Yes, pubic hair does have a purpose. Above all else, it lessens friction during sex and prevents the transmission of bacteria and other pathogens.
There are probably other reasons why we have pubic hair, too. Everyone has pubic hair, but we all make different decisions as to what we do with it. Some people prefer to let it grow, while others trim it, shave it, or wax it. What you do with yours is up to you.
A hairy penis is usually nothing to worry about. For many men, most pubic hair grows in the area around the pubis bone. This is the area below your belly button above your penis.
Although less hair grows at the base of the penis and on testicles, it’s usually enough to notice. Pubic hairs on your penis shaft, foreskin, and even just below the head (or glans) are also possible.
Pubic hair develops during puberty, and for good reason — having hair around your genitals actually benefits your overall health.
It protects your skin from scrapes and cuts
Hair acts as a barrier between your skin and your clothing, your sexual partner, or any other activity that can cause friction or impact injuries.
It reduces your risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
Hair removal results in tiny open wounds. This could be in the form of scrapes from your razor or inflamed pores as a result of hair being removed from the root. If you engage in sexual activity before these wounds heal, you may be more likely to contract an STD or other infection.
It reduces your risk for certain skin conditions
If your hair is constantly growing in after shaving or waxing, you’re more likely to deal with ingrown hairs, folliculitis, hyperpigmentation, and more. Keeping your hair like it is — or only trimming the ends — can help minimize these concerns.
A little trimming or shaving is fine. If you can, leave a short layer of hair to help protect your skin.
Total hair removal can cause:
- irritation
- itchiness
- cuts
- pimples
- blisters
- ingrown hairs
- folliculitis
Pubic hair doesn’t grow quickly, so you won’t need to groom every day.
Trimming
First, dampen your pubic hair for at least five minutes.
Use sharp scissors or haircutting shears to trim. Be careful around delicate penile or scrotal skin. You can use electric hair clippers for quicker trimming.
You’ll probably only need to trim once a week or less.
Shaving
Decide to shave it off? Try the following to minimize irritation:
- Dampen the area with warm water.
- Trim the hair as short as you can with sharp scissors.
- Lather the area with natural shaving cream or gel.
- Use a fresh, sharp razor (not an old, rusty one).
- Pull the skin taut using one hand. Shave along the direction of hair growth with your other hand.
- Shave slowly to avoid cuts or scrapes.
- Once you’re done, gently massage lotion, oil, or aloe vera onto the area. Avoid aftershave or scented products.
You’ll likely have to shave every few days or even more frequently to keep hair short.
Home waxing
Waxing can be painful and ineffective if done incorrectly. If you’re unfamiliar with home waxing, it’s best to leave it to a professional.
Home waxing generally follows this process:
- Bathe or shower in warm water for at least five minutes.
- Make sure your pubic hairs are a quarter-inch long. If they’re longer than this, use scissors or a trimmer to remove the excess.
- Cover your pubic area in warm, soy-based wax.
- If a muslin strip or waxing cloth is provided, apply it to the area covered by wax.
- Wait a few moments for the wax to harden.
- Swiftly pull off the wax strip to remove hair.
- Repeat steps 3 through 6 for all the areas you want to wax.
Hair removal creams (depilatories)
You should only use hair removal cream made specifically for the pubic area. General hair removal creams may be too harsh for the sensitive tissues around and on your penis.
Plan to stop shaving your pubic hair for at least three days (or however long your product directs) before use.
You should also test the product on another area of skin, such as your leg, the day before use. If you don’t experience any redness, swelling, or other irritation within 24 hours, it should be safe to use on your pubic area.
To use the cream:
- Rinse your pubic area with warm water.
- Apply the cream to the intended area.
- Wait for the amount of time the instructions recommend (usually five minutes). Don’t leave it on any longer.
- Wipe, rinse, or scrape the cream off with any included removal tool.
- Rinse off your pubic area again with warm water.
- Apply lotion, baby oil, or aloe vera to soothe your skin.
Depilatories should only be used every three days or so.
This is one of the most common misconceptions about pubic hair.
In a nationally representative 2013 survey of 7,580 people, 59 percent of women and 61 percent of men who groomed their pubic hair reported doing so for hygienic purposes.
But pubic hair isn’t actually unhygienic.
Like other hair on your body, your pubes trap sweat, oil, and bacteria. So, they might have a slightly stronger odor than other areas of your body.
As long as you wash regularly, this shouldn’t be cause for concern.
