Removal or grooming of pubic hair is common for both men and women. Most people think that this is just something that everyone does, but this is a trend that has been driven by modern society and the media, especially pornography. Just how common is grooming pubic hair for men – about 67% of men have reported pubic hair grooming at least once.  

I saw a young guy recently who was in a new relationship. Prior to this relationship, he didn’t do much maintenance down there. However, to improve his genital attractiveness and self-image, he groomed himself using a non-electric razor and foaming shave cream. To his surprise, this was a very painful experience for him. He got several nicks in the skin of the scrotum. In a recent study on pubic hair grooming injuries, 24% of men have reported a grooming-related injury. About 1% of men required medical attention for their injury.  That means being evaluated by a doctor or other healthcare provider to assess or treat their injury. There was no correlation between rates of injury based on the type of grooming tool used (non-electric razor, electric clipper, etc.).

So pubic hair grooming is pretty common and one in four guys will hurt themselves in the process. Since I haven’t been able to find a good how-to, I thought I’d give my four tips for success. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to sell you some $100 scrotal salve.   

1. Skin Preparation

The skin should be as loose. This means warming up the skin for a period of time and I recommend getting into a warm shower for a few minutes. You should use a gentle cleanser (Cetaphil or CeraVe) to prep the skin while in the shower. You don’t want to use a cleanser that is going to strip the natural oils of the skin down there prior to shaving.     

2. Use the right razor 

Some guys opt for the electric clipper, but I recommend using a non-electric razor. That is going to give you the most control and the lowest chance of causing injury. You may need to use an electric clipper to “debulk” especially if the pubic hair is very long. A razor that is sharp (not used and dull) and has a few blades as possible (ideally single or double blade) is the best. For the most part, depending on how frequently you shave down there, I would recommend a new blade each time for the best results.    

3. Shave with the grain

Unlike your face, you want to shave with the grain to decrease injuries. Why? Because your scrotum is not your face. You may need to hold the scrotal skin taut one section at a time while you shave. You should not need to go over the same section again. You should make sure you don’t have a ton of hairs stuck in between the blade if that’s the case or switch to a new blade. Take your time with this step.  

4. Finishing Touches 

Once again you should use warm water and a gentle cleanser on the skin. Try not to scrub too hard because this will irritate the skin. Ideally, the skin should be completely dry prior to putting on any clothing. Towel dry works, but some men will opt for a hair dryer using the setting without heat. Since shaving itself will likely cause some irritation or micro-nicks in the scrotal and penile skin, it’s always important to use a gentle moisturizer (Cetaphil or CeraVe) as the final step. 

There you go – a gentle cleanser and moisturizer, a sharp, single-blade razor, and good technique are what you need for the best shave down there. 

-Dr. Patel