Pubic hair refers to the hairy area located on the skin of the pubic area.

Position. Pubic hair is located:

• on the pubis, rounded relief located in front of the pubic symphysis, in women1;
• around the penis and testicles in men.

Structure. Pubic hair is long, thick hair. They are made up of two parts2:

• The stem is the elongated part made up of keratinized cells, which are continually being renewed. These cells contain pigments giving the specific color to the hairs. The oldest cells are on the free end of the hair.
• The root is the end of the hair implanted deep in the dermis. The enlarged base forms the hair bulb which contains the nutritive vessels, notably allowing cell renewal and hair growth.

Development of pubic hair. Before puberty, a fine down is present in the genitals. During puberty, the secretion of androgens leads to the growth of longer and thicker hairs. Pubic hair then has a high density of 20 per cm (2) and a growth rate of up to 0,4 mm per day. As we age, the density and speed of growth decrease (3).

Protection. Pubic hair provides protection against external infections (3).

Capture odors. Pubic hair helps capture odors (3).

Alopecia. Alopecia refers to a partial or total loss of hair or body hair. (4) Its origin may be linked to genetic factors, age, a disorder or disease, or even too repeated epilation. This results in two types of alopecia: non-scarring where hair regrowth is possible since there are no lesions; and scars where no regrowth is possible because the hair follicles are completely destroyed.

Pelade. Alopecia areata is a disease characterized by hair loss or patches. It can affect only certain parts of the body or the whole. Its cause is still poorly understood but some studies show an autoimmune origin. (5)

Morpions. Lice correspond to “pubic lice”. Contamination often occurs during sexual intercourse (6).

Medical treatment. Depending on the origin of the hair loss, different treatments may be prescribed such as anti-inflammatory drugs (corticosteroids), hormonal treatments, or even vasodilator lotions. In the event of the presence of crabs, specific washing products can be used.

Surgical treatment. Hair transplantation can be done to recreate or densify pubic hair.

Dermatological examination. This examination makes it possible to define the type of pathology associated with pubic hair.

Symbol of sexual maturity. Appearing during puberty, pubic hair is sometimes associated with sexual maturity (3).

Aesthetics. There is some form of aestheticism around pubic hair. This aesthetic consideration varies according to cultures, fashions, individual preferences, etc. For example, it has become common to remove partial or total pubic hair in Western societies (3).