Bare Necessities? Experts Say Personal Grooming May Pose Health Risks

BOSTON (CBS) -- Getting a "Brazilian" bikini wax is no longer exotic.  For many, it's become the new norm.

Over the past five years, gynecologists have seen a significant rise in the number of women who routinely remove their hair "down there." And some patients actually apologize to their health care providers for not "cleaning up" before their exam.

According to a new study in the journal JAMA Dermatology, 84-percent of women prefer some form of bikini area grooming while 62-percent remove all of their pubic hair.

Grooming was found to be more popular among younger, white, and more educated women.  Income and marital status did not seem to make a difference.

A variety of reasons were given.  Women were more likely to groom before social events, before seeing a health care professional, to "look better", or if their partner preferred it, but the most popular reason was for hygiene purposes.

This is concerning because some experts say, if anything, removing hair from the genitals could actually increase your risk of infection.

Genital hair provides some protection for the skin of the labia and can help prevent bacteria and debris from entering the vagina.  Removal of this hair can lead to painful or itchy rashes, ingrown hairs, folliculitis, abscesses or burns.

So if you're thinking about grooming your nether regions, don't do it to be healthier or cleaner and certainly don't do it just because everyone else is.