Last Updated on February 21, 2021 by Jenelle Pierce, MBA, CSE, CHES, Board President
Lightning Bolts? Hearts? Bald?
Whatever your preference, there’s certainly no doubt of the huge industry centered around what you do and don’t do with your pubic hair.
Bikinis are getting smaller, porno is chock full of shaved genitals, celebrities are talking about their newly vajazzled lady-bits, and as a result, everyone wants to hop on board the hair removal trend (if they haven’t already).
But, should you?
Is there a limit to the amount of hair you can safely remove while still protecting your genitals from unwanted infections? Can removing pubic hair cause infections? Why all the fuss about our bushes anyway?
I’ve recently come across a lot of articles emphasizing what they’re calling ‘a war on pubic hair’ aimed at bucking the pubic hair removal trend. Personally, after performing in ‘The Vagina Monologues’ this past spring, I too have taken a new stance on my vajay and the amount of hair I wish to maintain.
However, all of it comes down to personal preference once you’ve had an opportunity to consider the important medical factors as well.
Despite all of the media’s attention or enthusiastic persuasions from your partner, what you do with your pubic hair is your own business.
Also, hair (a little or a lot) down there isn’t gross; let’s just squash that opinion right here and now.
Pubic hair has a very important purpose, and it’s entirely up to you whether you choose to maintain a full 70’s bush, a landing strip or the bald look. I repeat, what you do with the hair on your genitals is YOUR business.
Don’t let someone tell you what you should do unless you’ve explicitly welcomed and asked for their input.
The Factual/Medical Details
Pubic hair actually does have a purpose.
Who knew?
It provides cushion against friction that can cause skin abrasions and injury and protection from unwanted pathogens (ie. STDs). It also houses all sorts of sexy pheromones – should you wish to keep some of it in its place – contributing to that enticing smell you notice when your partner opens their legs.
When someone shaves, waxes, tweezes (Ouch!) or otherwise removes the hair around their genitals, microscopic wounds are formed and provide an entry point for bacteria, parasites, and viruses. When additional irritation is combined with the warm moist environment of the genitals, it becomes a happy place for pathogen growth.
Thus, any kind of hair removal can provide an opportunity for contracting an STD and increases one’s risk.
Waxing, shaving, etc. and the effects of those procedures increases the risk for contracting STDs that are transmitted via fluids such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea and poses a significant increased risk of contracting STDs that are transmitted via skin-to-skin contact such as HPV and Herpes.
French, Brazilians, Getting Professionally Trimmed
When using a professional service, viruses and bacteria can be spread from one client to another via contaminated scissors, tweezers, or surfaces.
Reusing the same spatula on multiple clients violates health codes, but it’s been known to happen and can spread microorganisms from previous clients that received a wax before you. Some salons don’t change the bikini wax as often as they should. Number one reason – it’s not cost effective, but worse than that is double dipping. Double dipping in the wax will hold the bacteria in the wax and not kill it.
Waxing in particular can be risky because the hot wax can irritate or tear the fragile skin in the bikini area, leading to infections, ingrown hairs and rashes.
Bikini waxes which remove more hair from the genital area, such as a Brazilian or French bikini waxing, will get closer to the vagina and for that reason can pose a higher risk of contracting or transmitting an STD.
What Can You Do?
Not ready to go all 70’s big bush, free-love style? That’s ok.
So, how do you achieve pubic perfection without winding up with an unwanted infection?
Here’s a list of things you can do to minimize inflammation, microscopic cuts, abrasions, and your overall risk of contracting or transmitting STDs:
- Consider shaving or waxing less of the area you previous manicured or less often
- Apply hydrocortisone cream or an OTC antibiotic cream after your maintenance routine
- Only book professional services at salons with fully licensed estheticians and stringent health policies, like soaking tools in hospital-grade disinfectant between procedures
- Apply pure aloe vera to freshly shaven and waxed areas to speed healing time
- Don’t shave, wax, etc. directly before engaging in sexual activities – allow time for your body to heal the small wounds that occur but are not always noticeable to the naked eye
- Always use fresh, clean and sharp razors
- Moisten the area before shaving with warm water to help soften hair follicles
Yes, you can have the lightning bolt or landing strip of your dreams, but be smart, aware of your risks, and consider some additional steps to negate your risk of infection.
References:
Did this post change your mind about shaving, waxing, or otherwise tending to your ‘lady-parts’? Are you a big fan of pubic hair already or have you found some additional solutions to help reduce your risk of contracting or transmitting an STD when it comes to pubic hair? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Anonymous
Thanks,
Your are right that shaving can have health consequences but it all depend with the type of shaving.
I don’t think one can have abrasions or inflammation with only superficial shaving or incomplete shaving to clear the 70’s big bush.
