ArticleLiterature Review

Pubic Hair and Sexuality: A Review

Authors:
  • Raigmore
  • Queen Elizabeth University Hopspital, Glasgow
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Abstract

Hair is a distinguishing feature of mammals, though the persistence of visible head, axillary, and pubic hair remains anthropologically unclear. Humans throughout the ages have modified their head and body hair, but aesthetic removal of pubic hair has become the "the ultimate barometer of how fashionable you really are" in the 21st century. The aim of the article is to examine the trends in pubic hair removal and its impact on health and sexuality. A literature search was performed, with a further search performed using an Internet-based search engine. For discussion, the results have been classified into the topics of "Development and anthropology","Cultural and artistic significance", "Medical implications", "Psychological and sexual significance and popular culture", "Impact of body hair loss on sexuality" and "Style and terminology." Pubic hair removal has been common since the ancient times. Pubic hair was rarely depicted in artistic representations of the nude until the late 19th century. It is postulated that the current trend of pubic hair removal may be related to the increased accessibility of Internet-based pornography. Anecdotally, pubic hair removal may carry benefits regarding increased sexual sensation and satisfaction though there is no quantative research in this field. There is a recognized morbidity to pubic hair removal, and also a lack of standardization of terms for styles adopted. We propose a definitive grading system for male and female body hair based on the widely used Tumor Node Metastasis staging system. Pubic hair removal appears to be an important aspect of expressing one's sexuality and participation in sexual activity. This practice has an interesting psychosexual basis which, to date, has not yet been fully explored in sexual medicine.

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... Terminal hair growth in the face, chest, abdomen, and back are also highly sexually dimorphic, with men having significantly more hair in these areas of their bodies than women. In addition, amidst changing depilation and hairstyling practices throughout time and across cultures, people have displayed preferences for certain hairstyles in mates and altered and groomed their hair so as to appear more attractive (Butler, Smith, Collazo, Caltabiano, & Herbenick, 2015;Dixson & Brooks, 2013;Dixson et al., 2019;Herbenick, Schick, Reece, Sanders, & Fortenberry, 2010;Ramsey, Sweeney, Fraser, & Oades, 2009). This suggests that sexual selection has helped to shape depilation and hairstyling, perhaps as forms of ornamentation to increase perceived attractiveness and phenotypic quality (i.e., intersexual selection) or as cues to physical formidability, dominance, or status (i.e., intrasexual competition; Darwin, 1871;Dixson & Brooks, 2013;Dixson & Rantala, 2016;Dixson et al., 2019;Dixson & Vasey, 2012;Hinsz, Matz, & Patience, 2001;Meskó & Bereczkei, 2004). ...
... Depilation has been practiced since ancient times, and several studies show that the removal of body hair is commonly practiced by women and men across contemporary society (Butler et al., 2015;Craig & Gray, 2019;Dixson et al., 2019;Herbenick et al., 2010;Ramsey et al., 2009). More than 90% of women living in Western cultures (e.g., New Zealand, the U.S., the United Kingdom, and Australia) indicate that they tend to remove hair from their legs and underarms, and between 65 and 85% report trimming or removing hair from their pubic area (Butler et al., 2015;DeMaria & Berenson, 2013;Herbenick et al., 2010Herbenick et al., , 2013Osterberg et al., 2017;Terry & Braun, 2013;Tiggemann & Hodgson, 2008;Toerien & Wilkinson, 2004;Stone, Graham, & Baysal, 2017). ...
... The retention of pubic hair in humans may function, in part, to disperse pheromones for sexual signaling (Ramsey et al., 2009). ...
Article
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Researchers have highlighted numerous sociocultural factors that have been shown to underpin human appearance enhancement practices, including the influence of peers, family, the media, and sexual objectification. Fewer scholars have approached appearance enhancement from an evolutionary perspective or considered how sociocultural factors interact with evolved psychology to produce appearance enhancement behavior. Following others, we argue that evidence from the field of evolutionary psychology can complement existing sociocultural models by yielding unique insight into the historical and cross-cultural ubiquity of competition over aspects of physical appearance to embody what is desired by potential mates. An evolutionary lens can help to make sense of reliable sex and individual differences that impact appearance enhancement, as well as the context-dependent nature of putative adaptations that function to increase physical attractiveness. In the current review, appearance enhancement is described as a self-promotion strategy used to enhance reproductive success by rendering oneself more attractive than rivals to mates, thereby increasing one’s mate value. The varied ways in which humans enhance their appearance are described, as well as the divergent tactics used by women and men to augment their appearance, which correspond to the preferences of opposite-sex mates in a heterosexual context. Evolutionarily relevant individual differences and contextual factors that vary predictably with appearance enhancement behavior are also discussed. The complementarity of sociocultural and evolutionary perspectives is emphasized and recommended avenues for future interdisciplinary research are provided for scholars interested in studying appearance enhancement behavior.
... The practice of hair removal from different body parts and areas is common across cultures [1,2]. The practice of removing pubic hair is quite evident from artistic depictions, paintings, and religious text recommending removal of pubic hairs [1]. ...
... The practice of hair removal from different body parts and areas is common across cultures [1,2]. The practice of removing pubic hair is quite evident from artistic depictions, paintings, and religious text recommending removal of pubic hairs [1]. The pubic hair removal (PHR) practices were associated in middle ages with regular hygiene, specifically to avoid pubic lice [1,3]. ...
... The practice of removing pubic hair is quite evident from artistic depictions, paintings, and religious text recommending removal of pubic hairs [1]. The pubic hair removal (PHR) practices were associated in middle ages with regular hygiene, specifically to avoid pubic lice [1,3]. The PHR practice is common all around the world yet there exists a lot of conflicting lay literature, mostly in forms of health blogs, discussion forums, and social media [4][5][6][7][8][9]. ...
Article
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Abstract Background and Objectives - The PHR practices are common around the world, for long the internet has been source of information, which is usually avialble from blogs, forums, social media. A lot of misinformation, misguidance is resulted because of lack of scientifically published literature providing proper information on the PHR practices. We undertook systematic review of existing population based studies to understand the prevalence, attitude, practices of PHR in published literature. Methods - We searched for population based studies across the globe for prevalence, attitude and practice of PHR in study participants on electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, J-Gate, Medline). A total of 307 titles were identified on which 9 were considered eligible for the study. Descriptive analysis was carried on the 9 identified study to know the prevalence, attitude and practices of PHR. Results – The prevalence of PHR at least once was 75%, Friends(73%) were the prime motivators to initiate the first PHR activity. Personal Hygiene(69%) was cited as the most common driver for regular PHR activity. Shaving using Razor blade(58%) was the most common mode of PHR and Abrasion(34%) was the most common complication. Conclusions – Pubic Hair Removal is a common practice among both males and females, the practice is initiated and propelled mostly through personal preferences. The current need is to undertake population based studies, specifically in developing countries and present the evidence backed information on do’s and don’ts for optimum PHR experience with minimal complications. Key words: Pubic Hair removal, Attitude, Practices
... Western PHR practices are largely viewed by the scientific community as the result of changing cultural norms. Increased product marketing (Toerien & Wilkinson, 2003;Toerien et al., 2005), pornography production (Fahs, 2014;Ramsey, Sweeney, Fraser, & Oades, 2009;Schick et al., 2010;Stone et al., 2017), and pop culture (Toerien & Wilkinson, 2003) teach women that pubic hair is masculine, unclean, and unattractive and that PHR practices are normal and expected. Women must practice PHR to maintain a semblance of youth and femininity (Toerien & Wilkinson, 2003). ...
... However, PHR may have implications for literal hygiene as well. PHR is consistently associated with reduced frequencies of pubic lice (Armstrong & Wilson, 2006;Ramsey et al., 2009). Because the human disgust reflex responds to any perceived threat of infection (Curtis, 2014), the common feelings of disgust associated with pubic hair today might be an evolutionary byproduct of a history of hair, body, and pubic lice. ...
... Based on an online survey and ratings of female genitalia, heterosexual men who are reportedly disgust-sensitive to pathogens have a significant preference for complete PHR in their partners, which the author frames as a male preference against potential parasite transmission (Prokop, 2016). PHR may reduce exposure to parasites such as pubic lice, but PHR is also associated with an increased risk for sexually transmitted infections likely due to small cuts and abrasions caused by shaving or waxing (Ramsey et al., 2009). ...
Article
The literature on pubic hair removal (PHR) practices primarily focuses on women in Western societies and attributes recent increases in PHR to product marketing, pornography, and pop culture. Here, we explore PHR and retention practices outside the cultural West through content coding of societies in the Human Relations Area Files’ database, eHRAF World Cultures. Thirty-one societies noted distinct PHR or retention practices. Descriptive data on 72 societies provided additional context to the perception of pubic hair and reasons for its removal or retention. Results indicate that women practice PHR more commonly than men cross-culturally and practices are often tied to concerns about hygiene and sexual activity. Findings show that some features of PHR cross-culturally resemble those of the cultural West in which these practices have been best characterized, though these practices cannot be attributed to the same suite of factors such as exposure to pornography or product marketing. We interpret these findings within cross-cultural and evolutionary perspectives.
... In Western societies the practice of pubic hair removal (PHR) by women has become normative and part of the body ideal for young Western women (Ramsey, Sweeney, Fraser, & Oades, 2009;Smolak & Murnen, 2011;Tiggemann & Hodgson, 2008;Toerien, Wilkinson, & Choi, 2005). Although pubic hair does not in itself have any sexual function other than those attributes given to it by individuals or within a cultural context, it does have a clear biological purpose. ...
... In recent years, there has been a shift in the prevalence and extent of PHR being undertaken by women (Braun, Tricklebank, & Clarke, 2013;Labre, 2002;Ramsey et al., 2009). A U.K. study found 86% of women aged 16C years had undertaken PHR at some time in their lives (Toerien et al., 2005). ...
... In a Canadian study, 30% of women aged 16-50 years reported usually removing all their pubic hair (Riddell, Varto, & Hodgson, 2010), whereas in New Zealand, 26% of women aged 18-35 years removed "all," and a further 25% removed "most" of their pubic hair (Terry & Braun, 2013). Along with the documented changes in PHR practices, research has established that there is a recognized morbidity to removing pubic hair, including skin irritation and an increase in bacterial and viral infections (DeMaria, Flores, Hirth, & Berenson, 2014;Desruelles, Cunningham, & Dubois, 2013;Ramsey et al., 2009;Schmidtberger, Ladizinski, & Ramirez-Fort, 2014). In one U.S. study, 60% of women who engaged in PHR reported at least one minor complication due to removal, the most common being epidermal abrasion and ingrown hairs (DeMaria et al., 2014). ...
Article
Objectives: To examine the relationship between women's pubic hair removal (PHR) and genital satisfaction and explore whether attitudes toward, and personal consumption of, pornography are associated with women's engagement in PHR. Methods: Data were collected by online survey from women (N = 152) who were then categorized into groups based on the prevalence and extent of PHR during the previous 4 weeks. Groups were compared on demographic, background, and behavioral variables. Results: Eighty-three percent of respondents reported PHR in the previous 4 weeks and 40% of respondents removed all their pubic hair. Women who were younger, White, and were more satisfied with their genitals were more likely to engage in PHR. Of these, being younger, not having a degree, reporting less positive attitudes toward erotica, and 3 reasons for PHR predicted extensive PHR over limited removal. Conclusions: Findings provide insights into the reasons for, and extent of, PHR among women and factors associated with the practice. The possible influences of partners' preferences for genital hair removal by women and partners' consumption of pornography are important areas for future research.
... By 1895, Danlos was serving as "chef de service," or department head, at the Hôpital Tenon in Paris. 1 Danlos is best known for his contributions defining the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). In 1901, a Danish dermatologist by the name of Edward Ehlers presented a case to the Paris Society of Dermatology and Syphilology on a patient with hyperextensible skin and joint laxity. 2 Seven years later, Danlos presented a patient to the same society who was previously diagnosed as having juvenile pseudodiabetic xanthomata. ...
... 3 Although Ehlers and Danlos are officially given credit for defining this syndrome, historical records show that the earliest reports of EDS were published in 1657 by a Dutch surgeon. 1,2 Danlos' contributions went beyond the description of EDS as he was a prolific researcher and provided important insights in dermatology, radiology, and medicine. After borrowing a source of radium from Pierre Curie, Danlos was one of the first physicians to investigate the use of radium and x-rays in treating various dermatological conditions, including tuberculosis skin lesions and the cutaneous features of systemic lupus erythematosus. ...
... Danlos performed much of this research between 1895 and 1912, receiving recognition for his work in 1904 when he was elected president of the Paris Medical Society. 1 Despite his numerous medical achievements, Danlos was known to be pessimistic and withdrawn from others. This has been attributed to a prolonged illness that he experienced during his childhood years. ...
Article
Full-text available
Born in 1844, Henri-Alexandre Danlos was a French dermatologist who resided in Paris for his entire life. His father urged him to work for the family business on finishing his education, but Danlos decided to pursue a career in medicine without his parents’ approval. His rebellious attitude and drive served him well; in 1869, Danlos graduated with distinction in medicine and later presented his doctoral thesis entitled, “The Relationship Between Menstruation and Skin Disease.” By 1895, Danlos was serving as “chef de service,” or department head, at the Hôpital Tenon in Paris.
... Pubic hair grooming is increasingly prevalent among men and women in the United States (Gaither et al., 2015;Herbenick, Schick, Reece, Sanders, & Fortenberry, 2010). There are numerous reasons to remove pubic hair; the most commonly reported are focused on sexual activity and sexual expression (Ramsey, Sweeney, Fraser, & Oades, 2009). Increasing access to sexually explicit material may also influence grooming motivation and trends (Vannier, Currie, & O'Sullivan, 2014). ...
