Itchy Pubic Hair? Here’s What Your Body’s Trying to Tell You

You could have itchy pubic hair because of the way you shave, or it could be a sign of a skin condition….CONTINUE READING

There’s nothing quite like, say, being in the grocery store (or anywhere in public really) and needing to itch yourself ‌down below‌. Scratching on the sly is a nearly impossible task. And as you go there, you ask yourself: Why is my pubic hair itchy?

Several things may be going on, but itchy pubic hair can be more likely during certain times of year: “It’s a common complaint, especially as the summer draws near,” Taraneh Shirazian, MD, board-certified gynecologist and Monistat Brand Ambassador.

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That can be due in part to infections of the vagina and vulva (more on this in a minute), which can make the entire pubic hair area itchy.

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Read on for reasons why you may have itchy pubic hair and what you can do to relieve the itch:

Your pubic hair protects your genital skin, and removing it can leave it vulnerable. Shaving irritation can be brutally itchy, leading to little red bumps

that you want to scratch.

June 2014 research in the ‌ American Journal of Obstetric & Gynecology ‌

shows that about 20 percent of people who remove their pubic hair via any method (razor, trimming, waxing) have experienced “severe itching.”

Problem is, scratching makes this irritation worse.

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Another possible consequence of shaving (or waxing), an ingrown hair is a hair that grows into your skin, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

In addition to itching, the inflammation from an ingrown can also make the spot painful.

When you have itchy pubic hair, your mind might go right away to pubic lice, also known as crabs.

These are tiny parasitic insects typically spread through sexual contact that commonly hang out in pubic hair, though they like any sort of coarse hair, including the hair on your legs, armpits and eyebrows, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC).

Along with itching you might be able to spot the tiny lice in your pubic hair (they’re tan or grayish-white in color, per the CDC).

When you have itchy pubic hair and no lice, a common cause may actually be a yeast infection. “The irritation may be either inside the vagina or on the outside skin or vulva,” Dr. Shirazian says.

Along with itching, you might also notice cottage cheese-like discharge or redness and irritation of the outside skin, she says. In addition, vaginal intercourse may hurt.

The same skin conditions that can affect your face, arms, legs and other areas of your body can also affect the skin on your genitals. In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology

(AAD), people who have psoriasis will often have a flare-up of symptoms like itching, pain and burning in the genital area.

Eczema can also cause the pubic hair area to feel itchy. In a study of 220 people with eczema, 45 percent said they had genital eczema at some point, per a March 2021 study in ‌ The Journal of Dermatology‌.

According to the UK-based National Eczema Society, eczema can be found on the vulva, as well as around the opening of the anus and skin between your cheeks.

If you can correctly identify the cause of the itch and the treatment is available over-the-counter, you can likely treat yourself at home.

However, if you have or may have eczema or psoriasis, see your dermatologist.

If you’re not sure about the cause and the itch comes with additional vaginal symptoms (like discharge), make an appointment with your ob-gyn, who may evaluate you for a sexually transmitted infection.

“If you ever feel irritation that you’re unfamiliar with or concerned about, I always recommend getting it checked out by your doctor,” Dr. Shirazian says….CONTINUE READING