A new study in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections found that regular pubic hair removal is linked with an increased risk for herpes, syphilis and HPV. According to the research, people who “mow their lawns” at least once in their lifetimes are nearly twice as likely to have an STD. And “extreme groomers,” or those who shave it all off more than 11 times a year, were more than four times as likely to have had an infection.

“We were surprised at how big the effect was,” says urologist and lead researcher of the study. “Right now, we have no way knowing if grooming causes the increase in risk for infections. All we can say is that they’re correlated.” The study surveyed about 7,500 men and women between ages 18 and 65 about their grooming habits. About two-thirds of men had manscaped and more than 80 percent of women shaved their pussies. Researchers aren’t sure what the connection is at this point, but they said it makes sense that shaving and waxing could make you more vulnerable to infections due to “microtears and cuts” that might be unhealed during sex, making it easier for viruses and bacteria to enter the skin. As one researcher says, “Pubic hair is there for a reason.”

Want to take a romp through NiteFlirt’s pleasure garden? We’re all about keeping it “natural” here!

Check out more about how going bald down there may increase the risk of the STDs: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/12/06/504540192/going-bare-down-there-can-boost-the-risk-of-stds