"The hair traps the smell," Michael Cackovic, M.D., an ob/gyn at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF. "What you can smell is bacteria mixing with the sweat and oil." But Rowen says that as long as you have good hygiene in general, your pubic hair isn't any worse off than the hair on your head.
Pubic hair holds on to residual urine, vaginal discharge, blood and semen. Bacteria line up all along the hair shaft just lunching it up and creating odor. (Very appetizing, I know.) Trimming your pubic hair reduces that surface area for bacteria, thus reducing odor.
Wear underwear made from materials that breathe, like cotton or moisture-wicking fabrics. Use cornstarch to help control moisture and odor. Bathe twice daily. Trim back pubic hair.
But pubic hair isn't actually unhygienic. Like other hair on your body, your pubes trap sweat, oil, and bacteria. So, they might have a slightly stronger odor than other areas of your body. As long as you wash regularly, this shouldn't be cause for concern.
The research shows that body hair by itself is not a cause of bad body odor. But everyone is unique. Some guys report smelling better after their shave their armpits, body hair, or pubes. They feel that it makes them sweat less and smell better.
To keep the pubic area smooth and hairless, you'll need to shave regularly, even daily.
Removing pubic hair may therefore make a person more susceptible to common infections, such as UTIs, vaginitis, and yeast infections. Hair removal can also irritate your skin, leading to skin infections such as cellulitis and folliculitis. In other cases, grooming-related injuries, such as cuts, could become infected.
"What you can smell is bacteria mixing with the sweat and oil." But Rowen says that as long as you have good hygiene in general, your pubic hair isn't any worse off than the hair on your head. "Yes, pubic hair can get dirty or matted or collect bacteria," she says.
Pubic hair and hair on the body doesn't usually grow back after the menopause, this is due to levels of estrogen and progesterone remaining low as we continue to age.
The issue with shaving all the time? "If you do remove hair too frequently, you can end up with something called folliculitis, which is an infection of the hair follicle," Dr. Metz says. Basically, the act of shaving poorly can damage the follicle and cause inflammation.
Trimming with scissors Using scissors can be a safe way to give the pubic area a well-groomed look. Since the operation does not come into contact with the skin, trimming the pubic hair with scissors has a relatively low risk of injury.
Most pubes grow between half an inch and 1.5 inches, according to Steixner.
Pubic hair removal is common — approximately 80 percent of women ages 18 to 65 report they remove some or all of their pubic hair.
Ignoring Signs of Irritation
If the skin in your pubic area is especially sensitive, invest in after-shave products made with calming ingredients such as cucumber, oatmeal and aloe vera, all of which are equally effective. Dr. Bolden-Cook also recommends the more affordable Vaseline jelly as a viable after-shave balm.
Trimming your pubic hair during or after a shower might seem best, but wet hair is much harder to deal with. When it comes to trimming down the bulk of your pubic hair, you want everything to be dry. That makes it easier for your body trimmer to get the job done.
An occasional itch anywhere on the body, even your pubic area, is probably nothing to worry about. Itchy pubic hair that persists, however, may be caused by allergies, damage to the hair follicles, or an infection. Find out what could cause your pubic area to itch and how to treat it.
Your hair follicles continue to grow hair underneath your skin, and shaving can cause those follicles to become irritated. It's this irritation that makes you feel itchy after you shave.
Step Three: Shave Away
Also, how often you shave your pubic area depends on how close of a shave you're after. Dr. Kihczak says a close shave typically lasts one or two days and requires upkeep every two to three days. Once you start to shave, always work in the direction of the hair growth.
As we age, some pubic hair thinning, or loss, is normal. However, certain conditions like alopecia or an adrenal issue can also cause hair loss. If you have any concerns, it's best to contact your Axia Women's Health provider.
We know a lot about changes in pubic hair with the onset of puberty and about complications associated with pubic hair grooming, but less about changes with aging and menopause. The scant data we do have suggests that the growth rate and density of pubic hair decreases with age for both women and men.
If you want to avoid the stubbly look you can get from shaving, you can use depilatories or wax. A depilatory is a cream or liquid that removes hair from the skin's surface. Depilatories work quickly, are available at drugstores and grocery stores, and are painless.
Oils such as jojoba and grapeseed are also ideal for the pubic region, because they quickly absorb into skin and hair and soften both, without staining your clothes.