Why this gynaecologist is urging women not to remove their pubic hair

A gynaecologist is urging women not to remove their pubic hair.

Dr Jen Gunter, author of The Vagina Bible, warns waxing or shaving creates “microscopic trauma” that can lead to infections.


Getting a Brazilian may also reduce sexual pleasure, with pubic hair being connected to nerve endings that might help arousal, Dr Gunter added.



Of which, 83.8 percent claimed to wax, shave or epilate their pubic hair, with just 16.2 percent leaving it intact.

“Hygiene” was the most commonly reported reason (59 percent) for women removing their hair.

Shaving "down there" can lead to cuts, grazes and even infections. Source: Getty

But Dr Gunter warns waxing, shaving or “sugaring” - mixing sugar, lemon juice and water to create a wax-like gel - may do more harm than good.


The gynaecologist added she sees women with cuts, grazes and even infections when hair removal goes awry.

“Pubic hair has a function, it is probably a mechanical barrier and protection for the skin," she said.

“It may also have a role in sexual functioning because each pubic hair is attached to a nerve ending, that's why it hurts to remove it.”

Why do we have pubic hair?

The role of pubic hair is not fully understood.


Pheromones are thought to be “get trapped in pubic hair when glands release an odourless secretion on the skin that combines with bacteria decomposed by the secretion of [other] glands”, according to an expert from Columbia University in New York.









The Egyptians also reportedly associated body hair with uncleanliness.


The tiny insects live on coarse human hair, like that found around the genitals, according to Britain’s National Health Service.



Basically, anywhere with hair, aside from the scalp.

These days, women are less likely to remove their pubic hair out of a fear of lice.


In their study, 875 women (31.5 percent) claimed they groomed their pubic hair because they felt it “made their genitals more attractive”.

And 586 (21.1 percent) said it is was their “partner’s preference”.

Asked when they would remove their pubic hair, most (55.6 percent) said before sex.

This was followed by before a holiday (45.7 percent) and to prepare for a “healthcare professional visit” (40 percent).

For those who still want to go hair-free “down there”, Dr Gunter urges them to use a clean razor and shave in the direction of the hair.


And for those who go for a wax, ensure the technician does not “double dip” the wooden sticks used.

This could spread bacteria between clients, Dr Gunter added.

–– Yahoo Style UK

