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Pubic hair grooming injuries common in US adults
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The frequency and degree of pubic hair grooming, in terms of the amount of hair removed, was associated with injury among 25% of adults surveyed.
The aim of the web-based, cross-sectional study was to determine demographic and behavioral risk factors for such injuries in the U.S. population. The analysis included 7,570 participants (4,198 men) identified in January 2014 and analyzed from Aug. 1, 2016 through Feb. 1, 2017. Outcome measures included a binary of whether a grooming-related injury had occurred, whether the individual had more than five lifetime injuries, and injuries requiring medical attention.
Results showed that 5,674 participants, including 66.5% of men and 85.3% of women, reported a history of grooming. The weighted rate of injury in this group was 25.6%.
Injuries were reported in 27.1% of women and 23.7% of men (P = .01).
Laceration occurred in 61.2% of the cohort, and burn was reported in 23% and rashes in 12.2%.
The scrotum was the most common injury area among men, at 67.2%. Injuries to the penis occurred in 34.8% of men, while the pubis was injured in 28.9%.
Among women, pubis injuries were most common, at 51.3%, followed by inner thigh (44.9%), vaginal (42.5%), and perineum (13.2%) injuries.
In a multivariable analysis that adjusted for age, duration of grooming, hairiness, instrument used, and grooming frequency, removal of all hair 11 times or more during a lifespan yielded a significant increase in the likelihood of injury among men (adjusted OR = 1.97; P = .002) compared with those who did not remove all pubic hair. Repeated high-frequency injuries also were more likely among men who removed all hair more than 11 times compared to those who did not (adjusted OR = 3.89; P < .001).
A similar trend was reported for women who removed all pubic hair 11 times or more compared with those who did not, with injuries (adjusted OR = 2.21; P < .001) and high-frequency injuries (adjusted OR = 2.98; P < .001) reported more frequently in the former group.
Compared with nonelectric blades, waxing was associated with a reduction in high-frequency injuries among women (adjusted OR = 0.11; P = .001).
Medical attention was necessary in 1.4% of groomers. – by Rob Volansky
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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