A large number of women should seriously reconsider their pubic grooming habits doctors are warning.
As reported by The Independent many believe being shaven is the healthier option, when in fact the truth is the complete opposite.
Dr Vanessa Mackay, a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, has warned that pubic hair is essential in protecting the vagina from pathogens.
Mackay said:
Pubic hair offers a natural barrier to keep things clean, to decrease contact with viruses and bacteria, and to protect the tender skin of the area.
While protecting against diseases and skin problems, pubic hair prevents foreign particles like dust and pathogenic bacteria from entering the body.
Pubic hair also helps to control the moisture of the area which decreases the chances of yeast infections.
A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed 62 per cent of US women surveyed completely remove their hair, while 84 per cent reported some form of grooming or trimming.
Dr Mackay added that shaving ‘wounds’ combined with the warm and moist environment of genitalia creates a ‘happy culture medium’ for bacteria.
She said:
If you shave your pubic hair, you are putting yourself at a higher risk of contracting genital warts.
Although pubic hair doesn’t completely prevent it, it helps avoid skin on skin contact with someone who may already have it.
Removing pubic hair also irritates and inflames the hair follicles left behind, leaving microscopic open wounds.
The figures are in stark contrast to men, with Gillette reporting a male survey showed roughly 20 per cent of men ‘groom’ their nethers.
The massive difference suggests a major difference in the pressure aimed at women to conform to an aesthetic stereotype – but clearly such pressure is highly misinformed.
So if you do opt for the full ‘Hollywood’ treatment -man or woman- it may be time for a rethink, or at least increasing the attention paid to keeping your genitals clean and sanitary…