... The following demographic data were collected: age, race, relationship status, education, and geographic region. Baseline hairiness and genital satisfaction were collected using previously validated questionnaires (Davis, Paterson, & Binik, 2012;Ramsey et al., 2009) that use a 1 to 7 Likerttype scale. Sexual practice characteristics including sexual partner sex, sex frequency, number of sexual partners, and specific sexual behaviors was assessed. ...
... It is well documented that pubic hair grooming is associated with sexual activity and behavior (DeMaria & Berenson, 2013;Gaither et al., 2015;Herbenick et al., 2010;Herbenick et al., 2013;Ramsey et al., 2009;Tiggemann & Hodgson, 2008). The majority of studies to date have been in women or gay men. ...
Article
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Pubic hair grooming is a growing phenomenon and is associated with body image and sexual activity. A nationally representative survey of noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 to 65 years residing in the United States was conducted. Differences in demographic and sexual characteristics between groomers and nongroomers were explored. Four thousand one hundred and ninety-eight men completed the survey. Of these men, 2,120 (50.5%) reported regular pubic hair grooming. The prevalence of grooming decreases with age, odds ratio = 0.95 (95% confidence interval [0.94, 0.96]), p < .001. Adjusting for sexual frequency and sexual orientation, grooming is associated with performing and receiving oral sex. The majority of men report grooming in preparation for sexual activity with a peak prevalence of 73% among men aged 25 to 34 years, followed by hygiene (61%) and routine care (44%). The majority of men who remove their pubic hair groom the hair above the penis (87%), followed by the scrotum (66%) and the penile shaft (57%). Overall, pubic hair grooming is common among men aged 18 to 65 years in the United States. Younger ages are associated with greater rates of pubic hair grooming. Many men groom for sex, in particular oral sex, as well as for routine care and hygiene.
... P ubic hair grooming is an increasingly prevalent trend in the 21st century. 1 Several studies 2-5 during the past 5 years have found that most women report engaging in pubic grooming and hair removal, including total removal of all pubic hair. This practice is most common in younger women. ...
... This practice is most common in younger women. Other factors that have been associated with pubic hair grooming include race, being in an unmarried relationship, sexual activity, and higher scores on sexual function scales, 1,4 which implies better sex life satisfaction for women who groom. 2 Pubic hair grooming practices pose some potential risks of injury to women, most often related to shaving. 6,7 Obese women are particularly prone to injury during pubic hair grooming, which is important to any practitioners who address gynecologic health. ...
... Much of what is believed to be the driving factor for grooming is a cultural trend, epitomized by representation of genitalia in popular media. 1 The mainstream media's portrayal of women discussing and engaging in pubic hair removal is also a major factor for grooming-related influences. 9 Furthermore, there is an increasing trend of genital cosmetic surgery, and a previous study 10 highlights that the motivating factor is aesthetics rather than functionality. ...
Article
Importance Pubic hair grooming is an increasingly prevalent trend. Several studies have sought to characterize its prevalence, associated demographics, and motivations. Objective To characterize current pubic hair grooming practices in the United States. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cross-sectional study, a nationally representative survey was conducted in January 2013 of noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 to 65 years residing in the United States via the GfK Group (formerly Knowledge Networks) panel members. Data analysis was performed from November to December 2015. Interventions A questionnaire examining pubic hair grooming habits. Main Outcomes and Measures Demographic characteristics and motivations associated with pubic hair grooming. Results A total of 3372 women were surveyed. Fifty-six women did not answer the grooming question; consequently, 3316 women were included in the analysis. Of these women, 2778 (83.8%) reported pubic hair grooming and 538 (16.2%) reported never grooming. On multivariate regression, several factors associated with grooming were found. When compared with younger women (aged 18-24 years), women aged 45 through 55 years (odds ratio [OR], 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.49; P = .01) and those older than 55 years (OR, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.00-0.34; P = .003) were significantly less likely to groom. Women with some college (OR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.65-6.84; P = .001) or a bachelor’s degree (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.17-4.88; P = .02) were more likely to have groomed. Race was also significantly associated with grooming, with all groups reporting less grooming when compared with white women. No association was found between grooming and income, relationship status, or geographic location. Conclusions and Relevance This study provides a nationally representative assessment of contemporary female pubic hair grooming habits. Demographic differences in grooming were found, which may reflect cultural variations in preference related to pubic hair. Health care professionals and those who provide grooming services can use this information to better counsel patients and understand grooming practices.
... P ubic hair grooming is an increasingly prevalent trend in the 21st century. 1 Several studies 2-5 during the past 5 years have found that most women report engaging in pubic grooming and hair removal, including total removal of all pubic hair. This practice is most common in younger women. ...
... This practice is most common in younger women. Other factors that have been associated with pubic hair grooming include race, being in an unmarried relationship, sexual activity, and higher scores on sexual function scales, 1,4 which implies better sex life satisfaction for women who groom. 2 Pubic hair grooming practices pose some potential risks of injury to women, most often related to shaving. 6,7 Obese women are particularly prone to injury during pubic hair grooming, which is important to any practitioners who address gynecologic health. ...
... Much of what is believed to be the driving factor for grooming is a cultural trend, epitomized by representation of genitalia in popular media. 1 The mainstream media's portrayal of women discussing and engaging in pubic hair removal is also a major factor for grooming-related influences. 9 Furthermore, there is an increasing trend of genital cosmetic surgery, and a previous study 10 highlights that the motivating factor is aesthetics rather than functionality. ...
... It is widely suggested that pubic hair has been retained to improve dissipation of pheromonal secretions which play a role in sexual communication (Ramsey et al. 2009). Females, however, often engage in pubic hair removal (DeMaria & Berenson 2013;Terry & Braun 2013), particularly when they are young and sexually active (Herbenick et al. 2013). ...
... Females, however, often engage in pubic hair removal (DeMaria & Berenson 2013;Terry & Braun 2013), particularly when they are young and sexually active (Herbenick et al. 2013). This practise has been well known since ancient times (Herbenick et al. 2010;Ramsey et al. 2009). Research indicates that females remove their pubic hair for reasons related to partner preference (Tiggemann & Hodgson 2008), interest in sex (Herbenick et al. 2013), aesthetics or fashion (Ramsey et al. 2009) and a feeling of cleanliness and sexiness (Cokal 2007;Smolak & Murnen 2011). ...
... This practise has been well known since ancient times (Herbenick et al. 2010;Ramsey et al. 2009). Research indicates that females remove their pubic hair for reasons related to partner preference (Tiggemann & Hodgson 2008), interest in sex (Herbenick et al. 2013), aesthetics or fashion (Ramsey et al. 2009) and a feeling of cleanliness and sexiness (Cokal 2007;Smolak & Murnen 2011). In ancient Greece, for instance, Athenian women reduced and shaped their pubic hair in order to increase their sexual attractiveness (Blakemore & Jennett 2002). ...
Article
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The ectoparasite avoidance hypothesis proposes that human hairlessness was favoured by sexual selection, because hairless individuals suffered from lower parasite loads. Females have seemingly less hairy bodies than men suggesting that the selection toward hairlessness is more intense in females than in males. This study examined male preference for hairy and shaved female genitalia. Pubic hair, although still functional in terms of dissipation of phermononal secretions, was perceived by heterosexual males recruited in the university (age range: 19-38 years, N = 96) as much less attractive as shaved female genitalia. Males who were more disgust sensitive and those who were sexually unrestricted showed a stronger preference for shaved genitalia than others. Self-reported frequency of pornography consumption was associated, contrary to expectations, with a stronger preference for hairy genitalia which suggests that this may be a result of negative frequency dependent selection. Older males also preferred hairy genitalia more than younger males. Overall, these results suggest that a preference for shaved genitalia may be explained by the superficial resemblance of pubic hair with chest hair, which is less developed as in our evolutionary past, perhaps due to the benefits associated with ectoparasite avoidance.
... Yet, over the last year, British women have spent £280 million removing their excess body hair' (Vernon 2006: 39). In the past decade, women's magazines have featured many articles on genital depilation, thus making it into a new norm of beauty care (Ramsey et al. 2009(Ramsey et al. : 2106. ...
... The rapid diffusion of genital depilation is even more baffling considering 'the intense pain of the procedure' of waxing those highly intimate and tender parts of the body (Herzig 2015: 148). Several studies suggest that visual pornography has been and still is a major influence on body hair depilation (Ramsey et al. 2009;Schick, Rima and Calabrese 2011). Ramsey et al. claim: 'The acceptance of pubic hair removal as the norm may well be linked to the increased accessibility of Internet-based pornography, and this may lead to ever greater numbers of individuals removing all or some of their pubic hair ' (2009: 2109). ...
... The recent change towards total hairlessness in pornographic representation is interesting when put in a historical perspective. Until the 1990s pornography was characterized and even defined by the presence of pubic hair (Ramsey et al. 2009(Ramsey et al. : 2105. There is thus a suggestion that genital depilation was initially a way of avoiding censorship (Herzig 2015: 141). ...
Article
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In the past two decades body hair has fast become a taboo for women. The empirical data of sociological and medical research reveal that the vast majority of women remove most of their body hair since the beginning of this century. Body hair is typically a marker that polices significant boundaries: between human–animal, male–female and adult–child. Removal or refusal to remove body hair places the female body on either side of the boundary, thus upholding and displacing binary oppositions between fundamental categories. The new beauty ideal requires techniques of control, manipulation and self-improvement. This article first assesses how empirical studies map and confirm existing trends of body hair removal, and then explores indepth the cultural reasons for the development of the normative ideal of a hairless female body. While body hair functions socially as a taboo, it refers psychologically to the realm of the abject. One line of argument places the taboo in the realm of abjection, while another argument attempts to demystify the Freudian anxieties surrounding the visibility and invisibility of the female sex organ. While the hairless body connotes perfected femininity, it simultaneously betrays a fear of adult female sexuality. The hairless body may be picture-perfect, but its emphasis on visual beauty runs the risk of disavowing the carnality of lived life. The hair-free trend of today’s beauty ideals affirms that the twenty-first-century body is a work in progress.
... Addressing grooming practices are crucial for health care practitioners, given that these practices represent a cultural norm [11]. Grooming offers potential benefits, such as reducing the risk of pubic lice, but it also presents clinical risks, including genital cuts, irritation, or infection. ...
... Additionally research studies from the United States, Australia, and Brazil revealed that pubic hair grooming was related to sexual behavior, such as having an intimate sexual spouse, examining one's own genitals within the past month, engaging in cunnilingus over the previous month, and experiencing a more positive genital self-image or engaging in specific sexual practices [18,20,30], Such as vaginal fingering and finger-clitoral stimulation, having a casual sex partner, utilizing vaginal hygiene products, and applying cream to the genitals. Additionally, there was a marginal association between hair removal and a longer duration of vaginal penetration [26], therefore removal of pubic hair emerges as a significant facet of expressing one's sexuality and engaging in sexual activity, presenting an intriguing psychosexual foundation that remains incompletely explored in the field of sexual medicine [11]. Therefore, during routine visits, clinicians should discuss potential expected issues and offer safe methods for conducting pubic hair grooming practice, as well as discuss genital health and hygiene. ...
Article
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Background Pubic hair grooming involves the partial or complete removal of pubic hair, and it is a common practice among men and women. Grooming is more prevalent in women, who employ various methods such as shaving, waxing and laser removal. However, it is associated with variable rates of post-grooming adverse outcomes including lacerations and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis comparing women’s sexual health outcomes between those who groom and those who don’t. Methods We followed the MOOSE guidelines and conducted a computerized-based search using (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Ovid Medline), till June 20th, 2022, for eligible studies using the relevant keywords; (pubic hair grooming) OR (pubic hair removal OR Genital hairless OR Bikini hair removal OR pubic hair depilation). Cross-sectional studies included which compared grooming practices among women in terms of motivation and health outcomes. Women’s satisfaction and incidence of STIs were pooled as standardized mean difference (SMD) and odds ratio (OR) respectively. Results Twenty-Two cross-sectional studies were included in our review with 73,091 participant.The odds of having gram-negative gonorrheal and chlamydial infection in Pubic hair groomers were found to be statistically significant (OR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.31, 1.84], P < 0.001) (OR = 1.56, 95% CI [1.32, 1.85], P < 0.001] respectively. There was no difference between groomer and non-groomer women regarding viral infections such as genital herpes (OR = 1.40, 95% CI [0.56, 3.50], P = 0.47) and Condyloma acuminata (OR = 1.75, 95% CI [0.51, 6.01], P = 0.37). The most common grooming side effect is genital itching (prevalence = 26.9%, P < 0.001). Non-electrical razor (prevalence = 69.3%, P < 0.001) is the most common grooming method. White women (prevalence = 80.2%, P < 0.001) remove pubic hair more frequently compared to black women (prevalence = 12.2%, P < 0.001). Women practice complete grooming (50.3%, P < 0.001) of the pubic hair more frequently than partial grooming (33.1%, P < 0.001). There are no differences in women’s satisfaction between the two groups (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI [-0.16, 0.40], P = 0.39). Conclusion This review aligns with previous observational studies regarding sexual health outcomes of pubic hair grooming. There is a need to raise awareness among women regarding the safe practice of pubic hair grooming, emphasizing the clarification of hazards and benefits.
... Lastly, an important factor to consider when forming impressions based on digital representations of explicit material involves the personal grooming choices made by the sender of the image. Pubic hair is subject to both trends and fashions for both men and women (Li & Braun, 2016;Ramsey et al., 2009), which are contingent on culture, as well as time. A trimmed pubic hair style may be the most ideal in the present-day Anglosphere (e.g., United States, United Kingdom, Australia; Enzlin et al., 2019). ...
... Lastly, the present study found that trimmed and shaved pubic hair were perceived as much more ideal than untrimmed pubic hair. These finding are in-line with research regarding the social expectations of pubic hair being regularly groomed (Li & Braun, 2016;Ramsey et al., 2009). However, it was interesting to find that penises with ungroomed pubic hair were perceived quite negatively. ...
