XPost: ucb.politics.progressive, chi.general, alt.hollywood   
   XPost: ca.politics   
   From: faggotry@nytimes.com   
      
   Doctors say small tears in the skin from shaving or trimming   
   could make it easier for infections to take hold.   
      
   But they also say groomers - particularly extreme ones - tend to   
   be more sexually active too.   
      
   STIs are passed on through unprotected sex or genital contact.   
      
   The findings come from a survey of more than 7,500 American   
   adults, published in Sexually Transmitted Infections - a   
   specialist BMJ journal.   
      
   The report, led by doctors from the University of California,   
   San Francisco, said the two most likely explanations for the   
   link between grooming and STIs were micro-tears in the skin,   
   which increased the risk of viral STIs, and groomers being more   
   likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour with more sexual   
   partners.   
      
   Extreme cut   
   An electric razor was the most common tool used for pubic   
   grooming among men, while a manual razor was more common among   
   women.   
   About one in five men and women used scissors.   
      
   The researchers said it was unlikely that sharing grooming tools   
   was an issue, because traces of the most common STIs had not   
   been found on objects before.   
      
   But they did say doctors should advise groomers to cut back a   
   little on their grooming or put off having sex until the skin   
   had healed completely.   
      
   Almost three-quarters of respondents said they had groomed their   
   pubic hair before, with 84% of women and 66% of men saying they   
   had trimmed, shaved or waxed in the past.   
      
   Among the groomers, 17% described themselves as "extreme" -   
   removing all hair at least once a month - and 22% as "high   
   frequency" - trimming daily or weekly.   
      
   Lice protection   
   In the survey, any type of grooming was linked to an increased   
   risk of having a sexually transmitted infection. And the more   
   frequent and extreme the grooming, the greater the risk.   
      
   Those with the most extreme habits were three to four times more   
   likely to contract an STI, particularly infections from skin to   
   skin contact such as herpes and HPV (human papillomavirus).   
      
   But there was good news for groomers too - because their habit   
   was found to protect against pubic lice.   
      
   The report said: "If grooming is found to protect against lice,   
   individuals at risk for pubic lice could be counselled to remove   
   their pubic hair."   
      
   What are STIs?   
   Examples are gonnorhea, herpes, syphilis and genital warts   
   The most common STI is chlamydia, which is easily passed on   
   during sex   
   Young heterosexuals under 25 and men who have sex with men are   
   most affected by STIs   
   Most sexually transmitted infections can be treated, and it is   
   best if treatment starts as soon as possible   
      
   How to reduce the risk?   
   Use condoms regularly and correctly   
   Get tested at a sexual health clinic, a genitourinary medicine   
   (GUM) clinic or at your GP surgery   
   Tell your partner if you have an STI, to avoid spread of   
   infection   
   For more advice, see the sexual health charity FPA's website   
      
   http://www.bbc.com/news/health-38207594   
         
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)