The research shows that body hair by itself is not a cause of bad body odor. But everyone is unique. Some guys report smelling better after their shave their armpits, body hair, or pubes. They feel that it makes them sweat less and smell better.
Pubic hair holds on to residual urine, vaginal discharge, blood and semen. Bacteria line up all along the hair shaft just lunching it up and creating odor. (Very appetizing, I know.) Trimming your pubic hair reduces that surface area for bacteria, thus reducing odor.
"The hair traps the smell," Michael Cackovic, M.D., an ob/gyn at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF. "What you can smell is bacteria mixing with the sweat and oil." But Rowen says that as long as you have good hygiene in general, your pubic hair isn't any worse off than the hair on your head.
Trimming your pubic hair reduces the surface area for bacteria, thus helping to reduce odor. Pubic hair serves a purpose for wicking away sweat and keeping good bacteria around, but if you sweat a lot in that area, you might find shorter pubic hair to be beneficial. Gynecologists often do recommend a trim down south.
No, pubic hair is not unhygienic. However, it does trap dirt and sweat, so it can become more pungent than areas of the body that have less hair. Like other areas of the body, pubic hair does require regular cleaning.
Vaginal odor can be caused by diet, sweating, menstruation, or pregnancy. It can sometimes also be caused by infections like bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis.
If you are planning to get physical with your partner, it is advisable to avoid shaving down there as pubic hair acts as a barrier. That friction after you shave can irritate the skin and lead to ingrown hair. Not only this, but you will also be prone to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
You're Less Likely To Get Rashes
If you don't shave, those things aren't really a possibility anymore, leaving you and your lady parts in peace. Indeed, Dweck listed infected hair follicles (folliculitis), rashes, and irritation (razor burn) as some of the most common issues she sees from patients who shave.
To keep the pubic area smooth and hairless, you'll need to shave regularly, even daily. Consider if this is worth the trouble; it may become tedious after four or five weeks.
Both guys and girls grow hair — pubic hair — around their genitals during puberty. Some people have a lot of pubic hair, and some have less. Some people choose to remove their pubic hair for cosmetic reasons.
It's hygienic.
By removing the hair on the outer labia, you can drastically reduce your risk of any unwanted odor. And by removing all the hair with a Brazilian waxing session, you'll have cleaner skin that stays fresher even longer—without any hassle.
The bacteria on your skin breaks down the sweat, which creates the unpleasant smell. The bottom line is this: shaving armpits and body hair leads to fewer bacteria and less smell.
Pubic hair may extend out to their thighs, and some girls may have a line of hair up to their belly button. Most girls attain their peak height by age 16, but some may continue growing through age 20.
Pubic Hair Trends
Also, 3% of women and 21% of men had never removed their pubic hair. Lesbian women reported slightly more often than heterosexual or bisexual women. Bisexual men were most likely to go hairless.
Some teens don't do anything with their pubic hair, leaving it to grow naturally. Some girls remove hair when they'll be wearing a bathing suit, and some remove hair regularly as part of their beauty routine. No health benefits are linked to removing pubic hair, so choose what feels right for you.
Yes. It's perfectly fine to carefully trim your pubic hair with small scissors along your swimsuit or underwear line. Many girls trim their pubic hair, or go to a salon to have a “bikini wax”; others prefer to shave just about every day, and many just leave it alone. Removing pubic hair is a personal preference.
tl;dr. In short (lol), there's nothing wrong with trimming or completely removing your pubes if it makes you feel good about your genitals and confident in front of sexual partners. However, it may be best to avoid shaving and stick to waxing instead, as shaving increases the risk of laceration and infection.
Groin sweat contains fatty acids and proteins which feed bacteria. As the bacteria break down the nutrients in groin sweat, foul-smelling acids are left behind.
In previous years, traditional childbirth recommended hair removal on the pubic area before delivery. However, modern childbirth finds that it's not necessary to shave your pubic hair before delivery. Clinical research shows that shaving or not shaving pubic hair doesn't necessarily affect birth.