Article
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Dating app users are likely to experience a high frequency of viewing the sexually explicit material of potential partners prior to a physical meeting. The present study aimed to investigate what information is inferred from a picture of a penis at zero-acquaintance. Past research in impression formation at zero-acquaintance has demonstrated a stability with regard to personality and trait perceptions of faces. Utilizing 106 participants, our study extends this paradigm by testing the hypothesis that penis prototypicality would be associated with attractiveness, as well as explore the personality and sexual perceptions of penises along the dimensions of girth, length, and amount of pubic hair. The hypotheses were confirmed and the analysis of penis dimensions revealed strong results. Penises which were wider, longer, and moderately hairy were perceived more positively in terms of personality and sexual appeal. Shorter and narrower penises were perceived as more neurotic. The results demonstrate the function of impression formation within the digital sexual landscape with regard to sexually explicit material.
... Various cultural, artistic and historical accounts have shown that in several cultures, pubic hair removal (PHR) remains a widespread practice, especially among women. 1 In Western cultures, the prevalence of PHR is increasing, a trend accompanied by an increasing incidence of PHR injuries. 2 Indeed, complications related to PHR are common, 3,4 and PHR may even be a risk factor for the transmission of (minor) sexually transmitted infections. ...
... * [1] "Although this conclusion only applies to mixed-sex marriages, 95.2% of the married participants in our study reported to be heterosexual, which led us to infer that their marriage is a mixed-sex one." ...
Article
Background: Pubic hair removal (PHR) is a widespread practice that entails certain health risks; however, there remains a lack of scientific information on the prevalence and antecedents of PHR, as well as on its association with sexual behavior and relational satisfaction. Aims: To explore women's and men's attitudes regarding PHR and their PHR practices and the associations with demographic, relational, and sexual characteristics. Methods: A total of 2,687 men and 1,735 women living in Flanders (the Northern part of Belgium) completed an online survey. Participants ranged in age from 15 to 60+ years; they self-identified as heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual and reported various relationship statuses. Main outcome measures: Demographic items (ie, age, religion, partner relationship status), sexuality-related items (ie, sexual activity, sexual orientation, age at first intercourse, number of sexual partners), PHR items (ie, reasons, inclination to have or not have sex after PHR, perceived partner preferences, partner's PHR), and relationship satisfaction, assessed with the Maudsley Marital Questionnaire. Results: Fewer men (39.1%) than women (80.3%) reported (partially) removing their pubic hair. In both men and women, the practice was associated with age, sexual activity, relationship status, and partner's PHR practice and expectations. In men, sexual and relationship satisfaction were correlated with their partner's PHR practices and whether these were in line with the men's expectations. In women, sexual and relationship satisfaction were mostly correlated with whether both partner's expectations were met. Although both men and women reported that the reasons for PHR were related to their sexual experiences and to their partner's preference, only women reported that PHR was a way to enhance feelings of femininity. Finally, the reasons for not engaging in PHR were related to partner preferences and side effects. Conclusion: PHR is a widespread practice and seems strongly associated with personal, partner-related, sexual, and relational factors. Strategies to prevent men and women from being confronted with health risks should take all these factors into account. Enzlin P, Bollen K, Prekatsounaki S, et al. "To Shave or Not to Shave": Pubic Hair Removal and Its Association with Relational and Sexual Satisfaction in Women and Men. J Sex Med 2019;16:954-962.
... Fifth, our questionnaire contained more photos of shaved HASRGs than of shaved circumcised penises. This may have influenced laypersons' ratings, as shaving of pubic hair has been found to be an important genital aspect (Ramsey, Sweeney, Fraser, & Oades, 2009). ...
... As previously mentioned, this concept may differ between the different cohorts. For instance, as shaving of pubic hair was found to be an important genital aspect nowadays (Herbenick et al., 2013;Ramsey et al., 2009), younger laypersons may rate shaved genitals differently than older ones. ...
Article
Hypospadias is a common penile malformation, which is usually surgically corrected in early childhood. Severe types of hypospadias are corrected to promote a normal sexuality and micturition, whereas mild types are mainly operated to improve appearance. There are only a few studies, which have examined the long-term outcomes of hypospadias repair. The aims of the present PhD project were, first (study 1), to assess how men and women perceive surgically corrected genitals of men with hypospadias in comparison with circumcised genitals. In addition, the most relevant predictors of the perception of these genitals were evaluated. Moreover, we studied how women consider single aspects of penile appearance. Second (study 2), we sought to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of men with a corrected hypospadias in comparison to circumcised men and to examine determinants of hypospadias patients’ HRQoL. In summary, the present research project indicates that women and men perceived the penile appearance of men with operated mild types of hypospadias as satisfactory and as normal- looking as circumcised genitals. In addition, women were found to consider the position and shape of the urethral opening as the least important aspect of penile appearance. Since urethral reconstruction to reposition the urethral opening is one of the key issues in mild hypospadias, these findings may stimulate reflections regarding the relevance of surgical correction of mild types of hypospadias in early childhood. Finally, our study found a normal HRQoL of men with corrected hypospadias. However, a negative genital self-perception was found to be a risk factor for an impaired mental HRQoL. Die Hypospadie ist eine Penisfehlbildung, welche in der Regel im frühen Kindesalter operiert wird. Während schwere Formen zur Optimierung der Sexualfunktion und Miktion korrigiert werden müssen, werden milde Formen hauptsächlich zur Optimierung des Aussehens operiert. Die vorliegende Dissertation untersuchte in Studie 1, wie Männer und Frauen die Genitalien von Männern mit einer operierten Hypospadie im Vergleich zu Genitalien von beschnittenen Männern wahrnehmen. Zudem wurden die wichtigsten Faktoren auf Seiten des Betrachters ermittelt, welche die Bewertung dieser operierten Genitalien voraussagen. Außerdem wurde untersucht, welche Aspekte eines Penis von Frauen als wichtig empfunden werden. In Studie 2 wurde die gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität (HRQoL) von Männern mit einer operierten Hypospadie erhoben und mit derjenigen von beschnittenen Männern verglichen. Weiter wurden die wichtigsten Prädiktoren der HRQoL von Männern mit einer operierten Hypospadie ermittelt. Zusammenfassend zeigen die Studien, dass Männer und Frauen die Genitalien von Männern mit einer leichten Form von Hypospadie gleich bewerten wie die Genitalien von beschnittenen Männern. Weiter zeigen die Resultate, dass Frauen die Position und Form der Harnröhrenöffnung als den unwichtigsten Aspekt des Aussehens einstufen. Da leichte Formen der Hypospadie vor allem zur Optimierung der Position der Harnröhrenöffnung operiert werden, kann spekuliert werden, ob alle Formen der Hypospadie routinemäßig schon beim unmündigen Kleinkind operiert werden sollen. Unsere Resultate weisen außerdem darauf hin, dass sich die HRQoL von Männern mit einer operierten Hypospadie nicht von der HRQoL von beschnittenen Männern unterscheidet.
... Modern pubic hair removal is often done for visual/aesthetic or psychosexual reasons rather than for health reasons. [1]. Women are willing to remove their pubic hair for the reasons like hygiene, sexual attractiveness, sexual enhancement, religious-social beliefs and before any gynecological examination [2,3]. ...
... In addition to this some researches proposes males prefer sexual partners to be hairless [5]. Anecdotal reports indicate that pubic hair removal provide increased aesthetic appearance and increased tactile sensitivity of the genitals such as the clitoris, but unfortunately there is insufficient scientific data to support this view [1]. Moreover, unwanted hair loss might be an extremely distressing condition and might cause reduction of self-esteem, well-being and sexuality which was previously demonstrated in women treated for breast cancer and women with hypotrichosis [6,7]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Objectives: Both males and females carried out pubic hair removal by various methods usually for visual/aesthetic or psychosexual reasons. The aim of the present study was to evaluate self-esteem, body image and sexual functions of women before and after total laser pubic hair removal (TLPHR) which is frequently being prefered due to its long-lasting effects. Methods: A total of 45 sexually active women between 20 and 50 years of age who underwent total laser pubic hair removal were included in the study. The sociodemographic features, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES), Body Cathexis Scale (BCS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) of the participants were assessed before the first session and after the 6th session of TLPHR procedure. Results: Total RSES, total BCS scores and the 40th item of the BCS score significantly decreased after the TLPHR procedure (p < 0.001). Total FSFI scores and also FSFI subscales of desire, arousal, lubrication and satisfaction scores were significantly increased after TLPHR (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study results demonstrated that self-esteem, genital and total body image, sexual desire, sexual arousal and sexual satisfaction was improved after TLPHR procedure. Wider sampled studies examining the effects of laser pubic hair removal on individual, relational and psychosocial issues in both males and females are needed.
... Historical evidence points to body hair removal by (Western) women and men at various times (e.g., Ramsey et al. 2009). However, the contemporary practice for women to normatively remove body hair from certain body sites emerged as a practice in the early-mid 20th century, related to changes in fashion and advertising practices, and continued to evolve as the century progressed (Hope 1982;Riddell, Varto & Hodgson 2010). ...
... However, the contemporary practice for women to normatively remove body hair from certain body sites emerged as a practice in the early-mid 20th century, related to changes in fashion and advertising practices, and continued to evolve as the century progressed (Hope 1982;Riddell, Varto & Hodgson 2010). Despite resistance to this norm within both women's and hippy movements in the 1970s and 1980s, a swathe of research from the 1990s and 2000s demonstrate very high and almost ubiquitous removal of hair by women from the (lower) legs and underarms and increasing proportions of women removing some-to-all pubic hair (Peixoto Labre 2002;Ramsey et al. 2009;Riddell et al. 2010;Rigakos 2010;Schick, Rima & Calabrese 2011;Terry & Braun 2013;Tiggemann & Hodgson 2008;Tiggemann & Kenyon 1998;Toerien, Wilkinson & Choi 2005). With hair constructed as "taboo" (Smelik 2015), body hair removal has become a necessity of acceptable (hetero) femininity, and women consistently report feelings of "femininity" as well as "attractiveness" as the most prominent reasons for (continuing) removal (Basow 1991;Tiggemann & Kenyon 1998;Tiggemann & Lewis 2004;Toerien & Wilkinson 2004;Tiggemann & Hodgson 2008), although these actions are also often framed in terms of personal choice or preference (Fahs 2013;Terry & Braun 2013; but see Terry et al. 2018), along with other factors. ...
Article
Do women with body hair continue to evoke disgust? Are men without body hair read only as athletes and/or gay? To explore contemporary sense-making practices around apparently counter-normative gendered body hair practice, we developed a two-stem story completion task. We collected stories from 161 undergraduate students (129 women and 32 men) about David, who had decided to start removing body hair, and Jane, who had decided to stop removing body hair. We analysed the data thematically within a constructionist framework, resulting in three themes: secrecy and shame; the personal benefits of going against the grain; and the personal is political. The personal benefits theme included four distinct (gendered) subthemes: increased heterosexual attractiveness; increased sporting prowess; removal of a hassle; and liberation from conformity. These story data gave access to familiar but also somewhat different accounts than those collected through typical self-report measures.
... 122 Although there is anecdotal evidence to suggest pubic depilation can improve sexual satisfaction for both partners, there have been no studies to quantify this effect. 123 Depilation or epilation (removing hair at the root, for example by waxing) can result in injury or irritation (lacerations, razor burn, folliculitis, microtears and epidermal abrasions). 79 Pubic hair also protects the skin covering the mons pubis, vulva and vagina during intercourse and therefore depilation can lead to dryness, irritation and abrasions. ...
Article
Full-text available
Knowledge of female genital anatomy and physiology is often inadequate or incorrect among women. Precise patient–physician conversations can be inhibited by a reluctance or inability to speak accurately about the vulva and vagina, with the terms often being used interchangeably. There is a paucity of scientific evidence and clinical guidelines to support women and physicians in ensuring best practices in feminine hygiene. In this review, the unmet needs in the field are highlighted. Evidence is provided for the complex array of physiological and pathological systems, mechanisms and behaviours that either protect or, if inappropriate, predispose the vulva and vagina to infections, irritation or other conditions. The need for attention to perineal health is recommended, given the interdependence of perineal and vulvar microbiota and the risk of colonic pathogens reaching the vulva and the vagina. Differences in feminine hygiene practices can vary widely across the world and among varying age groups, and suboptimal habits (such as vaginal douching or the use of certain cleansers) can be associated with increased risks of vulvar and vaginal conditions. Critical areas for discussion when advising women on their intimate health include: advice surrounding aesthetic vulvar cosmetic trends (such as depilation and genital cosmetic surgery), bowel health and habits, and protection against sexually transmitted infections. Routine, once-daily (maximum twice-daily) washing of the vulva with a pH-balanced, mild cleanser is optimal, ideally soon after bowel voiding, when feasible. Due to the finely balanced ecosystems of the vulva, the vagina and the perineal area, a scientific and clinical perspective is essential when determining the most appropriate vulvar cleansers based on their components. Correct intimate care may contribute to improved genital and sexual health and overall well-being. An increased awareness of correct practices will empower women to be the advocates of their own intimate health.
... 18 For example, outside the medical context, research suggests that individuals equate clipping pubic hair to sexual activity. 19 One might argue that in the medical context, the patient may feel hair removal has a sexual aspect, and its removal is a violation. Hair removal is an example of the inability of medical practice to "abstract itself from the culture in which it operates." ...
