Pubic hair can act as a "ladder" for bacteria to go from the anus to the vagina, said Dr. Kaufman. It can also trap bacteria from your partner during sex, where it can wind up in your urethra. If UTIs are a problem, you can either clean regularly with mild soap and water or keep pubic hair trimmed.
Long pubic hair
The smaller the dance floor, the smaller the area the bacteria and bodily fluids have to hang out and interact with each other. Pubic hair holds on to residual urine, vaginal discharge, blood and semen.
Trichomycosis, also known as trichobacteriosis, is a bacterial infection that mainly occurs in the underarm hairs. In rare cases, the infection can occur elsewhere, such as in the pubic hair or the hair between the buttocks.
A UTI develops when microbes enter the urinary tract and cause infection. Bacteria are the most common cause of UTIs, although fungi rarely can also infect the urinary tract. E. coli bacteria, which live in the bowel, cause most UTIs.
Grooming Optimizes Hygiene
When you feel good in your body, you just feel better overall. Shaving your pubic hair, or even slightly trimming it, helps keep your goods cleaner by exposing skin to soap and water that's normally covered by hair. Pretty simple.
Ingrown hairs: Often associated with tweezing or waxing, ingrown hairs are caused by hair that grows backward underneath the skin. The raised or red bumps can fill with pus and turn into an infected cyst.
You're Less Likely To Get Rashes
If you don't shave, those things aren't really a possibility anymore, leaving you and your lady parts in peace. Indeed, Dweck listed infected hair follicles (folliculitis), rashes, and irritation (razor burn) as some of the most common issues she sees from patients who shave.
It provides protection against friction that can cause skin irritation in this sensitive area. It helps reduce the amount of sweat produced around the vagina. It helps block your vagina from the following bacteria and infections: Sexually transmitted infections.
Your pubic hair is "protective," says Metz, and you don't *need* to remove it. But of course, if you prefer to trim, shave, wax, or otherwise remove your pubic hair, that's totally fine.
Some guys trim their pubic hair over the toilet or in the bathtub/shower - but your best bet is to trim over a large towel. You don't want to have the awkward conversation where you explain why there's a clump of little curlies clogging up your drains.
Anatomy and/or genetics
Women are more prone to UTIs mostly because of their anatomy. A woman's urethra is shorter than a man's. Plus it is located near the openings of the vagina and anus, meaning there's more opportunity for bacteria from both those areas to spread—or be wiped—into the urethra.
Is it unhygienic? No, pubic hair is not unhygienic. However, it does trap dirt and sweat, so it can become more pungent than areas of the body that have less hair. Like other areas of the body, pubic hair does require regular cleaning.
If you think you have a UTI, the first thing you should do is schedule an appointment with your OBGYN or primary care physician. Many women will try to self-treat it, or worse, just hope it goes away on its own.
On the flip side, Dr. Wider says it's possible that having too much pubic hair could trap bacteria and lead to an infection, but if you're keeping yourself clean, it shouldn't be an issue. (She says using simple soap and water, and rinsing thoroughly should do the trick.)
Even getting out your tweezers for the odd hair might seem harmless, but next time swap the tweezers for your razor and some shaving gel to remove those stray hairs. This is because plucking hairs can traumatise the follicle, causing scar tissue to build-up around the pore.
Pubic hair may extend out to their thighs, and some girls may have a line of hair up to their belly button. Most girls attain their peak height by age 16, but some may continue growing through age 20.
The practice of removing female body hair is not new, it can be traced back to ancient Rome and Egypt. Some of the first razors, made of copper, were used in Egypt and India around 3000 BCE. Egyptian women removed their head hair and considered pubic hair uncivilized.
To keep the pubic area smooth and hairless, you'll need to shave regularly, even daily. Consider if this is worth the trouble; it may become tedious after four or five weeks.
Bacteria — especially E. coli — are the most common cause of UTIs. Symptoms include needing to pee often, pain while peeing and pain in your side or lower back. Antibiotics can treat most UTIs.
Cranberry juice is one of the most well-established natural treatments for UTIs. People also use it to clear other infections and speed wound recovery. 2020 research into the effectiveness of cranberries for UTIs has found it to be effective.
Girls can have vaginal infections for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with sexual contact — such as stress, for example. Even if you're not having intercourse, fingering and oral sex can lead to infection. Ask your boyfriend to wash his hands before touching your genitals.