontal genital area of humans, located on and around the sex organs of both males and females.

To some, nothing else nauseates like seeing hair in their partner’s private part, while some people are delighted by it as the sight of it is even a major turn-on for them, and to some others, it really does not matter whether the hair is kept intact or not.

“You know how it feels when you see thick, sometimes colored hair in someone’s armpit? That is the way I feel when I imagine anyone keeping his or her public hair” – Kenny

“My husband tells me that seeing it turns him on and that the moment I shave it, I would be on my own. I could trim it mildly but not absolute removal. For him too, he doesn’t shave but he could trim it when it is becoming too bushy” – Florence.

Interestingly, those who support it say getting rid of the hair makes them feel clean and fresh while those against it say it does not allow for friction during sex and that leaving it is not harmful in any way. Thus, the argument keeps going back and forth.

Findings however revealed that most people shave their public hair and their reasons differ and notably, the method people use to get rid of the public hair includes shaving with the use of razor, clipper, or scissors, creaming and waxing.

What You Should Know

According to some experts, public hair should not be shaved; rather, it should be left as it grows because of the roles it plays as a cover that shields the organs from avoidable infections and friction.

They noted that shaving could open up the skin for pathogens bacteria and viruses, thereby increasing the spread of sexually transmitted infections, skin irritation and other skin infections, like Molluscum contaglosum.

Even though the situation applies to both men and women, a study published on the American Journal of Obsterics and Gynaecology found that about 60 per cent of women who shave their public hair were found to have at least one health complication, and the most common health challenges found were epidermal abrasion (a wound caused by superficial damage to the skin) and ingrown hairs.

A consultant gynaecologist, Hugh Byme, told United Kingdom Telegraph that the removal of public hair could lead to abscess, a swollen area within body tissue containing an accumulation of pus.

He explained that an increase in abscesses as reported had been caused by bacteria that enter the body through the hair follicle that was left open. He however said that the solution to such infection could be through the use of antibiotics or an operation.

Waxing to remove public hair causes deficit in the mucocutaneous barrier that may be sufficient for viral entry and transmission, potentially increasing the risk of acquiring STIs.

Waxing also causes small injuries to the skin, the underlying structures, micro tearing of muscle fibers, the sheath around the muscle and the connective tissue.

This in turn could lead to spread of infection, burns, bumps that form under the surface of the skin and folliculitis, which is an inflammation of the hair follicles.

Individuals who wax their public hair should be informed of this possible risk and perhaps be advised to abstain from sexual activity for a certain period of time after waxing.

Also Read: The danger triangle of the nose – what you need to know

So when you shave, maybe you should avoid sex, even though it has also not been medically proven, theoretically, it is a possibility.

In gynaeology, shaving has no medical implication, apart from the bumps and other things that could come with shaving or waxing.

At this point, whether to shave or not still depends on what individuals want, but instead of shaving, people should use scissors to trim the hair so as not to open up the skin.

It is also advisable that people who have rashes when they shave their beards or legs should not venture into shaving public hair. Reason?

Rashes also tend to come up there and it could be multiplied in the public area because the place is warm and germs and bacteria could rapidly multiply there.

However, there are non-irritant shaving chemicals that can remove the hair smoothly, but there is no harm leaving it and there is no harm shaving it.

So, What do you think?