Article
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Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash ABSTRACT Medical professionals sometimes perform intimate tasks while prepping patients for surgical procedures. These tasks may include urinary catheterization, underwear or gown removal, pubic hair removal, and groin sanitization. The intimate nature of these tasks calls for informed consent. Performed without consent, these intimate functions can result in long-term psychological harm. Given the parallels in the arguments for regulating unauthorized sensitive exams, like pelvic exams under anesthesia, policymakers and legislators should expand their efforts to require express consent for all intimate encounters that occur before, during, and after elective medical procedures to protect all patients. INTRODUCTION Healthcare facilities should be safe places where individuals seek healing without fear of assault on their personal dignity, bodily sanctity, autonomy, and humanity. Patients who have undergone non-consensual pelvic, rectal, prostate, and other sensitive exams and procedures – whether for diagnostic or educational purposes – have discovered that this is not always the case after emerging from the experience with a sense of violation and betrayal. Proponents of requiring explicit consent for these invasive exams have likened them to sexual abuse, which disempowers, humiliates, and degrades victims, resulting in long-lasting psychological harm. However, these sensitive exams and procedures are not the only sources of traumatic, unauthorized intimate experiences in medical settings. Indeed, both male and female patients who have endured urinary catheterization, underwear or gown removal that resulted in intimate exposure, pubic hair removal, groin sanitization, and other such intimately invasive preparatory practices without their knowledge or explicit consent have expressed the same sense of bodily violation and psychological harm as patients who have undergone non-consensual sensitive exams. While some patients have no concern over these invasive ancillary procedures, others take issue with medical staff manipulating their private spaces without express consent. This paper explores how to resolve the issues that cause harm in some patients due to nonconsensual intimate tasks associated with procedures. I. Background Some surgeries include prepping private areas of a patient’s body that are not directly involved in the procedure to mitigate contingencies that would require access to veins and arteries.[1] Given that physicians commonly exclude information about prep and that medical staff perform these tasks after anesthesia, some patients may be initially unaware of these intimate functions and have not provided express consent. While the media have begun to share the accounts of individuals, mostly women, who have spoken up about their unwanted medical exams,[2] the voices of those suffering the same psychological harm after experiencing other non-consensual intimate encounters in medical settings have remained largely unheard. Yet, there are some who have shared their accounts anonymously on the website of Medical Patient Modesty (MPM), a non-profit organization that seeks to educate patients about potential privacy issues that may occur in medical settings. A survey of these accounts suggests a wide array of bodily violations. In addition to women, a significant number of men submitted their stories. The following are a few excerpts: [3] “John” from Iowa stated that he was traumatized after discovering that staff had removed the disposable underwear they had given him and clipped his pubic hair while he was sedated for a procedure that involved incisions around his knee. He claimed that nobody ever mentioned his groin. John asserts that medical personnel deceived him into believing they were protecting his bodily privacy by providing him with disposable underwear and then removing it when he was sedated. Jeffrey Fox from Virginia said that he suffers from PTSD as a result of a female nurse clipping his pubic hair for open heart surgery. He noted that staff instructed him not to shave his chest, implying that they would perform the task. But nobody mentioned anything about his groin. Kevin reported that his sister sexually abused him at a young age and that he was retraumatized as an adult when he awakened from hernia surgery to discover that staff had clipped his pubic hair and inserted a urinary catheter without his knowledge or consent. Due to anxiety as a result of trauma from an incident involving genital exposure, RM from Pennsylvania made multiple appeals to the doctor to leave his underwear on during an angiogram centering around his wrist. After the doctor denied his request, he unwillingly relented and ultimately suffered further trauma when staff clipped his pubic hair and left him exposed. RM stated that clipping his pubic hair for a procedure centering around his wrist was “completely unnecessary” and an “unforgivable violation” of his privacy. Beth from Oklahoma submitted an account on behalf of her husband who was traumatized after awakening during hand surgery to discover that staff had stripped him naked. “Man Who Had Carpal Tunnel Surgery” refused to remove his underwear only for staff to take them off after he had been anesthetized. “Lynn” from Mississippi stated that she suffers from PTSD after a dermatologist lifted the waistband of her shorts, peered down, and placed his hand against her groin for the stated purpose of taking her pulse. The event occurred when she was a young girl, and she was retraumatized decades later when medical staff subjected her husband to a similar unwanted intimate encounter while he was sedated for a procedure involving his knee. She says that both she and her husband have suffered a sharp decline in their mental health as a result of their medical experiences. Marie stated that she unsuccessfully appealed to medical staff to leave her underwear on and then was traumatized when they exposed her genitals while positioning her for knee surgery. “Concerned human being” from Kentucky relayed the account of his wife, an RN who had expressed concerns to him over witnessing unnecessary intimate exposure of patients only to find herself on the receiving end of a dignity violation when she awoke after her procedure to fix a tendon in her finger to find staff had removed her gown and laid it across her during transport out of the OR. These accounts are just a few of the first-hand narratives on the MPM website. I do not use them to make assumptions about the scope of the problem. Instead, this paper suggests these narratives are an important source for any advocates for changes that better respect patient dignity. II. Consent It is apparent that medical professionals did not inform these patients of the intimate encounters they would experience. As many attest, patients often begrudgingly remove their underwear when medical professionals instruct them to do so before procedures. Patients such as the ones from the MPM website may not understand why they must remove their underwear and may not wish to ask. Some acquiesce to the requests for underwear removal because they do not wish to reschedule a long-awaited procedure or appointment. Thus, they may experience duress after unsuccessfully appealing to leave their underwear on. While medical professionals may argue that there are medical reasons for these intimate functions, such as access to arteries, these explanations do not account for a lack of consent. Simply declaring that a task or procedure is routine and necessary does not render clinicians' actions ethical or less of a violation.[4] Patients have a right to know if their private areas will be involved at any point during a medical experience so they can determine for themselves if these intimate procedures and tasks are reasonable. Some patients may not agree that underwear removal is essential, that clipping pubic hair and cleansing the groin is necessary, or that urinary catheters are required. Multiple patients from the website appear to share this sentiment and expressed feelings of confusion and distress over the fact that their providers had never informed them of these intimate preparatory tasks. Assuredly, they believe they never truly consented to the experiences medical staff ultimately subjected them to. III. Informed Consent Informed consent is a shared decision-making process by which practitioners discuss the benefits and risks of undergoing or rejecting an invasive procedure. Providers must disclose sufficient information to enable patients to make informed decisions and then document consent in a consent form.[5] Ultimately, clinicians do not know what patients find important. They document consent in a vague form that the medical community can interpret to the disadvantage of patients. But informed consent transcends a signature on a form.[6] As one bioethicist notes regarding intimate medical exams, “Clearly, standard consent forms fail to give patients the granularity they need to properly consent.”[7] I argue that consent forms should name the ancillary intimate tasks that doctors and medical staff plan to perform, especially those that patients might not expect, and when staff will conduct such tasks under anesthesia without the opportunity for patients to verbally consent at the moment. Obtaining informed consent for intimate preparatory steps should be a requirement, just as obtaining informed consent for the procedure is. Consents are a version of waivers that patients present as right holders of their bodies for medical workers to access limited body parts for a limited amount of time.[8] When a violation of this waiver occurs, a patient’s bodily autonomy and sanctity is violated. Informed consent is the cornerstone of patients’ rights, and understanding is the cornerstone of informed consent. A patient can only understand – and consent to – a procedure as a physician explains it. Due to the knowledge asymmetry in medical settings, patients rely on the fiduciary relationship with their physician to safeguard their physical and psychological well-being. To adhere to ethical standards, medical professionals should include details about surgical prep when the tasks required are intimately invasive. For example, medical professionals should disclose tasks like removing undergarments and shaving intimate areas in advance to allow patients to ask any questions about the necessity of those tasks and then properly consent or withhold consent. Deliberately withholding information patients would find important is tantamount to lying because a deceptive person “acts in such a way that the other person can never agree with how she or he is being treated.”[9] Therefore, it is understandable – and expected – that the patients from the MPM website, like individuals who have experienced a non-consensual sensitive medical exam, could feel betrayed. These intimate tasks involved in preparing patients for procedures should be included in the informed consent process. Some ethicists and medical professionals contend that convenience is a reason why providers exclude information about sensitive procedures and suggest that hospitals are concerned that patients would decline procedures if they were aware of ancillary sensitive exams and tasks, prompting them to change their practices.[10] Maggie from the MPM website, who was distressed over learning that an anesthesiologist had administered an amnesiac drug and then discovered from her records that her surgical team consisted mostly of men after her provider assured her beforehand that all the staff would be female, reported that her doctor and hospital responded to her complaints with, “that's why people are sedated. Hospitals/surgeons don't want patients to know what's happening during surgery—it's not necessary. Most patients like you would just object, so sedation helps everyone.”[11] This approach is paternalistic, insulting, and harmful. Performing a procedure after choosing not to seek consent out of fear that a patient would reject it “violates the very concepts of consent, patient autonomy, and individual rights.”[12] IV. Implied Consent Implied consent is another reason why medical community members believe that express consent for preparatory procedures is unnecessary. They allege patients implicitly consent to these tasks when consenting to the general procedure. Implied consent assumes that the patient possesses prior knowledge and expectations that medical personnel could perform a specific task, and thus, there is a presumption of consent. Medical staff are presuming consent, yet patients may feel they have done nothing to imply consent.[13] Not all patients anticipate medical staff accessing intimate areas of their body while prepping for a non-intimate procedure. Relying on implied consent undermines the well-documented right to refuse treatment because of the lack of information. Medical personnel deprive patients like the individuals from the MPM website of the right to determine what happens to their bodies, particularly their most private parts. Assuming that patients have implicitly consented to intimate preparatory tasks for a non-intimate procedure denies them the right to safeguard their bodily sanctity themselves and forces patients to adhere to the provider’s concept of dignity. Relying on implied consent is an abuse of a provider's privileged position of power. Medical harm results from “not only … a physical perpetration but as an act of power of one person over another'' and that “Patients [and] family members [are] burdened…by the thoughtless and insensitive exercise of power."[14] Abusing a privileged position of power creates an intimidating and unwelcoming environment, especially for modest individuals and vulnerable members of society, such as sexual assault victims who are hyper-protective of their bodily privacy, sanctity, and autonomy. In the context of sexual assault, “A sleeping, unconscious, or incompetent person cannot consent.”[15] Federal law, state laws, and university policies address consent, also in the context of sexual assault. For example, the University of Iowa’s sexual misconduct policy defines consent as “knowing, voluntary, and clear permission by word or unambiguous action.”[16] This provides a clear definition of consent as it applies specifically to intimate areas of the body the policy defines as “breasts, buttock, groin, or genitals.” As with sexual consent, patients must be informed of the activity to which they are consenting when they are conscious. Federal and state law, along with university policy that also governs associated teaching hospitals, do not allow implied consent regarding a patient’s private parts in the context of rape or sexual assault. I suggest that they should extend this prohibition on implied consent to medicine, with the exception of emergency situations. Federal and state laws criminalize non-consensual sexual contact either directly or through clothing with intimate areas of the body, specifically the “anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks.”[17] Medical professionals would not generally view pre-surgical hair clipping and gown and undergarment removal as sexual in nature. Yet some patients feel otherwise. This paper highlights their perspective rather than assessing the reasonableness of their feelings. I argue that informed consent would protect individuals like those who reported being personally harmed by nonconsensual intimate contact ancillary to medical procedures. Some patients do not think of their private areas in a detached or neutral manner.[18] For example, outside the medical context, research suggests that individuals equate clipping pubic hair to sexual activity.[19] One might argue that in the medical context, the patient may feel hair removal has a sexual aspect, and its removal is a violation. Hair removal is an example of the inability of medical practice to “abstract itself from the culture in which it operates.”[20] Providers cannot expect or force a sudden paradigm shift in how patients view and value their intimate boundaries simply because they enter a medical environment. V. Patient Psychological Harm Malicious intent does not have to be present for a medical professional to inflict damage given that that medical harm is “not necessarily the intention, but the byproduct of action.”[21] The patient narratives cited on the MPM website describe various harms that patients experienced due to ancillary medical tasks that involved exposing or touching intimate body parts for non-intimate procedures. In a study of women undergoing gynecological procedures, a “lack of information given to the patient…and a lack of clearly understood consent” led some women to develop PTSD.[22] I assert that these nonconsensual ancillary tasks evoke similar reactions. Multiple patients from the MPM website expressed feelings of humiliation, embarrassment, and disrespect after staff exposed their genitals, clipped their pubic hair, and inserted a urinary catheter without their prior knowledge. Several patients from the MPM website stated that they had experienced some form of previous intimate violations and were retraumatized by their medical encounters. Lynn’s account, in particular, of second-hand re-traumatization via her husband’s experience illustrates that the damage caused by non-consensual intimate exposure and contact in medical settings is far-reaching. Some argue that medical staff cannot harm the psyche of patients who are anesthetized.[23] The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) even notes that “Our current protocol seems to be ‘what they don't know won't hurt them.’"