Study: Injuries On The Rise As More People Groom Their Pubic Hair

DETROIT (WWJ) - A new study has found grooming-related injuries are a problem as more Americans tend to their sensitive areas.

About a quarter of people who groom their pubic hair have suffered injuries, according to a report published by JAMA Dermatology.

Benjamin N. Breyer, M.D., M.A.S., of the University of California, San Francisco, and coauthors conducted a web-based survey designed to be representative of the U.S. population to collect data on grooming behavior.

Of the 7,570 men and women who completed the survey, 5,674 of 7,456 (76.1 percent) reported a history of personal grooming. Grooming-related injury was reported by 1,430 groomers, a weighted prevalence of 25.6 percent, according to the results. About 1.5 percent of those reported injuries that required medical attention. For both men and women, the frequency of grooming and the degree of grooming, such as removing all pubic hair multiple times, were risk factors associated with injury.

The most common injury reported were cuts, followed by burns and rashes.

Riley, a student at Oakland Community College, told WWJ she's injured herself a number of times.

"The first time ever, I cut myself pretty close to a bad spot," admitted the student, who declined to provide her last name. "And I didn't shave again for like two months at least."

The solution? Riley suggests the natural look.

"I don't even feel like it's worth it half the time unless I'm in a relationship with someone who, like, wants me to do that; and if they don't care, I'm not doing anything," she said. "Make it look pretty...but you don't have to do that much."

Student Dylan Jespersen offered this advice for guys who give it a try: "Take it slow. Don't go too fast; don't rush yourself."

The authors of the study hope it contributes to the development of recommendations for safe pubic hair removal.