Ran across this article, thought I'd share. One personal upside to shaving: Receiving BLS became not only possible, but wonderful! Still, it was quite nice to face and taste a full beautiful black bush care of Anka Madam (never shave babe).

The new shaving craze leaves us vulnerable to all manner of physical ailments
BY EMILY GIBSON AND M.D., KEVINMD.COM

I must have missed the declaration of war on pubic hair.

It must have happened sometime in the last decade because the amount of time, energy, money and emotion both genders spend on abolishing every hair from their genitals is astronomical.  The genital hair removal industry, including medical professionals who advertise their specialty services to those seeking the “clean and bare” look, is exponentially growing.

But why pick on the lowly pubic hair? A few sociological theories suggest it has to do with cultural trends spawned by bikinis and thongs, certain hairless actors and actresses, a desire to return to childhood, a misguided attempt at hygiene or an effort to be more attractive to a partner. Surely human beings are not so naïve as to be susceptible to fashion trends and biases.

It is a sadly misconceived war. Long ago, surgeons figured out that shaving a body part prior to surgery actually increased rather than decreased surgical site infections. No matter what expensive and complex weapons are used — razor blades, electric shavers, tweezers, waxing, depilatories, electrolysis — hair, like crab grass, always grows back and eventually wins. In the meantime, the skin suffers the effects of the scorched battlefield.

Pubic hair removal naturally irritates and inflames the hair follicles left behind, leaving microscopic open wounds. Rather than suffering a comparison to a bristle brush, frequent hair removal is necessary to stay smooth, causing regular irritation of the shaved or waxed area. When that irritation is combined with the warm moist environment of the genitals, it becomes a happy culture media for some of the nastiest of bacterial pathogens, namely group A streptococcus, staphylococcus aureus and its recently mutated cousin methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA). There is an increase in staph boils and abscesses, necessitating incisions to drain the infection, resulting in scarring that can be significant. It is not at all unusual to find pustules and other hair follicle inflammation papules on shaved genitals.

Additionally, I’ve seen cellulitis (soft tissue bacterial infection without abscess) of the scrotum, labia and penis from spread of bacteria from shaving or from sexual contact with strep or staph bacteria from a partner’s skin.

Some clinicians are finding that freshly shaved pubic areas and genitals are also more vulnerable to herpes infections due to the microscopic wounds being exposed to the virus carried by mouth or genitals. It follows that there may be vulnerability to spread of other STIs, as well.

Pubic hair does have a purpose, providing cushion against friction that can cause skin abrasion and injury and offering protection from bacteria and other unwanted pathogens. It is the visible result of long-awaited adolescent hormones, certainly nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about.

It is time to declare a truce in the war on pubic hair and allow it to stay right where it belongs. We owe it to our patients to encourage them to let it be.

Emily Gibson is a family physician who blogs at  Barnstorming.

This article is absurd. Men (most) shave their face daily. Most women shave their legs. Why don’t all of us stop shaving and look the Taliban and put Gillette out of business.

There are microscopic thingies every where on the body hence the body is often called am microcosm. Waste of space.

Before trimming I would suffer all types of itching from down there and one day a provider suggested that doing some trimming would help matters.  She was right as rain.

I think that the undergrowth promotes more bacteria, not the opposite.

Now I am doing the shaving thing and getting many compliments and extra special treatment, plus it is wonderfully cool for the summer months.

A little aftershave or lotion on the area after the shaving prevents any infectios from nicks.

Waxing is the best if you can find someone to do it and don't mind a little bit of pain.  (I sort of enjoy it.)

I think the silliest comment in that article has to be about the need for pubic hair for cushioning the area.  Cushion it from what?  I don't, as a rule, drop bowling balls on my crotch.

I have my pussy waxed and although sparse at best with growing hair there are a few weeks growth before it's time to wax again. You do need a certain amount of hair to wax and for someone with coarser hair it would be noticeable. The coarser the hair the more chance to injure the hair follicle or root which can cause problems and open one to infection.

I shave my legs every morning in the shower. Simple and takes only a minute. I would never go back to shaving my private areas and wonder if that five o'clock shadow isn't rubbing someone the wrong way. Love the soft as silk feel I get for 4 weeks when waxed. I wax my own pussy and the view is quite humorous to explain. Me lying on the floor spread eagle with legs extended on a very large floor mirror.

I dry brush my genital area every day before showering. This keeps the hair follicles clear so the hair may actually make it's way out and ready to be groomed again. Clogging pores is a big problem and this will eliminate it. No i'm not masturbating with that brush ! ouch

I also use a bump blemish product you can buy at any drug store. I use this at the first notice of a small spot but most important after waxing for 4 or 5 days. It  helps keep those nasty bacteria away.

Been waxing or shaving for years and have been very lucky with no problems.

Kisses Haley

And on a hot summer muggy NYC day, the last thing I want to deal with when looking at an otherwise delectable pussy is the smell of sweat, funk, and maybe a few pieces of straight toilet paper from when she wiped.

No thank you.  Shave that shit.

the musk smell is a different fermoan. sex after sweating for a while, especially if you have been in sight while you both are working is a turn on.

Not the smell that comes from sweating after being freshly showered and coming all over the place.

... but if she strips down and I see a tomato patch or something like that girl from the movie "Waiting", I'm running out that door!!!

when anyone goes in reporting issues, they always say to groom the hair. I realize that it's not supposed to be bald as that makes it more prone to irritation and impurities getting in, but I am OCD about cleaning. I don't shave or wax so their are no cuts or abrasions to speak of. You can put the time and money into laser removal, and not worry about any of that.

There is a small percentage of people who get infections or std's, mainly because they fail to follow the estheticians after maintenance care.
Some important aftercare info, NO sex for 48 hrs, no pools, no tanning, exfoliate everday for at least a week & no scented lotions.
When you go to get a wax make sure the esthetician has been waxing for at 2 yrs, ask her if she gets waxed & how many brazilians does she do a week (average should be 8-12 or more)

If it was that hazardous to people it would have been banned years ago.

I read this on Alternet.  I thought it was a good article.  Here's my thing.  I like a little fuzz on mine, but very trimmed and shaved around the edges.  

I am really tired of all the latest Playmates looking the same.  It's boring.  I love when women (and men too) have something fun and interesting to uncover!  It's the secret and I get to find out!  

I really hate when she looks like she could be my daughter.  I mean, EW EW EW!!!!!    If she looks super young and is shaved, I'm turned off completely.  Now, a real woman's body with a landing strip or even bare is great!  

Guys, I love trimmed!  Shave your balls, I super love that!  I hate getting pubes caught in my mouth too.  But I don't particularly find myself attracted to bald-down-there men either.  Kinda yuck.  But trimmed is GREAT.

My humble opinion and personal preferences.

xo

Sorry, forgot, we live is world in which people try and take advantage of every little thing for selfish reasons with hyperbola and mis information.