[24] But patients have awakened naked during procedures that began with their underwear and gown on. And the patients from the MPM website relayed a sense of trauma when they learned afterward that a staff member had clipped their pubic hair or inserted a urinary catheter. A patient’s conscious state should not dictate what is ethically appropriate when it comes to viewing and contacting private areas. Studies show that patients who feel violated after they experience nonconsensual intimate exposure and contact have strong convictions regarding their rights and values and ultimately forsake medical care as a result of their concerns.[25] The patients from the MPM website claimed they lost their faith, trust, and respect for the medical community due to their intimate medical experiences. Therefore, the frame of reference should not center around how medical professionals perceive their actions but that patients may feel that nonconsensual intimate encounters are sexual violations.[26] VI. Discussion and Recommendations Some have acknowledged a need to preserve patient modesty and dignity better, resulting in improvements in gown design and the development of surgical undergarments.[27] Additionally, some medical organizations have called for clipping hair only when necessary.[28] However, these improvements would be more effective if all hospitals and doctors followed more rigorous modesty protocols. For instance, providing improved gowns and surgical undergarments to patients is pointless if medical staff remove them without the patient’s knowledge, such as in the case of John. The issue is informed consent. It appears that medical professionals do not need permission to visually and physically access intimate areas of their patients’ bodies. The medical community ignored sustained calls for explicit consent for sensitive medical exams for years.[29] Eventually, public awareness and scrutiny of the issues surrounding non-consensual pelvic, rectal, and other sensitive exams led to an increasing number of states passing laws requiring express consent for pelvic exams and other invasive actions. These and others should consider requiring express consent for all intimate functions, not just exams for the sake of uniformity and consistency. It is understandable that clinicians need to access private areas for serious medical reasons. But medical professionals should explain their rationale, include this information on consent forms, and give patients the opportunity to question their validity and consider all key aspects of a medical procedure – including intimately invasive preparatory functions – prior to consenting. CONCLUSION The core issue patients from the MPM website expressed is a loss of autonomy. From the viewpoint of the patients whose narratives are included on the MPM website, the nonconsensual intimate tasks related to medical procedures caused harm. Patients should be able to learn about all intimate functions that staff may perform while preparing for surgery. The patient would then determine whether to refuse the ancillary task or the entire procedure. While some argue attaining informed consent for such tasks is impractical, I suggest that it is an ethical imperative. When patients undergo intimate tasks that they did not expect, some experience significant psychological harm, sometimes exacerbated by re-traumatization. Another effect is distrust of the medical community. Trust is the foundation of medical care. Patients must have confidence in a provider’s expertise, professionalism, communication, and procedural technique. The loss of any of these elements results in a breakdown of the doctor-patient relationship. Clinicians who touch a patient’s body without proper consent “risk violating the trust that forms the foundation of medical practice.”[30] Patients could forsake important medical care if patients cannot trust members of the medical community to abide by their personal notion of dignity, which includes respecting their intimate boundaries. The goal of this piece is to illustrate the need for explicit consent for intimate, invasive preparatory functions for the benefit of patients and providers alike. - [1] U.F.O. Themes, “Preoperative Skin Preparation.” Nurse Key. July 21, 2016. https://nursekey.com/preoperative-skin-preparation/. [2] L.R. Wilson, C. Tanner, and S.L. Wong, “A New Layer of Informed Consent: Discussions and Documentation Regarding Sensitive Examinations in Surgery,” Annals of Surgery Open: Perspectives of Surgical History, Education, and Clinical Approaches 3 (1): e120, (March 2022). https://doi.org/10.1097/as9.0000000000000120. [3] Bodily Privacy Violation Cases. Medical Patient Modesty. (2023). http://www.patientmodesty.org/modesty.aspx [4] M. Valencia, “Providers Are Sexually Assaulting Patients — and It’s Legal,” Healthline. August 30, 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/nonconsensual-internal-exams-sexual-assault. [5]B. Murray, “Informed Consent: What Must a Physician Disclose to a Patient?” AMA Journal of Ethics 14 (7): 563–66, (July 2012). https://doi.org/10.1001/virtualmentor.2012.14.7.hlaw1-1207. [6] “Quick Safety 21: Informed Consent: More than Getting a Signature,” (Updated: April 2022). Jointcommission.org. https://www.jointcommission.org/resources/news-and-multimedia/newsletters/newsletters/quick-safety/quick-safety--issue-21-informed--consent-more-than-getting-a-signature/informed-consent-more-than-getting-a-signature/. [7] L. Bruce, “A Pot Ignored Boils on: Sustained Calls for Explicit Consent of Intimate Medical Exams.” HEC Forum: An Interdisciplinary Journal on Hospitals’ Ethical and Legal Issues 32 (2): 125–45, (March 9, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10730-020-09399-4 [8] P. Friesen, “Educational Pelvic Exams on Anesthetized Women: Why Consent Matters,” Bioethics 32 (5): 298–307, (April 23, 2018). https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.12441. [9] S.L. Seybold, “Not Just ‘Bodies with Vaginas’: A Kantian Defense of Pelvic Exam Consent Laws,” Bioethics 36 (9): 940–47, (September 6, 2022). https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.13084 [10] Seybold , “Not Just Bodies with Vaginas,”Bruce, “A Pot Ignored Boils On”; Valencia, “Providers Are Sexually Assaulting Patients;” P. Hsieh, “Pelvic Exams On Anesthetized Women Without Consent: A Troubling And Outdated Practice,” Forbes. (May 14, 2018). https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsieh/2018/05/14/pelvic-exams-on-anesthetized-women-without-consent-a-troubling-and-outdated-practice/?sh=7f0b5bcb7846; D. S. Davis, “Pelvic Exams Performed on Anesthetized Women,” AMA Journal of Ethics 5 (5): 193–94, (May 2003). https://doi.org/10.1001/virtualmentor.2003.5.5.oped1-0305. [11] Medical Patient Modesty, “Bodily Privacy Violation Cases,” www.patientmodesty.org/modesty.aspx [12] Hsieh, “Pelvic Exams On Anesthetized Women Without Consent.” [13] Robert M. Veatch “Implied, Presumed and Waived Consent: The Relative Moral Wrongs of Under- and Over-Informing,” The American Journal of Bioethics, 7:12, 39-41, (December 19, 2007). DOI: 10.1080/15265160701710253 (noting differences between implied and presumed consent) [14] J. Shapiro, “Violence’ in Medicine: Necessary and Unnecessary, Intentional and Unintentional,” Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine: PEHM 13 (1), (June 11, 2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13010-018-0059-y. [15] “10 U.S. Code § 920 - Art. 120. Rape and Sexual Assault Generally,” n.d. LII / Legal Information Institute. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/920. [16] “Prohibited Conduct,” n.d. Uiowa.edu. https://opsmanual.uiowa.edu/community-policies/sexual-harassment-and-sexual-misconduct/prohibited-conduct. [17]Department of Justice, “Sexual Assault”; “18 USC 2246: Definitions for Chapter,” n.d. House.gov. https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:2246%20edition:prelim). [18] Bruce, “A Pot Ignored Boils On.” [19] S. Ramsey, C. Sweeney, M. Fraser, and G. Oades, “Pubic Hair and Sexuality: A Review.” The Journal of Sexual Medicine 6 (8): 2102–10, (August 2009). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01307.x. [20] Davis, “Pelvic Exams.” [21] Shapiro, “Violence in Medicine.” [22] J. Menage, “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Women Who Have Undergone Obstetric and/or Gyneacological Procedures: A Consecutive Series of 30 Cases of PTSD,” Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology 11 (4): 221–28, (December 11, 2007). https://doi.org/10.1080/02646839308403222. [23] Seybold, “Not Just Bodies with Vaginas”; Bruce, “A Pot Ignored Boils On.” [24] D. O’Connor, “We got blasted for June's cover photo. Did we deserve it?” Outpatient Surgery. July 10, 2013. https://www.aorn.org/outpatient-surgery/article/2013-July-editors-page-another-photo-bomb [25] M.C. Jacofsky, R. L. Auran, A. Williams, S. Mauro, and D. Sietsema, “Exposure-Related Anxiety and Improving Patient Satisfaction with Medical Undergarments during Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. American Volume 104 (15): 1380–85, (August 3, 2022). https://doi.org/10.2106/jbjs.22.00126. [26] Bruce, “A Pot Ignored Boils On.” [27] Jacofsky, et. al. “Exposure-Related Anxiety”; P. Arunachalam and B. D’Souza, “Patient-Centered Hospital Gowns: A Novel Redesign of Inpatient Attire to Improve Both the Patient and Provider Experience,” Frontiers in Biomedical Devices 84815 (April 11, 2022),. V001T04A008, https://doi.org/10.1115/dmd2022-1058. [28] C. E. Edmiston Jr, D. Leaper, S. Barnes, H. B. Johnson, M. Barnden, M. Paulson, J. L. Wolfe, K. Truitt, “Revisiting Perioperative Hair Removal Practices.” AORN Journal. (April 26, 2019), https://aornjournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aorn.12662; Association of Surgical Technologists, “AST Standards of Practice for Skin Prep of the Surgical Patient,” n.d,, https://www.ast.org/uploadedFiles/Main_Site/Content/About_Us/Standard_Skin_Prep.pdf [29] Bruce, “A Pot Ignored Boils on” [30] Friesen, “Why Consent Matters.”
... The production dates of sexual stimuli can be distinguished via the performer's clothing, backgrounds, or even grooming, as in the case of body hair. 82 While this is not inherently problematic, dated sexual stimuli can be a distractor, particularly given that sexuality study participants are often younger. 83 To address this, sexual stimulus sets should be examined and updated from time to time. ...
Article
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Background Sexual stimuli, such as sexual videos, images, and narratives describing sexual interactions, are one of many tools used by clinicians and researchers to elicit or augment sexual response. Given the wide variability within sexual stimuli and their effects on sexual response, we provide guidance on when and how to use sexual stimuli, selecting sexual stimuli, and standardizing the use and reporting of sexual stimuli in research and clinical practice. Aim This expert opinion review article discusses standard operating procedures when using sexual stimuli in clinical and research applications, addressing 3 broad areas: settings in which sexual stimuli are used, characteristics and contexts of the stimuli, and practical and ethical considerations when using the stimuli. Methods This article is based on an expert opinion review of the sexual psychophysiology literature. Results First, we discuss the settings in which sexual stimuli are typically used and evaluate the ecological validity of each setting. Second, we review the types of sexual stimuli used in sexual response research, including physical characteristics, depicted sexual activity, and context, and the impacts of these characteristics on sexual response. Last, we discuss the practical and ethical considerations that come with the choice and use of sexual stimuli in clinical and research settings. We address potential limitations of certain sexual stimuli, including practical and ethical considerations such as participant vs experimenter choice, diversity and representation, and proper sourcing of sexual stimuli for use in clinical and research applications. Discussions on the future applications of sexual stimuli, such as the use of virtual reality, and ethical considerations in terms of user-generated Internet sexual stimuli are also explored. Conclusion We provide an expert opinion review of the literature regarding use of sexual stimuli for clinical and research applications and offer best use practices and recommendations.
... Las mujeres de las antiguas culturas de Oriente Medio y África también se sometieron a diversas formas de depilación púbica. En la Edad Media, algunas mujeres europeas eliminaron el vello púbico para evitar los piojos del cuerpo (1,2) ; por lo tanto, queda claro que remover el vello púbico no es ninguna novedad. ...
Article
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Objetivo: evaluar la influencia de la depilación íntima en la aparición de infecciones vulvovaginales y urinarias (genitourinarias). Materiales y métodos: estudio de corte transversal. Se incluyeron 861 mujeres mayores de 18 años, con el hábito de depilación íntima, que acudieron a la consulta externa de ginecología, residentes en el Quindío, Colombia, en tres clínicas de alta complejidad, entre 2014 y 2019. El diagnóstico de vaginosis bacteriana se estableció usando la puntuación de Nugent, el de vaginitis (candidiasis o tricomonas) mediante el frotis directo en fresco y la infección urinaria, por urocultivo. Se relacionaron los datos asociados con el tiempo de la práctica de la depilación, la presencia de infecciones genitourinarias, así como la prevalencia. Resultados: la edad media de la población fue de 27,74 ± 5,19 años. El 29,96 % de las mujeres llevaba depilándose durante un período superior a cinco años y menor de diez años; el 62,36 % reportó diez años o más y el 7,66 %, menos de cinco años. El 84,43 % presentó infecciones genitourinarias, de las cuales, el 41,95 % fueron infecciones vaginales; el 27,37 % presentó infecciones urinarias y el 30,67 %, infecciones vaginales y urinarias de forma concomitante. Se observó una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el tiempo de depilación mayor de cinco años y la aparición infecciones genitourinarias (p = 0,001; (odds ratio [OR] = 5,79; intervalo de confianza ([IC] 95 %: 1,89-7,35). Se encontró mayor riesgo entre las mujeres que usaban pantalones largos, usuarias de tampones y las que no utilizaban ropa interior de algodón (OR = 6,92; IC 95 %: 1,11-15,28). Conclusiones: existe relación entre la depilación íntima y la aparición de infecciones vulvovaginales o urinarias. Las futuras investigaciones deben confirmar estos hallazgos, así como la influencia de los diferentes métodos de depilación que estuvieran asociados a una mayor o menor infección.
... One way that the feminine ideal is achieved is through body hair removal practices that require women to be fully hairless like prepubescent girls, but as a sign of sexiness and sexual maturity. All forms of media are guilty of portraying the ideal feminine body as completely hairless, though pornography in particular is a major influence on body hair depilation trends (Ramsey, Sweeney, Fraser, & Oades, 2009). Schick, Rima, and Calabrese (2011, pg.76) argue that an industry that was "characterized and even defined" by the presence of pubic hair but has now become the opposite, and so genital hair removal has become increasingly normative (Mullinax, Herbenick, Schick, Sanders, & Reece, 2015). ...
Article
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This research will look at the history of body hair removal, and how it is intertwined with/ integral to dominant whiteness and the construction of submissive, heteronormative, white femininity. Women of colour are forced to exist on the fringes of femininity, and have their femininity questioned and rescinded when they stray from these restrictions. The purpose of this research is to give voice to women of colour and to understand the intersectional relationship between race, gender, and women's body modification practices, which I feel is an underdeveloped area of research. This report has a four-section literature review which looks at the existing literature on body hair removal, across sociological, psychological, medical and fashion journals. I then discuss the research methodology and then research findings, which is organised thematically based on both the literature review and trends from the research itself.
... However, as body hair styles and removal practices have rarely been documented, it is questionable to what extent women"s total removal of their body hair is either new or normative. From artistic renderings of nude women, limited scientific literature, and survey data, it is clear that the extent to which women have removed or groomed their body hair has varied by historical time and place [2]. For example, art and artifacts suggest that women in ancient Egypt and classical Greece may have removed some or all of their body hair (in Greece, by plucking or singeing with a lamp) and that groomed pubic hair may have been considered a feature of women"s sexual attractiveness [3]. ...
... Racey (1974) and Krutzsch (2000) reported that, during spring, the accessory sex glands of males initiate to shrink, which the caudal epididymides empty, and sperm production begins again (Racey, 1974;Krutzsch, 2000). Ramsey et al (2009) suggested that genital hair has been retained to improve the spread of pheromonal secretions, to increase attractiveness to the other sex. Genital grooming is innate behaviour which common during the breeding period. ...
