Is There A Relationship Between Pubic Shaving and the Spread of Herpes?

Is there a connection between a reported increase in the incidence of herpes in men and the practice of pubic shaving and waxing? A few health care professionals think that there is, and earlier this year went on the record to share why they believe the routine of shaving and waxing significantly elevates a man’s risk of contracting HSV-2 (genital herpes).

How Prevalent is Pubic Shaving and Waxing?

According to Annette Milligan, the Director of Independent Nursing Practitioners in New Zealand, “The habit of pubic shaving really is the norm. When we do genital exams on a 20-year-old and they have got pubic hair, we almost fall over with surprise.” Milligan’s observations echo those reported a few months ago by a pair of Canadian specialists.

Introducing their conclusions in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, Hannah Varto and Lenore Riddell said that approximately half of respondents who participated in their voluntary survey shaved or waxed at least some part of their pubic region. Moreover, a stunning 30% of those interviewed indicated that they frequently waxed or shaved the entire area. The researchers also observed that the latter group experienced an abnormally high percentage rate of genital herpes and genital warts (HPV) infections.

Exactly how are Pubic Shaving and Waxing Connected to Herpes in Men?

Because both shaving and waxing can result in injury to the pores and skin, these grooming techniques produce openings through which the herpes simplex virus can readily enter the body. Nurse Milligan illuminated this process by explaining, “Our strong suspicion is that when they shave or wax, they get a whole lot of microscopic cuts, so if they shave or wax before they go out, and then they have sex with an infected person who is having an asymptomatic shedding episode, it’s the perfect portal for entry for herpes virus.”

The nurse’s judgment was supported by a person with vast experience in the subject – instructor Lucy Cabral who teaches waxing for the Yorkville School of Makeup and Esthetics in Toronto, Canada. Cabral teaches her students that after waxing, “your follicles and your pores are opened, so you’re now more susceptible to infection.” Although this concept is meant to highlight the necessity of keeping their tools clean, it also indicates just how much the skin’s resistance to disease is compromised by these procedures.

Conclusions

Although there have been no official medical studies into the issue (Riddell and Varto’s analysis was based solely on surveys), there does seem to be some link between a stated growth in HSV-2 infection rates and the high number of young men, specifically, who use pubic shaving and waxing.

A veteran registered nurse from Milligan’s own office said that she rarely observes pubic hair on patients between the ages of 13 and 28 any longer, and that the timing of this grooming fad has perfectly coincided with an explosion in the number of herpes in men cases she has seen. Milligan concurred by saying, “It’s very disturbing. We are seeing lots more cases of genital herpes than we saw 20 years ago.”

In addition to answering the common question what is herpes, be sure to stop by Devin Brindinshire’s site where you’ll also learn about the leading cold sore remedies for the treatment of oral herpes.?