8 Truths About Shaving Your Pubes

To have pubes or not to have pubes: that is the question?

Whatever you decide to do with your lady garden is your business, but if you do opt to get rid of it, there are some things you need to know.

There are lots of reasons why people opt to do it. Whether it’s because they like the look and feel, their husband or boyfriend says they prefer it, or because they think it is cleaner.   There are some truths about what happens to your downstairs area you should consider if you decide to get the razor (or wax strips) out.

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1.  You actually have pubes for a reason

Mother nature bestowed pubes upon you for a reason. Those hairs act as a barrier to friction, whether that’s between your body and your clothing or friction created during sex. It stops your delicate genital skin from getting inflamed or feeling like it is burning.

2. Shaving your pubes doesn’t make you more hygienic

Lots of women shave their pubes thinking it will make them more hygienic down there, but that’s not actually the case, according to science. When you shave your pubes, you run the risk of getting open cuts and wounds on your vulva. 

These wounds coupled with the moist, warm environment of your genital area increase your risk of getting an infection down there. Pubic hair generally helps keep unwanted bacteria out of your vag as well as debris, dust and dirt from getting inside and upsetting it.

3. Removing your pubes increases your risk of catching an STI

Research published recently in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections found that the micro-tears in genital skin caused by hair removal can increase the risk of contracting an STI by a whopping 440 per cent!

Of the more than 7,500 adults surveyed, it was found that those who groomed more extensively and more frequently were at greater risk of contracting STIs – most commonly HPV or herpes.

4. Hair Removal Injuries are on the rise

With more people removing pubic hair, it stands to reason that there are going to be more people somehow injuring themselves in the process. There are lots of ways you can injure yourself, from burning with wax that’s too hot to cutting your sensitive parts with a razor.   Research from the USA found that the number of visits to hospital emergency departments resulting from pubic hair grooming increased five-fold between 2002 and 2010.

The most common site of injury was the external female genitalia, and 83% was due to razor use.

5. It’s one of the hardest areas on your body to shave

No two lady gardens are the same, of course, but some have a pubic area that goes down their thighs or encroaches on their butt-crack.  It can be almost impossible to actually see what you are shaving if you are DIYing, making it so easy to have a disaster.

6. When The Hair Grows back it can be unpleasant

When you shave your pubes, they have to grow back and can itch like a mofo on their way back in. You can get ingrown as well which are bad enough anywhere else on your body, but on your lady parts, it seems to suck much, much more.

We recommend using one of the speciality ingrown hair products after shaving – they really do help!

7. Shaving can cause some gross skin problems downstairs

When you remove your public hair, your hair follicles can become irritated and inflamed. Because frequent hair removal is needed to stay smooth down there, you regularly cause irritation in the waxed or shaved area.

Doctors say that it isn’t uncommon to find patients who have abscesses and boils on their genital area, as well as a skin infection known as cellulitis.

8. Too many people shave with an ancient razor

Did you know that lots of women use their razors well past their use-by date? Whether it’s because it seems to still be getting the job done, or because they can be super expensive to replace (if you’re using a decent brand) there are lots of reasons why women might persevere with a sub-par razor.

Razors should be changed frequently because whatever is on that razor will be introduced to your skin via those micro-tears we talked about. And you should never, ever use a rusty razor.

More Reading:

• 10 Handy Products And Bizarre Accessories for Your Pubes
• 10 Ways to Make Your Vagina Look Pretty
• 15 Bizarre Vagina-Themed Products You Can Buy on Etsy

So do you shave, wax or go natural?