Article
Reproductive behaviours are crucial to the stimulation of genital. Aim of this study to access to reproductive behaviours of Scotophilus kuhlii including genital grooming, sniff, and licking in Siddharth Nagar. Furthermore, the morphometric variation including scrotum length of male, body mass was access in reproductively and non-reproductively active of Asiatic lesser Yellow bat, S. kuhlii at various districts from 2016 to 2018 in Uttar Pradesh, India. Video recorder used for access reproductive behaviour and Mist net used for captured for access the morphometric variation. Our result indicates that a total of 34hours have been observed behabiour of S. kuhlii such as genital grooming, urogenital sniffing, urogenital licking by a male were increased in February, after which gradually decreases. While vaginal licking by a pregnant female was maximum performed in April. The body mass of pregnant females was gradually increased until birth while scrotum length of a male maximum length size in February and minimum in November. The females gave birth to two pups in the last week of May. Newborn pups red-brownish in colour back and light pink belly which closed eyes and hairless. We conclude reproductive behaviour was important to make a success of the reproduction.
... Racey (1974) and Krutzsch (2000) reported that, during spring, the accessory sex glands of males initiate to shrink, which the caudal epididymides empty, and sperm production begins again (Racey, 1974;Krutzsch, 2000). Ramsey et al (2009) suggested that genital hair has been retained to improve the spread of pheromonal secretions, to increase attractiveness to the other sex. Genital grooming is innate behaviour which common during the breeding period. ...
Article
Full-text available
Reproductive behaviours are crucial to the stimulation of genital. Aim of this study to access to reproductive behaviours of Scotophilus kuhlii including genital grooming, sniff, and licking in Siddharth Nagar. Furthermore, the morphometric variation including scrotum length of male, body mass was access in reproductively and non-reproductively active of Asiatic lesser Yellow bat, S. kuhlii at various districts from 2016 to 2018 in Uttar Pradesh, India. Video recorder used for access reproductive behaviour and Mist net used for captured for access the morphometric variation. Our result indicates that a total of 34hours have been observed behabiour of S. kuhlii such as genital grooming, urogenital sniffing, urogenital licking by a male were increased in February, after which gradually decreases. While vaginal licking by a pregnant female was maximum performed in April. The body mass of pregnant females was gradually increased until birth while scrotum length of a male maximum length size in February and minimum in November. The females gave birth to two pups in the last week of May. Newborn pups red-brownish in colour back and light pink belly which closed eyes and hairless. We conclude reproductive behaviour was important to make a success of the reproduction.
... Further, another recent study of adult men and women in Belgium found that, among men, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction were correlated with their partner's pubic hair removal practices (Enzlin et al., 2019). Prior studies have also illustrated this link between pubic hair removal and sexual activity (Bercaw-Pratt et al., 2012;Ramsey et al., 2009), and even found an association between public hair removal and a history of STIs (Osterberg et al., 2016). Because estheticians described their tendency to discover potential STIs on occasion, and not being formally trained to handle these delicate situations, there is an opportunity to guide estheticians to prepare for these circumstances so that they can effectively assist their clients in seeking a diagnosis, information, or treatment options. ...
Article
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Young women (18–25 years) are more likely to engage in pubic hair removal and experience higher rates of negative sexual health outcomes (e.g., sexually transmitted infections [STIs]). Hair removal salons may serve as novel environments for health interventions. The Sexual Health and Esthetician (SHE) Study aimed to better understand the pubic hair removal profession, explore the esthetician–client relationship, and assess potential for esthetician offices/salons serving as health promotion/sexual health promotion intervention settings. Using an exploratory qualitative design, in-depth interviews (N = 28) were conducted with licensed estheticians who provided pubic waxing services. In a large urban area in Southern California, the catchment area of salons included five unique neighborhoods, each with high reported STI rates. Data were analyzed using a social constructivist perspective and emergent themes from interviews. Synthesis of data showed estheticians provide a variety of waxing services for young women; during appointments, sex-related discussions occur, creating “sexy spaces” where otherwise taboo conversations happen with ease; they notice clients’ possible health concerns, including STIs, but have no protocols/procedures for handling these occurrences; and interactions with clients often result in the development of an intimate bond. Results indicate estheticians may be effective conveyors of sexual health promotion and risk reduction interventions.
... Pubic hair transplantation can be carried out without any reason as well as due to thin pubic hair. Hair follicles are harvested from the lateral occipital scalp [8,14]. ...
Book
Hair transplantation is one of the most complex esthetic surgical procedures. It is the only alternative method to recover the hair loss in some hair diseases including genetic hair loss or cicatricial alopecia. It is possible to achieve almost fully natural results by the way of the transplantation of the follicular unit, which is the modern hair surgery procedure. Follicular unite extraction technique has become popular in the last 10 years, and indications of FUE are increasing day by day due to the fact that there is no linear scar remaining in the donor area and hair from different body parts such as the beard and chest can be used as donor sites. Hair loss is among the most frequently seen dermatologic condition. Although it is accepted as a benign condition, it has cosmetic consequences and it may be the source of major distress in majority of the patients [1]. Hair is one of the most important components of self-image and identity, and individuals who face with hair loss will think that their spoilt image can be a social disadvantage for them. There are reports showing that individuals with hair loss may have disturbed quality of life, depression, lack of self-confidence and less social integration. This is why individuals with hair loss should be treated with the purpose of minimizing these potential impacts [1,2]. For the present, hair transplantation is considered as the only method to provide lasting results for the treatment of alopecia types. Hair transplantation is among the most important treatment alternatives not only for the patients with genetic hair loss problems, but also for the treatment of cicatricial alopecia and for areas including eyebrows, eyelashes, facial hair and pubic area[3]. The number of patients who are good candidates for hair transplantation is increasing today thanks to the modern techniques developed for hair transplantation and the natural and satisfying results achieved[4].
... Although normative pubic hair grooming is considered a contemporary trend, the decorating, sculpting, and removal of pubic hair have been practiced for medical, artistic, and cultural reasons for centuries. 11 Moreover, trimming and shaving the pubic hair in females seem to be become more popular. 5 Accordingly, men's hair removal practices have become mainstream as well being considered as a consequence of normative changes in men's attitudes toward their bodies. ...
Article
Background: Body hair removal is an increasing trend that has an impact on the individual's body image. Aims: To characterize current body hair removal practices in Germany and the extent to which body hair removal was related to demographic characteristics, body image, and body mass index. Patients/methods: A national survey was conducted from September to October 2016 in men and women in Germany. Body experience was measured by a standardized questionnaire. In addition to sociodemographic data, age, gender, education, marital status, monthly income, and body mass index were collected. Results: A total of n = 2510 participants aged 14 to 94 years (Mage = 48.4 years (SD = 18.2), 53.4% females) were randomly selected from the general population. 69% of the questioned women removed their body hair while only 41% of men do. The gender effect is statistically significant (χ2 = 203.43; df = 1; P < .001). Income, a higher level of education, and living in an urban region were significantly associated with body hair removal in both, men and women. Furthermore, significant differences with regard to body image were found between hair removers and nonremovers which are associated with a different attitude toward the own body. Conclusions: Germans were likely to remove body hair if they were of younger age, better educated, and with high income. Hair removal is above all a women's issue. Especially, female hair removers experience their body as an esthetic entity with the need of active reshaping. There is a "shift" from ideal of a naturally hairy body to an increased hairlessness in Germany.
... Hair removal in varying forms has been practiced across many cultures for centuries [1]. In the developed world, there has been a recent rise in more extreme forms of hair removal and a burgeoning of a whole industry offering hair removal technologies, such as laser hair removal and electrolysis, which can result in permanent hair removal. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background: Research indicates that young women are being exposed to increasing pressures to remove pubic hair from their bodies, which has the potential for both negative physical and psychological consequences. Women's personal choice and reasoning for partaking in pubic hair removal is influenced by broader social influences; however, there is little theory-based research drawing from established decision-making models investigating the underlying processes that lead young women to engage in pubic hair removal practices. Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, it was hypothesised that 1) attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control would predict intention to remove pubic hair; 2) additional variables (prototype similarity and favourability) from the Prototype Willingness Model would significantly predict intention to remove pubic hair; 3) feminist values would significantly predict decreased intention to remove pubic hair; and 4) intention and perceived behavioural control would predict future self-reported removal of pubic hair. Method: The current study included a sample of 270 young women (17-25 years old), who completed an online survey and a follow up survey 4 weeks later (N = 96). Results: Attitudes, perceived behavioural control, and similarity to prototypical pubic hair removers were significant predictors of intention to remove pubic hair. Intention was significantly positively associated and feminist values were significantly negatively associated with actual pubic hair removal. Conclusions: These findings align with Theory of Planned Behaviour propositions. Furthermore, the expansion of the model highlights how broader social images impact on young women when deciding whether to engage in a behaviour that is intimately associated with their body image.
... From a social and sexual perspective, it is believed that pheromonal signaling, through dense apocrine sweat glands in the pubic area, serves as a communication method to improve attractiveness 2 . Its biological functions include: pheromone dissemination through apocrine glands, protection of genitalia against cloth friction, and the control of genital moisture 2,3 . Recent studies have associated the presence of pubic hair with greater capacity to trap and stop microorganisms, as well as the production of bacteriostatic peptides from sebum produced by hair follicles 4 . ...
Article
Full-text available
Genital hair is one of the secondary sexual traits that marks the beginning of puberty; its removal has been part of human culture since ancient times. This practice may lead to modifications in vaginal microbiome with potential repercussions on skin health and balance. We conducted a narrative review with the purpose of describing normal skin microbiota, its impact under microenvironment changes and genital hair removal. Menses, pathological conditions and pubic hair removal may alter vaginal microbiota, being the latter of special relevance giving the risk of hair microtrauma, irritations and potential spread of infectious agents.
... Throughout the ages, humans have modified their body and head hair for functional and aesthetic reasons. Pubic hair removal is a more recent, but increasingly common grooming practice and shows a great range of variability between different populations [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Although carried out by both males and females, the practice is seen more frequently in women. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background Pubic hair grooming, including the complete removal of pubic hair, has become an increasingly common practice, particularly among young women. Although widespread, there is limited data regarding the methods, products, reasons, and complications of pubic hair removal, particularly among Saudi women. The objective was to examine pubic hair removal practices and the prevalence of its complications among Saudi women living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods In this cross-sectional study conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Saudi women between 16 and 60 years of age who had the ability to read and speak Arabic, were eligible to complete an anonymous and self-administered survey on pubic hair removal practices and its complications. Results Between December 2015 and September 2016, 400 Saudi women completed the survey. The age was 26.3 ± 6.9, 16–58 (mean ± SD, range) years. About three quarters (77.0%) self-removed their pubic hair, while the remainder made use of professional personnel in medical clinics (15.5%), beauty salons (5.3%), and professional services at home (2.2%). Many women (41.8%) used a combination of hair removal methods, with non-electric razor as the most common single method used (33.5%), followed by laser (8.7%), sugaring (6.0%), waxing (4.5%), trimming (2.0%), electric razor (2.0%), and cream (1.5%). Three-quarters of women (75.5%) reported complications, and although they were mostly minor injuries, treatment had to be sought for 17.9% of complications. Multivariable analyses showed that no variables remained correlated with the occurrence of complications (age of starting hair removal, income, BMI, level of education, mode of removal, advice on removal). Conclusions Saudi women initiate pubic hair removal in early adolescence. While most complications are minor, close to one in five women experience complications.
... For example, those with greater thin-ideal internalisation and appearance investment may be more likely to internalise depictions from pornography, or other media geared typically towards men, which portrays both hairlessness and lack of condom use during sexual activity. 37 It therefore appears that for women who place greater saliency on overall appearance management, this focus includes pubic hair removal. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background Body hair removal is a behaviour that has become normative among women in Westernised cultures, and is presented by the media as the feminine ideal, despite being painful and a potential cause of infection. Of concern, removal may be part of a more global pattern of appearance dissatisfaction and risky sexual behaviour. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationships among pubic hair removal, body image and sexual health indicators. Methods: Women (n = 264; Mage = 33.82, s.d. = 11.13, range = 18–66) completed self-report questionnaires assessing these constructs, including an assessment of body hair removal practices. Results: Greater appearance concerns (as measured by thin-ideal internalisation, appearance investment and self-objectification) and sexual health indicators (i.e. less condom use self-efficacy when a partner disapproves of condom use) all predicted greater importance of reasons for pubic hair removal (R² = 0.315, F(8184) = 9.97, P < 0.001), controlling for age groups. Additionally, women who removed a greater amount of hair reported more thin-ideal internalisation and appearance investment than those who removed less hair. Conclusions: Women who express stronger reasoning for pubic hair removal, and remove a larger amount of it, may endorse problematic beliefs and behaviours particularly related to appearance concerns. It is important for practitioners to consider this practice as distinct from grooming and to be aware of its association with a broader array of risky beliefs and behaviours that can compromise women’s well-being.
... The practice of pubic hair removal is undertaken for cultural and religious reasons and, in recent years, as a fashion phenomenon. [1][2][3][4] In a recent British study, it has been stated that 70 to 80% of adults remove pubic hair, in part or entirety, by means of different methods. 4 However, it was also observed that pubic hair removal is associated with an increased risk of infections and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). ...
... No hay mayor documentación sobre los hábitos y las razones para la eliminación del vello corporal antes del siglo XIX: tan solo un estudio de Fischer señala que la pilosidad facial masculina en el Re nacimiento era fundamental en el reconocimiento social de los varones adultos (35). A pesar de las iniciales exposiciones públicas del pubis en el arte pictórico del siglo X IX, primero y de manera pu dorosa en La maja desnuda de Francisco de Goya y así hasta el summun mostrado por Gustave Coubert en L`Origine du monde (36), solo hasta 1893, con el trabajo de Lombroso y Ferrero, se hace la primera referencia científica del vello genital femenino. Estos señalaron que la falta parcial o total de vello pubiano (una característica de la "degeneración" de las prostitutas italianas), ocurría en el 28% de ellas (cosa que no practicaban las mujeres "normales"). ...
