Removing pubic hair is not necessary to keep the vulva or vaginal area clean. Pubic hair can help protect the skin and prevent chafing. Hair removal is a personal preference. Some people do not remove any of their pubic hair, and others may remove only the hair that grows outside of the bikini line.
The short answer is no, it is not necessary to do anything to your pubic hair. Shaving your pubic hair is a personal choice. Pubic hair may help protect your genitalia from infection and friction. Removing your pubic hair comes with the risk of getting cuts or ingrown hairs.
Choosing whether or not to shave your body hair is a very personal decision, and there may be pros and cons to each choice. There are some benefits to not shaving like better sex, a reduced chance for skin infections, and a more regulated body temperature.
To care for your pubic area, all you need to do is regularly rinse with water. Long story short, there is nothing dirty or unclean about pubic hair. There is no medical reason to remove it. And yet, many people feel pressured to shave or wax because of our society's long-standing ideas of gender, beauty, and purity.
“There is no right or certain age to start shaving,” said Rashell Orey, a licensed master social worker at Banner Health. “Some may be eager to start very early, while for others, this could be a scary thought. It's a conversation that you'll need to discuss with them.”
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.
Experts seem to agree that your skin will benefit from not having a razor glide across it regularly. "Generally, when patients stop shaving on areas that are normally shaven...the skin experiences significantly less irritation," says Yagerman.
Body odor is caused by a mix of bacteria and sweat on your skin. Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.
Unfortunately, warm and moist areas can sometimes provide an ideal environment for growth of different organisms such as fungus and bacteria, which can lead to development of different odors and even skin rash. But you don't have to shave your pubic hair or use deodorant or creams down there to stop the odor!
The correct age to start hair removal for boys is 12 years and above and for girls 11 to 14 years (when puberty is achieved). She adds that instead of waxing or superficial shaving with a razor, a parent should consider laser hair reduction.
Shaving with a clogged or unclean razor is a big no-no. Folliculitis is typically caused by bacteria. Folliculitis causes red and white pimples to grow around the hair follicle resulting in that prickly feeling after shaving. Rest assured, mild cases of folliculitis should clear on its own within a number of days.
Pubic hair removal is common — approximately 80 percent of women ages 18 to 65 report they remove some or all of their pubic hair.
Pubic Hair Trends
According to the researchers, when asked if they removed their pubic hair, 80% of women and 39% of men removed their pubic hair near the time of the survey. Also, 3% of women and 21% of men had never removed their pubic hair.
You do not need to shave before a gynecologist appointment (or any doctor's appointment!). Your doctor doesn't care how you care for your pubic hair, because it isn't a health or hygiene concern. They've seen it all, and how you style (or don't style) your pubic hair probably won't even register.
Baking Soda And Turmeric
Add some water and mix the ingredients to form a paste. Gently massage after applying and leave it on for 15 – 20 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water and pat dry. It's one of the best ways how to remove unwanted hair permanently at home naturally.
As for the curliness of pubes, Brian Steixner, M.D., Director of the Institute of Men's Health at Jersey Urology Group in Atlantic City, suspects it's because curly hair does a better job at trapping the pheromones secreted from sweat glands around the groin area.
Using a sharp razor means that you could cut yourself. Then there's the regrowth stage: Shaved hair grows back after a couple of days, and when it does it can be prickly or itchy. This can leave you feeling uncomfortable. There's also a chance some hairs will become ingrown.
Semen, or cum, typically has a faint smell caused by a mixture of chemicals, such as citric acid and calcium. It may also smell slightly sweet, as it contains fructose. A strong, fishy odor, might stem from an infection, while a very sweet smell may be a sign of diabetes.
Trim It Up
The fact is that pubic hair can trap bodily fluids such as residual urine, vaginal discharge, blood, and semen. Trimming your pubic hair reduces the surface area for bacteria, thus helping to reduce odor.