There are a lot of reasons why people get rid of their pubic hair. Some of the most common ones are discussed below.
Social norms
Grooming pubic hair has been common practice for centuries. Today, at least some hair removal is common.
Some theories link this trend to increased accessibility to porn, where hairlessness is the norm.
A lot of people remove their pubic hair to conform to this aesthetic standard.
For instance, in the 2013 survey cited above, 31.5 percent of women who reported grooming their pubic hair did so because they believed it would make their genitals more attractive.
In the same survey, men were less likely than women to report grooming for this reason.
Partner expectations
For others, partner preferences drive their grooming habits.
In the 2013 survey, around 21.1 percent of women reported that their pubic grooming was related to partner preference. The same survey showed that a similar percentage of men also groom according to their partner’s desire.
In a 2015 study, men were more likely than women to report a preference for a pubic hair-free sexual partner.
In contrast, women were more likely to cite that they preferred trimmed or partially shaved or waxed pubic hair.
Personal preference
For some, removing their pubic hair is simply a matter of personal preference. People who prefer to remove their pubic hair often cite comfort, routine, and sexual confidence as motivating factors.
Increased sensation
Some people believe that removing their pubic hair increases genital sensation during sex. Indeed, studies suggest that there’s a link between pubic hair removal and self-reported sexual functioning.
However, one doesn’t necessarily cause the other. There are likely other factors involved.
For instance, people who remove their pubic hair are more likely to be young, so it would make sense that they also report increased sexual functioning.
More research needs to be done to understand the link between pubic hair removal and sexual sensation.
There are some risks associated with removing your pubic hair.
Injuries
Pubic grooming injuries are surprisingly common. A 2017 study based on data from the same nationally representative 2013 survey cited above reported that 25.6 percent of groomers sustained injuries during or after hair removal.
In the study, cuts were the most commonly reported injury, with burns and rashes also reported frequently.
In very rare cases, these injuries required medical attention.
Infections
As mentioned above, pubic hair serves a protective function by trapping pathogens that could otherwise enter your body.
Removing pubic hair may therefore make a person more susceptible to common infections, such as UTIs, vaginitis, and yeast infections.
Hair removal can also irritate your skin, leading to skin infections such as cellulitis and folliculitis.
In other cases, grooming-related injuries, such as cuts, could become infected.
Staph boils
In rare cases, hair removal might result in the development of boils in your genital area. Boils can develop from skin irritation and infections, such as cellulitis and folliculitis.
Boils usually start as red bumps just under the surface of the skin. They might be filled with pus. Boils aren’t as deep as abscesses.
Abscesses
As with boils, abscesses tend to develop from irritation caused by certain hair removal methods, such as shaving or waxing.
Abscesses are deep, under-the-skin infections that cause pain, swelling, and redness.
STIs
Pubic hair grooming is also associated with an increased risk of STIs.
In one 2017 study, people who reported grooming their pubic hair were more likely to also report having had an STI at some point in their lifetime, compared to non-groomers.
Some STIs that have been associated with pubic hair grooming include:
- chlamydia
- herpes
- HIV
- human papillomavirus (HPV)
- molluscum contagiosum
- syphilis
There are some things you can do to reduce your risk of an injury or infection during and after grooming your pubes.
Try the following:
- Wash yourself beforehand. Cleaning your skin before you get to trimming or shaving will help prevent the transmission of bacteria.
- Disinfect your razor blade or scissors and change blades often. Make sure all of the tools you need for the job are disinfected. Change razor blades on a regular basis, and avoid using the scissors you use to trim for other things.
- Use a handheld mirror. Make sure you can see what you’re doing, and go slowly.
- Keep skin moist and lathered. If you’re shaving, your skin should be wet. Use soap suds or shaving gel to keep the area lubricated.
- Proceed in the direction of your hair growth. For smoother results and less irritation, trim or shave your hair in the same direction it grows in.
- Moisturize after. Moisturizing after your shave or wax can help soothe irritated skin. Use a natural oil or lotion to prevent skin from drying out.
- Avoid tight clothes for a few days after. When your underwear is too close to your skin, it can worsen irritation. If you can, opt for loose underwear after a fresh shave.
- Exfoliate regularly. Use a gentle loofah or scrub to remove dead skin.
Visiting a professional to have your pubic hair removed isn’t inherently safer than doing it yourself, provided you know what you’re doing.
However, waxing is probably best done by a professional since hot wax can cause burns.
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