Article
Objective: To show that female pubic hair shaving, a common current practice, is the result of changing trends in dress and fashion, and of the marketing strategies of the manufacturers of hair removal devices; and to consider what women today argue as their reasons for this practice. Materials and methods: The historical background for pubic hair removal is presented, including the approach in other cultures, the frequency and the reasons for this practice at present; the marketing and communication strategies are reviewed. Conclusions: The current female beauty imagery in this early part of the 21st century involves the search for an ideal of smooth hair-free skin which is only achievable through artificial means, leading society as a whole to consider it the standard for cosmetic, hygienic, erotic and self-image reasons.
... 5 Several researchers have speculated that the recent practice of shaving most or all pubic hair is the result of photographs of women in magazine centerfolds 6 and easy access to Internet pornography. 30 Socio-cultural representations of the vagina are often negative. 24 Teens spend so much time with various forms of the media that one group of researchers has described the mass media as a "sexual super peer." 31 Women consistently experience, and are often aware of, the gaze of men assessing their sexual appeal. ...
Article
Full-text available
Objectives: We sought to determine the prevalence of multiple types of negative body comments among college women. Methods: Women at a southeast public university were asked whether they had received negative comments regarding 8 non-face body features. Results: The mean number (±SD) of features for which participants reported having received negativity was 3.84±1.85 for sexually inexperienced women and 4.46±1.66 for sexually experienced women (p < .005). A negative correlation was observed between number of features for which women had received negativity and satisfaction with physical appearance. Sources of negativity depended on both the particular body feature and sexual experience. Conclusions: Health and sexuality education courses should address the negativity that is frequently directed at women about their bodies.
Article
Full-text available
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common infections experienced by women. Previously, scalp and facial hair in men have been shown to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Here we hypothesize that having hairy genitalia might protect women from UTI. This study investigated grooming habits and occurrence of UTIs in the past 12 months in 2409 women (aged 18–45). Women who reported removing all their pubic hair at least weekly were defined as extreme groomers (66.8%). We collected additional information on covariates including age, having a first UTI at or before age 15, spermicide use, having a new sex partner, and frequency of sexual intercourse during the past year. Extreme grooming was not associated with the risk of being diagnosed with UTI (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.90–1.52), but was associated with a higher risk of recurrent UTIs, defined as three or more UTIs within 12 months (OR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.35–7.06), after controlling for age, history of UTIs, and sexual practices. Other studies have found that hygienic purposes are the most common motivations for pubic hair removal. These results suggest that along with their pubes, women may be getting rid of important microbial niche and protection against recurrent UTIs.
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Introduction: Being one of the most practiced procedures in plastic surgery, it is important to foster a better understanding of the effect of anatomical changes in the pubic area after abdominoplasty on sexuality in women. Since to date no study has been performed with this purpose, our aim is to evaluate the impact of the abdominoplasty on sexual pleasure and to perform an objective evaluation of changes in clitoral position and prepubic fat area after this procedure. Materials and methods: A prospective study has been performed in 50 women who expressed a desire to undergo abdominoplasty from January 2021 to December 2021. The primary endpoint was Sexual pleasure assessed by the "Sexuality Assessment Scale" before and 6 months after abdominoplasty in all patients. Furthermore, we evaluated the physical changes of the clitoris (clito-pubic distance, CP distance) and the prepubic fat area on magnetic resonance imaging before and 3 months after abdominoplasty. Results: Patients mean age was of 42 ± 9 years, and mean body mass index of 26 ± 2 kg/m2. A significant difference (P < 0.0001) between sexual satisfaction before and 6 months after abdominoplasty (mean difference +7.4 ± 6.452) was found. Though there was no significant difference between the clito-pubic distance before and after abdominoplasty (mean difference -3.200 ± 2.499 mm; p= 0.0832), a significant difference was found in the size of the prepubic fat area before compared to after abdominoplasty (mean difference -1.714 ± 1.010 cm2; p = 0.0426). However, no significant relationship between these anatomical changes and sexual satisfaction was found. Conclusion: Our results show that abdominoplasty is associated with an increase in sexual satisfaction. The changes in the post-operative position of the clitoris were not statistically significant, contrarily to the size of the prepubic fat area, which was significantly modified and could partially explain the improved sexual pleasure. Authors were unable to statistically demonstrate a correlation between those anatomical modifications and sexual pleasure. Level of evidence iv: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
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Background: Female pubic hair grooming (PHG) habits have changed in the last 20 years. Most studies present findings around female PHG attitudes, practices, and behaviours, lacking data on male attitudes and practices. Aims: We explored the attitudes and practices of PHG from male and female perspectives. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional convenience survey was conducted online with 1560 male and female young adult participants aged 18 to 25 years. The study was conducted over two time periods (2014 and 2021). The survey explored attitudes, practices, and behaviours around PHG. Descriptive statistics included frequencies and proportions for categorical variables and the median for continuous variables. Males and females were compared using the χ2 test or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. We used logistic regression to explore independent factors of PHG. Results: Seventy-two percent (n = 471/728) of females and 64.7% (n = 257/728) of males were likely to engage in PHG. Participants were more likely to groom their pubic hair for reasons associated with religion (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 9.01, 95% CI: 2.87-28.2), comfort when wearing clothing (aOR: 3.85, 95% CI: 1.52-9.71), a neater and cleaner genital appearance (aOR: 3.90, 95% CI: 1.62-9.41) and before attending a healthcare consultation (aOR: 4.79, 95% CI: 2.27-10.09). Moreover, twice as many females compared with male groomers reported watching pornography (69.7% vs 30.3%). Conclusion: Several factors can influence PHG. Our findings demonstrate that the reasons participants engage in PHG practices are for hygiene, aesthetics, comfort, and sexual satisfaction.
Article
Male body hair removal has implications for men’s mental health such as anxiety about body image. Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and relevant additional constructs, this research examined factors associated with young men’s upper body and pubic hair removal. Young men residing in Australia completed a pilot survey, online survey ( N = 655) of predictors of intention (plans) to remove body hair and a 4-week follow up survey ( n = 222) reporting body hair removal behaviour. Attitudes about body hair removal, pressure from others, perceptions of control and similarity to prototypical young men who removed body hair were associated with intention for upper body (60%) and pubic (48%) hair removal. Intention was significantly associated with body hair removal behaviours. These findings indicate social pressure was associated with young men’s decisions to remove body hair, pointing to sources of potential intervention.
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This exploratory study investigated pubic hair removal behavior among 295 college men and women. Survey questions explored the extent to which young people remove their pubic hair, by what means, how often, and reasons for such behavior. Pubic hair removal by friends and sexual partners, as well as expectations of sexual partners was also explored. Commonalities and differences in responses between college men and women were examined. Results revealed that pubic hair removal is extremely common in both men and women and typically begins in early adolescence. Reasons for pubic hair removal most frequently cited include cleanliness, comfort and appearance. Implications for sexuality education and future research are discussed.
Article
The international wave of Women’s Marches in 2017 (and subsequent years) was fuelled by anger about the misogynist tone of the American election (aimed at contender Hillary Clinton) and a sense that the rights of women and sexual minorities were being threatened. In particular, protests were triggered by the newly elected president’s unearthed comments about female genitalia: ‘grab ‘em by the pussy’. Following the instigation of craftivists in California, women around the world donned pink knitted hats with points resembling cat ears, which became known as ‘pussy hats’. This chapter uses examples collected as rapid response collecting after the marches in Edmonton and Calgary (Alberta, Canada) for the Royal Alberta Museum to argue that the pussy hat is an example of anti-fashion in its embrace of anti-consumption, and its role to promote political accountability. The pussy hat, in effect, is the uniform of a feminist political ethics.
Chapter
Human sexual response is covered in this chapter, including the male and female genitalia, the biological and psychological influences on our sexual response, theories of sexual response, sexual arousal, and sexual desire.
Article
The majority of pubic hair and genital self-image research describes women living in the USA, UK and Australia. This may leave attitudes and behaviours across other cultures and geographic regions ambiguous. The purpose of this study was to describe pubic hair removal attitudes and behaviours among reproductive-age women living in Italy. Individual interviews were conducted with 46 women aged 18-45 years between June and July 2017, living in Florence, Italy and currently utilising the Italian healthcare system. Pubic hair removal was popular among participants. Women mainly removed pubic hair by waxing. Sexual partners influenced removal, as did cultural norms and the desire for cleanliness. Most participants indicated pubic hair removal onset during adolescence, often upon puberty. However, most participants had never discussed removal complications with providers. Pubic hair removal often related to a more positive genital self-image because of social norms surrounding hairlessness. Removal among this sample appears to differ from the literature in other contexts, with women living in Italy engaging in more frequent and earlier waxing. Findings offer opportunities for clinicians to proactively address safe pubic hair practices and women’s genital concerns during consultations.
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Kerion is a severe hypersensitivity reaction to fungal infection that is rarely seen in the groin. Frequent shaving of pubic hair and religious conservatism surrounding genital hygiene are common among Bedouin women in the Negev Desert, and may predispose to kerion. This case highlights the clinical course of a 20-year-old Bedouin woman who presented with severe kerion celsi of the pubis and vulva with secondary bacterial infection. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous antibiotics, oral antifungal medication and wet topical dressings. The case outlines the risk factors and treatment for severe kerion celsi of the groin, as well as possible preventive measures that may reduce its incidence.
Article
BACKGROUND: Female genital self-image is an important aspect of psychosocial and sexual health. The Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS) is a validated instrument that has been used to characterize women's level of genital dissatisfaction. AIM: In this report, we assess genital dissatisfaction using the FGSIS in a nationally representative sample of U.S. women. METHODS: We conducted a nationally representative survey of non-institutionalized adults aged 18-65 years residing in the United States. The survey included questions about demographics, sexual behavior, and the FGSIS. OUTCOMES: Demographic characteristics were found to significantly correlate to women's perceived genital dissatisfaction. RESULTS: In total, 3,372 women completed the survey and 3,143 (93.2%) completed the FGSIS. The mean age was 46 years, and there was broad representation across the United States in terms of age, education, and location. On bivariate analysis, women's genital dissatisfaction was significantly correlated to their age, race, location, and education. Women who were sexually active were less likely to report genital dissatisfaction than women who were not sexually active (76% vs 62%, respectively, P < .001). The frequency of sexual activity was negatively correlated with genital dissatisfaction (P = .002). Women who reported genital dissatisfaction were less likely than those who reported satisfaction to engage in receptive vaginal sex (83% vs 88%, respectively, P = .03). There were no other significant associations between genital dissatisfaction and types of sexual activity. On multivariate analysis, women were less likely to report genital dissatisfaction if they were older, of black race, had an education level of high school or above, and/or lived in the Northeastern or Midwestern United States. There was no association between genital dissatisfaction and relationship status or gender of sexual partner. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: Female genital dissatisfaction may be related to age, race, education, and geography. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first nationally representative sample of U.S. women focusing on genital and self-image and dissatisfaction. These data may not apply outside the United States. These data may help providers who provide information for women and manage concerns related to genital self-image. Rowen TS, Gaither TW, Shindel AW, et al. Characteristics of Genital Dissatisfaction Among a Nationally Representative Sample of U.S. Women. J Sex Med 2018;15:698-704.
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Purpose To evaluate the preferences of women and men regarding female pubic hair depilation and identify possible reasons for these preferences. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of men and women over 18 years old who were invited by the official blog of our institution to respond anonymously to an online and self-administered questionnaire made by the researchers. The analyses were made using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS, SAS Inc., Cary, NC, US) software, version 9.3, and contingency tables were used to verify the distribution of variables. The univariate statistical analysis was performed using the Pearson chi-squared test, and the differences for values of p < 0.05 were considered significant. Results We obtained data from 69,920 subjects (52,787 women and 17,133 men). The mean age was 31.9 years for men, and 28.5 years for women. Most women (64.3%) and men (62.2%) preferred complete removal of female pubic hair, and this preference was more pronounced in younger women and men. Most women reported performing depilation at home (55.8%), with 44.4% using hot wax and 40.1% using a razor blade. About half of the women (44.7%) and men (50.1%) reported sexual activity, having intercourse 2 to 3 times per week. The frequency of intercourse and sexual satisfaction in women correlated with total pubic hair removal. Conclusion Most Brazilian women and men prefer the complete removal of female pubic hair, especially those who are younger and more sexually active. Women who are satisfied with the appearance of their own genitalia have a stronger preference for complete removal of pubic hair.
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Sara Ahmed said, ‘Emotions should not be regarded as psychological states, but as social and cultural practices’ (2004, 9). Critical feminist scholarship on embodiment and women’s lived experiences of their bodies has resituated and reframed the way that social scientists understand the discipline, control, and regulation of bodies (Foucault 1995). As a malleable site of cultural anxieties (Bordo 2003), personal distress and self-objectification (Johnston-Robledo et al. 2007), pleasure and satisfaction (Fahs 2011b), cultural rebellion (Bobel and Kwan 2011), frank oppression (Owen 2012), or affiliation to various social identities (Hill Collins 2000), the body and its role as a social entity cannot be overstated. More specifically, psychologists, body image researchers, and critical feminist scholars have argued that women mould and shape their bodies to emulate ‘ideals’ of youth, heterosexuality, ability, whiteness, and thinness (Bordo 2003; Ringrose and Walkerdine 2008; Tiggemann and Lewis 2004).
