Pubic hair exists for a reason!

Some sociologists argue that this shift stems from cultural trends fueled by the bikini industry, thong fashion, and the public profiles of famously hairless film stars. I wonder whether it reflects a subconscious wish to return to childhood. Perhaps it is a thoroughly misguided attempt at hygiene, or even a bid to appear more attractive to a partner.

I suspect I lost touch with the zeitgeist after my second child was born. I put most beauty and grooming trends on ignore. My liquid foundation even expired in July 2012.

As for the declared war on pubic hair, I barely noticed. Or perhaps I did notice and chose to tune it out.

The buzz around all this began roughly ten years ago. The combined time, energy, money, and emotion that women and men spend removing hair from every surface of the body must be astronomical. The business of removing hair from intimate areas is growing at a rapid pace. I would also include professional medical clinics that advertise special services to those pursuing that clean and bare look.

But what have those tiny hairs done to deserve our disdain. Some sociologists suggest the trend is driven by culture at large, encouraged by the bikini and thong market as well as well known hairless actors and actresses. I find myself asking whether this is a subconscious desire to return to childhood, perhaps even a thoroughly misplaced attempt at hygiene, or a wish to be more attractive to a partner.

Are we truly so naive and so easily swayed by fashion and prejudice.

Sadly, this is a battle built on mistaken beliefs. Surgeons have learned that shaving an area before surgery increases the risk of infection rather than reducing it. No matter how sophisticated an arsenal we deploy, whether razors, electric epilators, tweezers, wax, electrolysis, and so on, the hair grows back in no time.

Meanwhile, the skin suffers and gradually begins to resemble a battlefield.

Removing pubic hair irritates and inflames follicles, leaving microscopic open wounds. Frequent hair removal is something many modern people pursue in this age of hairless bodies. After all, who wants to look like a shoe brush. However, all this causes irritation in the shaved or waxed area. Did you know that irritation, combined with a warm and moist genital environment, becomes an ideal breeding ground for harmful bacteria such as Group A Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, and its methicillin resistant cousin MRSA.

We are witnessing an increase in boils caused by these bacteria, and they can be addressed only through incision and drainage. Yet this approach brings its own problems, including scarring and the risk of reinfection if not done correctly. It is not unusual to see pimples and inflamed follicles in genital areas that are frequently shaved or waxed.

Freshly shaved pubic areas are often more susceptible to herpes infections because of those microscopic cuts. These tiny wounds are exposed to viruses transmitted from the mouth to the genitals, and we all know the route. It follows that the risk of sexually transmitted infections is higher in this context.

Pubic hair does have a purpose. It reduces friction that can cause irritation and skin injury, it protects the skin from bacteria and other undesirable pathogens, and it is a visible sign of hormonal activation at puberty. It is not something to be ashamed of.

It is time to declare peace and allow hair to grow and remain where the body intends it to be.