Is pubic and axillary hair physiologically required, and can routine removal (e.g., shaving) be performed safely in healthy adults?

Pubic and Axillary Hair Can Be Safely Removed Without Medical Necessity

Pubic and axillary hair serve no essential physiological function in healthy adults, and routine removal through shaving or other methods is safe and can be performed continuously without medical consequence. 1, 2

Physiological Role of Terminal Body Hair

Terminal hair in pubic and axillary regions has no documented essential function in modern humans:

• No protective benefit: Unlike scalp hair, which provides UV protection and thermal regulation, pubic and axillary hair serve no critical protective role in contemporary life 2
• Evolutionary remnant: These hair patterns persist as anthropologically unclear features of human development, with no clear survival advantage in modern contexts 2
• Distinguishing feature only: Terminal body hair remains primarily as a distinguishing mammalian characteristic rather than a functional necessity 2

Safety of Routine Hair Removal

Hair removal from these areas is medically safe when performed with appropriate techniques:

• No contraindication to removal: There is no medical evidence that continuous removal of pubic or axillary hair causes harm to healthy individuals 1, 3
• Common practice: Pubic hair removal is practiced by approximately 95% of young adults, with 70-80% removing hair routinely, demonstrating widespread safety when done properly 4, 5
• Method matters for safety: The technique of removal determines risk, not the act of removal itself 6, 3

Recommended Removal Methods (When Chosen)

If you choose to remove pubic or axillary hair, follow this safety hierarchy:

Safest methods (in order of preference):

• Electric clipping: Lowest infection and injury risk 6
• Depilatory creams: Lower infection rates than shaving, though may cause chemical irritation 6, 1
• Trimming with scissors: Minimal trauma risk 1

Higher-risk methods to avoid or use cautiously:

• Razor shaving: Most common method (82% of women, 49% of men) but carries highest risk of cuts, folliculitis, and infection 6, 3, 5
• Waxing/sugaring: Risk of burns, folliculitis, and ingrown hairs 1, 3

Common Adverse Effects and Prevention

When removing pubic or axillary hair, be aware of these risks:

• Genital itching: Experienced by 80% of regular groomers at least once, most common side effect 5
• Folliculitis and ingrown hairs: Common with shaving and waxing 3
• Cuts and abrasions: Increase risk of sexually transmitted infection transmission in pubic area 3
• Skin irritation: More frequent with chemical depilatories and waxing 1

Prevention strategies:

• Use clean, sharp instruments 3
• Avoid sharing grooming tools 3
• Moisturize after removal 3
• If using razors, shave in direction of hair growth 3

Important Clinical Context: Surgical Considerations

The only medical context where pubic and axillary hair has clinical significance is in surgical procedures:

• Terminal hair-bearing areas (scalp, pubic, axillary regions, beard in men) should NOT undergo curettage and electrodesiccation for basal cell carcinoma treatment due to risk of tumor extension down follicular structures 7
• Preoperative hair removal is NOT recommended for infection prevention—it provides no benefit and may increase surgical site infection risk when performed with razors 7, 6
• If surgical visualization requires hair removal, use electric clippers only, never razors 7, 6

Bottom Line

There is no physiological requirement to maintain pubic or axillary hair in healthy adults. Routine removal is safe and can be performed indefinitely using appropriate techniques, with electric clipping being the safest method and razor shaving carrying the highest risk of complications.