Getting a Brazilian wax or participating in similar forms of personal grooming may be all the rage, but they come with a heightened risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (STDs), research suggests.
The study found that frequent groomers of pubic hair are three to four times more likely to contract a sexually transmitted infection, such as herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV) or syphilis.
"Grooming is linked to a heightened self-reported sexually transmitted disease risk, and for those who groom frequently or remove all of their hair often, the association is even higher," says lead researcher Dr. Charles Osterberg. He's an assistant professor of urology and surgery at the University of Texas Dell Medical School in Austin.
Still, the study didn't prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between pubic grooming and sexually transmitted infections, it was only designed to show a link between these factors.
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The Difference Between a Bikini wax vs. Brazilian wax
A bikini wax is a less extreme way to remove hair from your pubic area. It removes pubic hair along your bikini line, including those that run along your thigh and across the top of your panty line. A bikini wax can leave most of the hair or just a strip of hair behind.
Brazilian vs. Hollywood wax
A Hollywood wax is a more extreme version of the Brazilian wax. It removes all the hair on your pubic area, as well as from your thighs and butt, leaving these areas bare.
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What is the link between pubic shaving and STDs?
Pubic hair grooming and removal has become increasingly popular worldwide among women and men, as public perceptions have changed regarding the role of body hair in cleanliness and attractiveness, Osterberg shares.
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To see whether this grooming might have any connection to sexually transmitted infections, Osterberg and his colleagues surveyed over 7,580 U.S. residents, aged 18 to 65, about their grooming practices, sexual behavior and history of sexually transmitted diseases.
Almost three out of four participants (74 percent) said they had groomed their pubic hair before. More women (84 percent) than men (66 percent) reported trying it at least once.
Among the groomers, 17 percent were classified as "extreme" since they remove all of their pubic hair more than 11 times a year. Twenty-two percent were labeled "high-frequency" groomers because they trim their pubic hair daily or weekly. One in 10 groomers fell into both categories.
Extreme groomers had a quadrupled risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection. In addition, high-frequency groomers had a 3.5-fold increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, the results showed.
The researchers speculated that infections might spread more easily due to tiny cuts, scrapes and skin tears that result from grooming.
Dr. Dennis Fortenberry is a professor of pediatrics and adolescent medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine and current president of the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association. He says, "I would probably lean toward the idea that the grooming itself causes mild trauma to the skin, and essentially makes the skin more susceptible to the organisms when they're exposed."
On the other hand, Osterberg notes, it might be that people who groom more often engage in more sex and are at higher risk for a sexually transmitted infection.
"Grooming may be a proxy for higher levels of sexual activity," he adds.
Overall, groomers tended to be younger, more sexually active, and to have had more sexual partners than those who don't groom their pubic hair, the survey found. Extreme groomers had a higher number of sexual partners than any other category of groomers.
But, the researchers still found an 80 percent increased risk of sexually transmitted infections in anyone who reported having ever groomed at all, even after adjusting for the person's age and their lifetime number of sexual partners.
There's one bright spot for regular groomers -- a reduced risk of pubic lice, the investigators found.
People who never or rarely groom their pubic hair have double the risk of pubic lice, the study authors reported.
"That's how pubic lice end up breeding, in the hair itself," Osterberg says. "You actually decrease your risk for lice by grooming."
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How to safely remove pubic hair
If removing pubic hair is important to you, there are a few steps you can take to make it safer and reduce the potential risks:
- Avoid shaving or waxing right before you have sex. That should give any damage you cause to your skin time to heal.
- Avoid shaving or waxing when you have any STI symptoms. This reduces the likelihood of self-inoculation.
- Always use a clean razor to shave.
- Choose a waxing salon that is good about proper hygiene.
If you are okay with leaving some pubic hair intact, you can also try trimming pubic hair with scissors to avoid damaging or disturbing your skin. This will also reduce skin-to-skin contact between you and your partner. Research on post-surgical infections suggests that clipping is less likely than shaving to lead to skin infections.
Choosing to remove pubic hair or not is a personal choice and the method you choose to remove hair is also completely up to you. No matter what you choose, it's important to be diligent and take the appropriate steps to protect your health. If you have questions or concerns, contact your doctor.
What to Do After a Brazilian Wax
Managing Pain after a Brazilian Wax
A Brazilian wax can be painful. It should get less uncomfortable the more often you do it. You might want to take an ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) about 30 minutes before your appointment to reduce discomfort.
You may have some redness and sensitive skin in the area for at least a day afterward. Hold a cool compress to your skin to calm the redness and relieve pain. Try not to scratch the area. Scratching could make your skin more irritated.
Bathing after a Brazilian wax
Wash your skin with a mild soap afterward to remove any extra wax. Avoid showers and baths for the next 24 hours to give your skin time to heal.
Having Sex After a Brazilian Wax
Experts suggest waiting at least a day after your wax before you have sex. That includes oral sex. Your partner's skin or facial hair could irritate your skin.
