Hair Care Down There: Grooming While Avoiding Infections Matters For Your Health

Removing pubic hair has become extremely common: for hygiene, aesthetics, cultural reasons or sexual preferences. But it's not risk-free. Medical studies and clinical reviews show that grooming the pubic area especially aggressive methods such as close shaving, waxing, or repeated full removal can cause skin injury, inflammation and sometimes infection. Knowing the how, why and what-to-do can keep you safe. The skin of the groin is thin, warm and humid which is ideal conditions for bacteria. Removing hair creates tiny cuts, abrasions or inflamed follicles.

Those micro-injuries let bacteria or other microbes enter the hair follicle or nearby skin, causing pustules, painful nodules or even abscesses. Repeated trauma may also produce ingrown hairs and chronic follicular inflammation, which further increases infection risk. Surgical-site studies and dermatology reviews also show that shaving increases superficial skin trauma and infection risk in hair-bearing areas.

Large surveys confirm this clinically: a substantial proportion of people who remove pubic hair report at least one complication like epidermal abrasion, ingrown hairs, folliculitis; in some settings, grooming has even been associated with increased rates of skin-transmitted sexually transmitted infections and genital inflammation.

What infections or problems can occur?

Common problems after pubic grooming include:

• Folliculitis which are red, tender pustules at hair follicles; can be bacterial or fungal.
• Ingrown hairs and pseudofolliculitis, inflammatory papules that can mimic infection.
• Cellulitis or abscess (boils), deeper bacterial infections that may require antibiotics or drainage. Studies report MRSA as an occasional cause in community skin infections.
• Contact dermatitis or chemical burns from depilatory creams or hot wax.
• Increased risk of some sexually transmitted infections or genital inflammation, observational studies link extreme or frequent grooming with higher self-reported rates of STIs and genital lesions (mechanism: microabrasions + mucosal exposure).

Signs that an infection has developed:

Watch for these red flags after grooming:

• Increasing redness, spreading beyond the immediate area.
• Painful, pus-filled bumps or nodules that don't settle in 48–72 hours.
• Fever, chills, or swollen nearby lymph nodes.
• Recurrent boils at the same spot.
• If you see any of these, seek medical care, deep infections or MRSA may need antibiotics or surgical drainage.

How to treat common post-grooming issues

1. Minor folliculitis or small pustules: keep clean, apply warm compresses 3–4 times daily to encourage drainage; use topical antiseptics (chlorhexidine) or topical antibiotics if advised by a clinician. Avoid further shaving until healed.
2. Ingrown hairs: gentle exfoliation and emollients; avoid picking. If inflamed, topical retinoids or steroid/antibiotic creams prescribed by a dermatologist can help.
3. Abscess/large painful nodule: do not lance yourself, see a doctor. Abscesses often need incision and drainage plus systemic antibiotics.
4. Suspected MRSA or spreading infection: urgent medical evaluation; culture and targeted antibiotics may be required.

Precaution tips on how to remove pubic hair safely

1. Before you start

• Trim hair first with scissors or an electric trimmer, don't try to shave long hair down in one pass.
• Shower and gently cleanse the area to remove sweat, lubricants and bacteria. Warm water softens hair and skin.

2. If you shave

• Use a clean, single-blade razor or a fresh multi-blade cartridge. Replace blades often. Shaving with razors (especially against the grain) causes more epidermal injury than clipping.
• Use a gentle shaving foam or soap formulated for sensitive skin; shave in the direction of hair growth with light passes. Rinse the blade frequently.

3. If you wax or laser

• Wax in a reputable, hygienic salon; make sure disposable strips/tools are actually single-use. Waxing can cause burns and larger skin tears if done improperly.
• Laser hair removal should be done by trained providers with proper settings for the groin.

4. Aftercare

Rinse and pat dry; avoid tight clothing for 24–48 hours. Apply a mild, fragrance-free emollient or an antiseptic wash if prone to infection. Avoid sex or friction until irritation settles.

When to avoid hair removal

If you have active skin infection, uncontrolled diabetes, compromised immunity, or recent radiation in the area, consult a doctor first. People with recurring infections should talk to a clinician about safer alternatives.

Pubic hair removal is normal and often safe but it can cause abrasions, folliculitis and, sometimes, bacterial infections. The safest approach is gentle trimming or clipping, careful hygiene, and smart aftercare; if red flags appear (like spreading redness, fever or painful pus nodules), see a clinician promptly. Following the precautions above will cut down most of the risks while letting you choose the grooming style that suits you.

References

Complications related to pubic hair removal — American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG) — 2014.

Prevalence of Pubic Hair Grooming–Related Injuries and Emergency Department Visits — Journal of Sexual Medicine / Emergency Medicine data (presented in PMC) — 2017.

Prevention and Treatment of Injuries and Infections Related to Pubic Hair Removal — Nursing for Women's Health (Nurs Womens Health) — 2017.

Folliculitis (review) — StatPearls / National Library of Medicine (NCBI Bookshelf) — 2023 (last update).

Preoperative hair removal to reduce surgical site infection (systematic review) — Cochrane / peer-reviewed surgical literature (published via NCBI) — 2021.