It is a complete clearance or waxing that will increase chance of abrasions mainly during the procedure and or cause micro wounds. Also this type of shaving is more likely to remove the protective keratinocyte layer on the skin.
It is important to note that infection can come from any source not necessarily sexual partner if ones protective barrier is damaged.
Also, prolonged use of corticosteroids can reduce immunity and skin thickness depending on duration and frequency of use.
Similarly prolonged use of antibiotic can harm the balance of micro organism on skin and become more susceptible to infections.
Whatever method you choose, you have to be careful.
Jenelle Marie
Hi there –
Thanks for your comment – it reminded me to include pure aloe vera as an optional applicant after shaving as well – using pure aloe instead would eliminate the negative consequences of consistent corticosteroid or antibiotic use. When using anything OTC, moderation is key and additional research is always encouraged for a number of reasons including those you’ve mentioned!
Shaving and waxing can aggravate the skin, open pores, create small cuts in the skin, and cause ingrown hairs. All of those things make the skin more vulnerable to contracting infections (of all kinds – we just happen to be talking about STDs specifically here). Shaving in moderation as opposed to completely shorn genitals greatly reduces one’s risk of those infections. Some people have fewer issues with mild maintenance because of their skin and hair type – however, everyone’s physiology is different, of course, and that will factor in to the amount of risk one imposes on themselves when choosing to maintain their genital hair via shaving, waxing, or otherwise.
Thanks again for your input!
happy with my hair
glad to see the warnings of the dangers of the microcuts & increased chance of infection.
also glad to have someone say it out loud–there is nothing gross about pubic hair!
that argument is sooo senseless. it’s like saying foreheads are gross just because bangs happen to be in right now. humans have had pubic hair forever & for millenia we’ve been procreating & sexy has been sexy with pubes. ok, if u want to follow a trend, but to somehow believe that the body is defective/disgusting is a big set back for women & i’m glad to hear u set the story straight.
Jenelle Marie
Hi happy with my hair –
^ cheers to that. I definitely concur! Sure, I volley between less or more depending upon the times, the season, and how creative I feel with the sheers while doing what we like to call, in our house, ‘yard work’, but in no way is less or more less or more gross at all. Hear, hear! 🙂
Thanks so much for your comments!
Curious
Hello! So I was recently diagnosed with genital HSV1 and my initial OB cleared just a week ago. I was looking to get a brazilian wax for the first time since my diagnosis, and wondered what the implications might be; if it might trigger an outbreak?
I know that HSV1 has far fewer recurrences, and ironically, I’m certain that a brazilian wax encouraged infection. (I had recently gotten a wax, had sex with my longtime partner, and we *both* broke out a couple days later. I think it was the increased skin-to-skin contact, and the microtears that let the virus in, since we hadn’t run into the issue before. Culture tests found us both positive, but only I was negative in the blood tests we took. He’d had it asymptomatically for years.)
Anyway, would it be necessary for me to take antivirals before/after a wax? Or am I just better off with a close trim?
Jenelle Marie
Hi Curious –
A Brazilian wax *could* trigger an outbreak, but I certainly wouldn’t say that’s the primary concern… Rather, getting waxed poses more risk for new/additional infections. However, it can’t hurt to take an antiviral to try and suppress HSV triggered by the irritation. A close trim is always safer, but should you want a wax instead, that might help reduce the chances of an outbreak triggered by the waxing.
Thanks for your questions!
Student
Hi, i’m currently studying Beauty Therapy 1st yr and i see in the professional beauty therapy book that it states “if a client has an S.T.I that you should not preform a genital waxing procedure, why exactly is this so? Does it increase risk to other clients? If the equipment is properly sterilized then whats the problem? Or is it common practice? There are so many people out there that have one/ several S.T.I’s . Personally i would of thought if proper care in sterilizing equipment then there would be no issue. Regardless if the client makes it known or not, because not everyone knows if they have one or not.
Jenelle Marie
Hi Student –
It depends upon the salon and the procedure, but if you can see an STI, then the procedure could make the condition worse, and if the wax is not changed after each client (commonly, it’s not), or if the equipment is not disposed of or properly sterilized, it could transmit the infection to others. Remember, some STIs are very unstable (like HSV – the herpes simplex virus, for example) while others (like HCV – hepatitis C – a blood-born pathogen, for example) are quite resilient, and simple cleansing solutions or bleach will not always kill the infection (seriously).
You’re right, though, there’s no way to know for sure if the person you’re treating has an STI, because the most common symptom is no symptom at all. So, it’s best to operate under the assumption that there’s always a risk when touching and working with, on, around, or near someone’s genitals and to be certain wax isn’t reused, equipment is sterilized, and anything that should not be reused is properly disposed.
Thanks so much for a great comment!