Pubic grooming has become a common practice among both men and women in the United States, however, a significant number of people among them suffered from a number of injuries including cuts and infections, a new study has revealed.
The study conducted by Dr. Matthew D. Truesdale, a urologist from San Francisco, was published Wednesday in the journal Jama Dermatology. According to the study, 76 percent of the participants said they removed some or all of their pubic hair almost on a regular basis.
Almost 26 percent of those adults reported that they had suffered at least one injury including cuts, burns, and infections. Injuries were found to be more common among women (27 percent) as compared to men (24 percent).
Cuts were the most common injury among the adults, amounting to 61 percent of mishaps, while 23 percent suffered burns, probably caused due to waxing or the use of hair-removal creams.
The study also found that the scrotum was the primary site for injury among men whereas the pubis was the most likely area for injuries among women.
Other possible injuries include nicks, bumps, blisters/pimples, ingrown hair, genital infections, that also might lead to itching and razor burn.
Folliculitis is also a possible infection that can be caused due to pubic grooming, mainly caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus (staph) or a fungus, according to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation in California.
“We were, quite frankly, quite surprised how frequently people were presenting with injuries relating to grooming,” said Benjamin Breyer, a urologist at the University of California, San Francisco and co-author of the study. “Three per cent of the time [adults] are coming in [to the emergency department with a genitourinary injury, it’s] with a grooming injury.”
The study also disclosed that those who removed all of their pubic hair were more likely to report having been injured than those who removed some.
“You are getting at all the nooks and crannies of your body – you are going to get places you can’t see very well and that probably, in turn, leads to a greater likelihood of getting injured,” Beyer said.
However, experts said that more research is required to be done in the matter to know exactly which methods are the most hazardous and what leads to increased number of injuries.
“Razors were associated most [with injury], but they may be the ones that are by far used the most,” Beyer said. “Using electric shavers seems to be not associated with high degrees of injury – probably because you are just less likely to get cut – but you don’t get as fine a shave.”
There are proper treatments for the kinds of injuries one might suffer. If they turn out to be serious problems, it is always recommended to seek medical help.
For itching sensations, you can apply 1 percent hydrocortisone two or three times per day and you must avoid shaving for at least two months. For genital infections, you should visit a doctor. You can use aloe vera to soothe your skin in case of a razor burn.
If you want to shave your pubic hair while taking care of not causing any injury, then you must follow certain steps that includes not using an old or dull razor, using proper pair of scissors to clip your hair, using shaving creams, aloe vera creams and also making sure to keep your pubic area soft and smooth by getting a hot bath or shower for at least three minutes after you have shaved, according to Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
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