March 19, 2013 |
A new study has revealed that by shaving or waxing downtown, people can give themselves a viral infection.
A dermatologist in Nice, France noticed that many of his patients who were coming in with the molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) in their genital region had removed their pubic hair.
The dermatologist, Dr. Francois Desruelles, MD, then began researching the correlation, and he found that 93 percent of his 30 patients of both genders had removed their pubic hair in some fashion — 70 percent shaved, 13 percent clipped and 10 percent waxed. Desruelles published his finding on Monday in the British Medical Journal.
MCV is a pox virus spread via skin-to-skin or sexual contact as well as sharing certain items like towels. The virus causes pearly, dome-shaped papules on the infected area. The bumps are not painful and frequently go away on their own, though the virus can be treated via over-the-counter medications or other treatments.
Desruelles wrote that he believes many people are giving themselves the virus, let’s say, by shaving a MCV bump on their legs and then using the same razor to shave their pubes. He also noted that shaving causes tiny abrasions that could make catching MCV from a sexual partner that much easier.
If you do develop MCV bumps and still must shave, Desruelles noted to shave around the bumps, not through them.
According to the L.A. Times, the researchers wrote, "Pubic hair removal is a body modification for the sake of fashion, especially in young women and adolescents, but also growing among men."
They suggested the trend of pubic hair removal may stem from pornography, a desire for more sexual sensation, "an unconscious desire to simulate an infantile look" or "a desire to distance ourselves from our animal nature."
Though reasons may vary, people’s increased desire to maintenance the lawn may have a detrimental affect on their health.
