Abstract

DIAZ-MARTINEZ, LA; DURAN PRADA, ML  and  MENDOZA PEDROZO, JP. The aesthetic removal of the genital hair with clinical complications in the general population. Rev. argent. dermatol. [online]. 2015, vol.96, n.3, pp.40-46. ISSN 1851-300X.

INTRODUCTION: genital hair removal is becoming more common today among men and women for hygienic, aesthetic or erotic reasons. However there is not sufficient information on the frequency of clinical complications involved to do it. OBJECTIVE: to establish the prevalence of clinical conditions secondary to the removal of pubic hair found in general or specialist medical consultation settings. METHODS: cross-sectional study with 689 consecutive patients of outpatient or emergency clinics staffed by 22 doctors in Santander, Colombia. RESULTS: 82.9% of participants were women (81.6% outpatient). The prevalence of genital hair removal was 79.5% (95% CI 76.3% to 82.5%), more common among women. 2.5% consulted for problems of genital hair removal (52.9% infection). The overall prevalence of problems caused by the genital hair removal is 10.4% (95% CI 8.3 to 13.0%): folliculitis and other infections (70.8%), skin trauma (9.7%) and other manifestations related to inflammatory phenomena (19.4%). DISCUSSION: this is the first approach made in Latin America on potential disease burden caused by the genital hair removal. The figures are much higher than expected, spending more than three quarters of unseen problems.

Keywords : Hair removal; Pubic hair; Body modification.