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Pubic hair removal, now common among women in Anglo/western cultures, has been theorised as a disciplinary practice. As many other feminine bodily practices, it is characterised by removal or alteration of aspects of women's material body (i.e., pubic hair) considered unattractive but otherwise “natural.” Emerging against this theorisation is a discourse of personal agency and choice, wherein women assert autonomy and self-mastery of their own bodies and body practices. In this paper, we use a thematic analysis to examine the interview talk about pubic hair from 11 sexually and ethnically diverse young women in New Zealand. One overarching theme – pubic hair is undesirable; its removal is desirable – encapsulates four themes we discuss in depth, which illustrate the personal, interpersonal and sociocultural influences intersecting the practice: (a) pubic hair removal is a personal choice; (b) media promote pubic hair removal; (c) friends and family influence pubic hair removal; and (d) the (imagined) intimate influences pubic hair removal. Despite minor variations among queer women, a perceived norm of genital hairlessness was compelling among the participants. Despite the articulated freedom to practise pubic hair removal, any freedom from participating in this practice appeared limited, rendering the suggestion that it is just a “choice” problematic.
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The removal of body hair on the legs, arms and pubic area is commonplace in today's society and being hair-free is associated with beauty and femininity. Not only do adult women feel pressure from their peers and partners to achieve the hairless ideal, but also girls as young as 11 years old are presenting to health professionals with no pubic hair. Heidi Williamson looks hair removal practices in the Western world
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Because testosterone increases body hair growth and infertility in women, greater pubic hair expanse could function as a visual heuristic of female infertility for men. Heterosexual male Canadian undergraduate students (N 1/4 63) completed a measure of sociosexuality, rated their reactions to their own/a female partner's hypothetical sterility, and reported their arousal in response to a range of female pubic hair expanses (from completely bare to extending beyond the pubic mound). As hypothesized, although the absence of pubic hair was rated as most arousing overall (especially among higher sociosexuality scorers), men's greater comfort with a female partner's sterility predicted greater arousal in response to the most expansive female pubic hair patterns. Thus, along with breast size and waist-to-hip ratio, pubic hair expanse may be a secondary sex characteristic that can function as a visual heuristic of female (in)fertility among heterosexual men.
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Allometric analyses of hair densities in 23 anthropoid primate taxa reveal that increasingly massive primates have systematically fewer hairs per equal unit of body surface. Considering the absence of effective sweating in monkeys and apes, the negative allometry of relative hair density may represent an architectural adaptation to thermal constraints imposed by the decreasing ratios of surface area to volume in progressively massive primates. Judging by estimates of body volume, denudation of the earliest hominids should have progressed to a considerable extent prior to their shift from a forest to a grassland habitat during the Pliocene. We propose that, lacking a reflective coat of hair, the exploitation of eccrine sweating emerged as the primary mechanism for adaptation to the increased heat leads of man's new environment and permitted further reduction of the remnant coat to its present vestigial condition.
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Unusually among the mammals, humans lack an outer layer of protective fur or hair. We propose the hypothesis that humans evolved hairlessness to reduce parasite loads, especially ectoparasites that may carry disease. We suggest that hairlessness is maintained by these naturally selected benefits and by sexual selection operating on both sexes. Hairlessness is made possible in humans owing to their unique abilities to regulate their environment via fire, shelter and clothing. Clothes and shelters allow a more flexible response to the external environment than a permanent layer of fur and can be changed or cleaned if infested with parasites. Naked molerats, another hairless and non-aquatic mammal species, also inhabit environments in which ectoparasite transmission is expected to be high, but in which temperatures are closely regulated. Our hypothesis explains features of human hairlessness-such as the marked sex difference in body hair, and its retention in the pubic regions-that are not explained by other theories.
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A 20-year-old Australian woman with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes presented with life-threatening Streptococcus pyogenes and Herpes simplex infection of her external genitalia following a routine perineal “Brazilian” bikini wax. Extensive pubic hair removal is now common among young adults in Australia and elsewhere. However, the infectious risks of these practices, particularly among immunosuppressed individuals, are often underappreciated.
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Background: Pubic atrichosis or hypotrichosis is a common condition in Korean women of Mongolian origin. This results in many patients receiving hair restoration surgery, which is currently thought to be the only definitive therapy. Objective: To pursue more natural and realistic-appearing results, to define patient characteristics, and to estimate the survival rate of transplanted pubic hair through restoration surgery, we examined our cases of pubic hair restoration surgery with single-hair grafts. Methods: We selected 507 patients with pubic atrichosis or hypotrichosis who visited for pubic hair transplantation between March 1, 2001, and February 28, 2005. We reviewed the medical charts of the 507 patients and performed statistical analysis. We also carried out a detailed evaluation of our surgical technique to 100 patients. In addition, 20 patients, who agreed to participate in the study for survival rate, had received transplantation of 40 hairs in a 1.5 x 1.5-cm area after the angular points were tattooed. The number of hairs grown after 1 year of transplantation was counted in each case. Results: Among the 507 subjects, 169(33.3%) were in their 40s. The mean (+/-SD) patient age was 41.3+/-10.8 years. Of these, 115 patients (22.7%) had pubic atrichosis, and 392 patients (77.3%) had pubic hypotrichosis. In addition, 81.7% of atrichosis patients had a family history of atrichosis or hypotrichosis. Pubic atrichosis accompanied axillary atrichosis or hypotrichosis in 60.0 and 38.2% of the cases, respectively. The most common reason for the hair restorative procedure was the subject's sense of inferiority to the same sex (73.8%). The mean number of transplanted hairs was 929.3+/-76.6. The most common design pattern that we used was modified horizontal type (87.0%). The mean survival rate of single-hair grafts on the pubis was 73.6+/-7.6%. Conclusion: This study suggested that pubic hair transplantation surgery is a suitable cosmetic procedure to address the inferiority complex of patients with pubic atrichosis or hypotrichosis. Knowledge of natural pubic pattern and normal physiologic features is essential to create a natural and realistic appearance in a given subject.
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Hair is a product of small pits in the skin known as hair follicles. The most important feature of hair follicles is that their activity is intermittent; each active phase or anagen is succeeded by a transitional phase (catagen) and a resting phase (telogen), during which the fully formed "club hair" is retained for a period and then shed. The growth of facial, body, axillary, and pubic hair depends on androgens. Facial hair and body hair require high levels of testosterone and its conversion to 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone. Pubic and axillary hair follicles require much lower levels of hormone, and 5-alpha-reduction appears to be unnecessary. Paradoxically, male pattern alopecia and its female equivalent also require androgen for their manifestation. The differing lengths of hair in the various regions of the body result largely from differences in the duration of anagen and only to a small extent from differences in the rates of growth. Some hair loss from the scalp can be characterized in terms of the hair growth cycle, and some involves long-term changes in the follicular architecture. Thus postfebrile and postpartum alopecias are telogen effluvia that involve shedding of club hairs, whereas drug-induced alopecia and alopecia areata involve shearing and loss of growing hairs. Male pattern baldness and female diffuse alopecia involve gradual shortening of the periods of anagen and shrinkage of the hair follicles over a long term.
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36 male and 24 female college students were shown slides of a hairy arm, an arm without hair, a hairy chest, a chest without hair, a large penis and a small penis. They were asked to rate the slides on various adjective scales. The hairy arm and, to some degree, the hairy chest were rated as more potent and more active than their hairless counterparts and the large penis was rated as more potent than the small penis. These results were replicated for a smaller group.
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The chief goal of this exploratory study was to discover what a woman's own experience of her illness meant to her--how she thinks of herself as a woman and a person with a health problem. The study was exploratory in nature and designed to expand our conceptual thinking about health and illness and the delivery of health-care services. The study was qualitative, and the principal method was the semi-structured, indepth, face-to-face interview. All of the women in the study had been diagnosed with primary breast cancer and were in a variety of stages of treatment. What emerged from the study were explanatory stories that women constructed to chronicle their illness experience and interpret it. The theme under discussion here is hair loss as symbolic of larger cultural beliefs and values. Recommendations for interventions with women who experience hair loss as a traumatic event are offered in the context of a deeper cultural understanding of hair loss that is a consequence of cancer care.
Article
Hypotrichosis of the pubis is not an uncommon condition, especially in oriental women. Besides the aesthetic problem, this condition may cause low self-esteem, social embarrassment, and psychologic problems to patients. There have been many efforts to correct this condition medically and surgically for decades. Among them hair restoration surgery is thought to be the only definitive therapeutic modality at present. Our purpose was to show the importance of preoperative evaluation of what type of pubic hair patterns the patients may seek and thereafter to make a design based on the patients' desire and physiologic feature of pubic hair for the natural-appearing results and satisfaction of the patients. Ten female patients were enrolled in this study aged between 23 and 48 years with pubic hair maturity index class I-III. For selection of a patients' favored pubic hair pattern, we provided photograph samples of pubic hair patterns that consisted of four types as previously documented: horizontal, sagittal, acuminate, and disperse. We restored hairless mons using a conventional one- to three-haired mini-micrograft technique. Five patients belonged to the pubic hair maturity index class I, four to class II, and one to class III. Seven of 10 patients wanted a horizontal (inverted triangular) type, which is most commonly seen in young females, 2 patients wanted acuminate, and 1 wanted sagittal. Eight patients underwent a single-session operation, while two others underwent operations twice. The two patients requiring two operation sessions belonged to a group of class I pubic hair and desired acuminate-type hair. Most patients were satisfied with the results of their operations. In designing a pubic hair graft, it is important to know the patients' desire and to make a design based on it for the satisfaction of the patients and for natural-appearing results. Before the procedure, dermatologic surgeons should have to consider a grafted hair line, the distribution, density, and directions of the hair shaft, and the angling of the hair to the skin.
Article
Although the loss of pubic hair is a relatively frequent condition, there have been few reports about pubic hair restoration. This report aims to describe the demarcation and technical guidelines for pubic hair restoration using follicular micrografts. Demarcation is described and based on anatomic parameters such as the level of the greater trochanters and the labium majus. The angle of micrograft insertion and direction also are described. The use of micrografts for pubic hair restoration is a procedure that promotes very natural results. The described parameters of demarcation and technical details are important issues that should be considered to obtain a natural result in pubic hair restoration.
Article
A 17-year-old girl presents with a pubic rash which occurred following shaving (Fig. 1). The rash consists of follicular papules and crusts and is mildly pruritic. Questions for the Clinician: What is your diagnosis?What is the obvious cause of the problem?What are common methods of pubic hair removal and their complications?How can clinicians help minimize these complications? Diagnosis: This girl has impetigo, a common and highly contagious bacterial skin infection, caused by Staphylococcus aureus. 1 The infection was no doubt spread locally by pubic hair shaving. Treatment with oral (cephalexin) and topical (mupirocin) anti-staphylococcal antibiotics cleared the infection quickly. What follows is a brief review of pubic hair removal: trends and techniques, as well as complications and strategies to reduce them. Pubic Hair Removal: While trimming or shaving the bikini area is nothing new for women and adolescent girls, more extensive pubic hair removal, once relatively uncommon except for cultural and religious reasons, is now routine. And while the practice has become mainstream in adults and adolescents of both sexes, relatively little has been written in the medical literature about this trend and its associated health consequences. Catering to this trend is a host of personal products designed for pubic hair grooming including specialty razors, electric shavers, and trimmers as well as pubic shaving gels and after-shave lotions. Salons and medical practices are touting pubic hair removal by waxing and lasers. Web sites and popular magazines are offering pubic hair removal tips and products for the novice as well as the experienced. An interesting trend is that of adolescent girls shaving their pubic hair well before they reach Tanner stage 5. Some girls start to remove pubic hair soon after they begin to develop it. It is not uncommon to see 11 and 12-year-old girls with pubic razor stubble. Tanner staging can be tricky in these girls-you have to look for the extent of the stubble, which can be difficult if the shave is close. In the author's experience, girls may learn about shaving their pubic hair from a variety of sources, including their friends, older sisters, magazines, and the internet. Parents may not know their daughter shaves her pubic hair and the reaction to this knowledge may not be positive. Before making any general comments or disclosure about this practice to parents, for example in the setting of an infection, you should obtain your patient's permission first. Younger girls may be surprised at the irritation and folliculitis that may arise from pubic hair removal. Contributing to these problems may be inexperience and poor technique, such as using a blade razor to shave dry skin or using a dull razor. As for pubic hair waxing, a girl's first experience with a "Brazilian wax" may leave her extremely irritated and wishing she had not taken the plunge. Sexually active adolescents may be shocked that they have been auto-inoculating sexually transmitted infections such as molluscum contagiosum and condyloma acuminata throughout their pubic area by shaving. Older adolescents and women with shaving and waxing folliculitis will often continue to shave and wax despite extreme irritation because they simply will not let their pubic hair grow in. In this situation, clinicians should work with patients to help them choose better hair removal techniques and minimize discomfort and irritation (see below). © 2006 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology.
Article
Anecdotal experience in our clinic suggests a recent reduction in cases of pubic lice despite increased patient numbers and increasing prevalence rates of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Also, in recent years we have seen an increasing number of patients who have undergone extensive pubic hair removal procedures, such as the “Brazilian.” Could there be an association between the rates of pubic lice and the introduction of pubic hair removal practices? We have looked at the prevalence rates of pubic lice in relation to hair removal practices and, for comparison, also looked at the rates of gonorrhoea and chlamydia over the same period. Annual cases of pubic lice, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea diagnosed at the Department of Genitourinary Medicine, …
Article
Although hairlessness is rapidly becoming a component of the ideal male body, little research has examined men's concerns about their body hair or their hair removal practices. Samples of gay and heterosexual men completed questionnaires that assessed whether they had ever removed their back, buttock or pubic hair, the frequency with which they did so, the methods used and their self-reported reasons for removing this hair, as well as their level of appearance investment. Results indicated that many gay and heterosexual men remove their back, buttock and pubic hair regularly and that their primary reason for doing so is to maintain or improve their appearance. The frequency of hair removal was also associated with the motivational salience component of appearance investment. The findings offer further support to the premise that gay and heterosexual men exhibit similar body image concerns.
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