Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Jun;210(6):528.e1-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2014.01.036. Epub 2014 Jan 31.

Complications related to pubic hair removal

Andrea L DeMaria  1 , Marissa Flores  2 , Jacqueline M Hirth  2 , Abbey B Berenson  2
Affiliations

Complications related to pubic hair removal

Andrea L DeMaria et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the prevalence and correlates of complications related to pubic hair removal among a diverse clinical sample of women attending a public clinic.

Study design: Women (aged 16-40 years) who received care from April to June 2012 at 2 publicly funded clinics completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire (n = 369). After excluding women with missing data, analyses were conducted on 333 women. Additional measures were retrieved through a medical chart review. A χ(2) and a multivariable logistic regression were used to analyze participant characteristics, pubic hair removal behaviors, and complications related to pubic hair removal.

Results: Most women (87%) admitted to current removal of at least some pubic hair, whereas the remainder responded that they had removed pubic hair in the past. Under- or normal-weight women were more likely to report total pubic hair removal than overweight or obese women. The majority (60%) had experienced at least 1 health complication because of the removal, of which the most common were epidermal abrasion and ingrown hairs. Black and Hispanic women were less likely than white women to report complications. Overweight or obese women were almost twice as likely to report a complication and almost 3 times as likely if they also had total hair removal. Only 4% had seen a health care provider for a complication related to hair removal and only 4% discussed safe removal practices with their doctor.

Conclusion: Minor complications commonly occur as a result of pubic hair removal. Gynecological visits could provide a safe environment for women to discuss pubic hair removal practices.

Keywords: clinical complications; genital injury; genital shaving; pubic hair.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure Statement: The authors report no conflict of interest.

Comment in

References

    1. Herbenick D, Schick V, Reece M, Sanders S, Fortenberry JD. Pubic Hair Removal among women in the United States: prevalence, methods, and characteristics. J Sex Med. 2010;7:3322–30. - PubMed
    1. DeMaria AL, Berenson AB. Prevalence and correlates of pubic hair grooming among low-income Hispanic, Black, and White women. Body Image. 2013;10:226–31. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Herbenick D, Hensel D, Smith NK, et al. Pubic hair removal and sexual behavior: findings from a prospective daily diary study of sexually active women in the United States. J Sex Med. 2013;10:678–85. - PubMed
    1. Glass AS, Bagga HS, Tasian ET, et al. Pubic hair grooming injuries presenting to U.S. emergency departments. Urology. 2012;80:1187–91. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dendle C, Mulvey S, Pyrlis F, et al. Severe complications of a “Brazilian” bikini wax. Clin Infect Dis. 2007;45:e29–31. - PubMed

Publication types

Supplementary concepts