Many Kenyans shave their private parts for hygiene, comfort, or beauty. However, medical experts continue to warn that removing pubic hair completely may do more harm than good.

Pubic hair is not a mistake of nature. It plays an important role in protecting the most sensitive parts of the body from friction, bacteria, and irritation.

In a hot, humid country like Kenya, where people spend long hours commuting, working, and wearing tight clothing, the skin around the private area is already under stress.

Shaving adds another layer of risk that many people do not think about.

It increases your risk of infections

When you shave, tiny invisible cuts form on the skin. These small openings make it easier for bacteria, fungi, and viruses to enter the body.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology in a 2020 patient safety bulletin, “Removing pubic hair can spread molluscum contagiosum, a viral skin infection, and increase the risk of folliculitis and other skin infections.”

DermNet, an international medical skin resource used by doctors worldwide, explains that “Folliculitis occurs more commonly after shaving because hair follicles become damaged and infected.”

In simple terms, shaving weakens the skin barrier, allowing germs to enter and leading to painful bumps, itching, pus, and infections.

Shaving creates wounds you cannot see

Even when a razor feels smooth, it causes microscopic cuts on the skin. These cuts can bleed slightly, swell, and become inflamed.

A study published in the US National Library of Medicine in 2017 found that thousands of people seek emergency care each year for grooming-related genital injuries.

The researchers wrote, “The majority of injuries were caused by razors during hair removal.”

For Kenyan readers, this means that what looks like a minor grooming habit can lead to serious pain, infection, or even hospital visits.

It may raise your chances of sexually transmitted infections

Shaving does not cause sexually transmitted infections, but it can make them easier to spread.

A large study published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections in 2016 stated, “Ever having groomed was positively associated with a history of self-reported sexually transmitted infections.”

Doctors explain that broken skin makes it easier for viruses and bacteria to enter the body. When the skin is intact, it protects you. When shaved, it becomes vulnerable.

Pubic hair protects your skin from friction

Pubic hair reduces friction between the skin and clothing. Without it, sensitive skin gets irritated, especially in tight jeans, underwear, or while walking and sweating.

The Mayo Clinic, in its skin health guidance, explains that “Hair helps protect the skin from friction and irritation.”

In Kenya, where temperatures are high and movement is constant, this protection matters more than many people realise.

Shaving causes long-term skin problems

Repeated shaving leads to ingrown hairs, dark marks, scars, and thickened skin. Mary Jane Minkin, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Yale University, told Healthline in 2020, “Shaving the pubic area can cause micro abrasions that allow bacteria to enter and can lead to chronic irritation and infection.”

For many women and men, this results in long-term discomfort that does not go away easily.

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