For us independent women, waxing off unwanted body hair may be a way of life, and the aesthetic benefits are indeed plentiful. Having smooth hairless skin all over without having to worry about peek-a-boo stray hairs while wearing sleeveless clothes or bikinis is a huge advantage and helps in projecting the image of a strong, confident woman. What may be less well-known is the accompanying health benefit of waxing: it prevents the proliferation of Pthirus Pubis – more commonly known as pubic lice or crabs.
Those who have experienced a case of crabs can definitely testify that it is an absolute nuisance to treat. You not only have to treat yourself, but you also have to decontaminate your clothes as well as your bedding. Bad itching around the genital area is the main symptom of pubic lice. Transmitted via direct contact, pubic lice are stubborn critters, thriving in the warm and moist environment of pubic hair, even laying their eggs so that they hang around for a long time.
Given these, it stands to perfect reason that pubic hair removal would help reduce the overall rate of transmission of crabs. In fact, a UK study has shown that when the incidence of pubic hair removal more than doubled between the years 2003 to 2013, the percentage of people suffering from public lice dropped from 1.8% to a mere 0.07%.
Who knew that Brazilian waxing would have such health benefits? Well, knowledge is certainly one step closer to empowerment, and taking action is an even closer step – so we say wax on to keep the crabs away!