A new research claims trimming or shaving your pubic hair on a regular basis is not a good idea. The study suggests that people who trim their pubic hair regularly pose a higher risk of getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) compared to those who do not.
A Small Tear In The Skin Could Invite Infection
According to doctors, sharing grooming tools is an unlikely reason for getting STIs, but a small tear in the skin due to shaving or trimming could make it easier for infections, like herpes and human papilloma virus (HPV), to spread.
The survey was participated by 7,500 adult Americans, and about 75 percent said they had groomed their pubic hair in the past; 17 percent of which described themselves as "extreme groomers" or those who removed all hair at least once every month, while 22 percent are guilty of "high frequency" trimming, or doing the routine daily or weekly.
The Likelihood Of Getting An STI Depends On How Frequent The Trimming Routine Is
Based on the survey results, those who have extreme trimming or grooming habits were three or four times more likely to get an STI, particulary infections from skin to skin contact, like herpes.
Lead author of the study, Charles Osterberg, from the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas, said: "potentially grooming is a surrogate or preparatory act for sexual activity and that grooming in other words functions as a proxy for sexual activity. The second option is that grooming causes some micro-tears in the epidermis (skin) which could potentially allow viral and/or bacterial penetrants for transmission."
"We need a prospective study, whereby the STIs are confirmed with medical diagnosis rather than just a self-reporting of which, and even some basic science research into what goes on with using a razor blade on the epidermis and how that might impact bacterial and/or viral penetrants," Osterberg concluded.
