I was writing a blog regarding double-ringing (wearing a cock ring and a ball weight at the same time) about a week ago. One tip I shared was regarding trimming pubic hair (manscaping) to avoid pulling hair when wearing multiple rings. Then it struck me, "Why do we have pubic hair? What's the point?"
I should share that I am a manscaper (so I'm biased). I've tried shaving but hated the burn when it grows back. (Plus I like looking like a grown-up.) I don't have the guts for waxing (and it still grows back). So I regularly trim with clippers. It keeps the hair short enough to avoid getting caught in my gear essentials'gear, doesn't hurt when it grows (or cause ingrown hairs) and bonus: it makes my dick look bigger!
So I did some research.
I discovered that humans have as many hair follicles as apes do. Although their hair is thick and ours is fine (or even barely visible). However, pubic hair as well as the hair beneath our arms is more course and pronounced.
Cushion & Protection
Emily Gibson wrote in The Guardian, that there is a purpose for pubic hair: It provides a cushion "against friction that can cause skin abrasion and injury, protection from bacteria and other unwanted pathogens, and is the visible result of long-awaited adolescent hormones, certainly nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about." (We'll be reading more about this.)
Finding Our Optimum Procreating Partner
Christophe Soligo from University College London also weighs in. He states that pubic hair (as well as armpit hair) is distributed along with a type of sweat gland known as apocrine glands. These glands are in addition to the eccrine glands which are spread through the human body. This is how we keep our bodies cool. Soligo adds that "the secretion from apocrine glands also contains small parts of cellular material. The cellular material gets broken down by bacteria and that’s what creates to a large extent our personal body odour. So the secretion from sweat glands together with the location and the hair creates a nice damp substrate for growth for bacteria."
But there's more. According to Soligo there is "Some research that’s been done where men were made to wear the same t-shirt for several nights running, and women were made to smell the t-shirts after and to rank them according to how attractive they found the smell."
What is amazing is that the women tested were "able to detect genetic differences in the men, specifically in a genetic complex we call the Major Histocompatability Complex (MHC). What’s interesting there is that women were actually going for the men whose MHC composition was the most different to their own. That makes sense in the context of fighting disease because if you have offspring with a very variable MHC it increases their ability to fight off disease."
So pubic hair and sweat glands create the body aroma that attracts the best mate for optimum genetics for your offspring?
Pheromones
The courser hair under our arms and surrounding our genitals release scents containing pheromones (part of the glands discussed above) that probably act as erotic stimulants.
The scent of these lovely pheromones lingers in the pubes when the apocrine glands release their secretion on the surface of the skin and mingles with bacteria decomposed by the secretions of the sebaceous glands. The aroma created by this blend is unique to each of us (see MHC above). For some people, scents from these areas are noticeable and consciously increase sexual arousal. For others, pheromones might not be obvious but may be detected subconsciously.
Warmth
Some speculate that pubes were meant to keep us warm back in the Stone Age. However, if this was the case men would have more hair on their shafts (some do) and a thick pelt on their nads. (Maybe that's why togas and kilts were workable in cold weather!)
Filter for the Vagina?
Could pubes on women act like nose hair (cilia) for the vagina? Did it prevent dirt from entering the secret garden? If so, why don't men have cilia-like hair around their urethra? Or perhaps it was there thousands of years ago and during the process of evolution it left the picture?
Pubes can be prettified
In the past two decades, pubic hair has become a form of personal expression. We manscape, cut, trim and shave so it the patch above and around are genitals looks sexier. I'm a believer. As mentioned above, short pubes can make your cock look longer. (And when is that a bad thing?)
Should We Shave?
Emily Gibson wrote in The Guardian, "Stop shaving and leave it alone!" According to Gibson, when we shave pubic hair it removes a cushion against friction and the act of shaving leaves "microscopic open wounds and exposes you to infections."
Shaving and waxing saw a resurgence as a result of micro bikinis and thongs for women. This 'clean and mean' expression soon crossed the gender gap.
But Gibson strongly advises against shaving your pubes: "Long ago, surgeons figured out that shaving a body part prior to surgery actually increased, rather than decreased, surgical site infections. No matter what expensive and complex weapons are used – razor blades, electric shavers, tweezers, waxing, depilatories, electrolysis – hair, like crab grass, always grows back and eventually wins. In the meantime, the skin suffers the effects of the scorched battlefield."
This scorched battlefield approach irritates and inflames the hair follicles and leaves wounds behind. This isn't necessarily bad on an openly exposed area like your face (or legs) but when it's done in "the warm moist environment of the genitals, it becomes a happy culture medium for some of the nastiest of bacterial pathogens, namely Group A Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus and its recently mutated cousin methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). There is an increase in staph boils and abscesses, necessitating incisions to drain the infection, resulting in scarring that can be significant. It is not at all unusual to find pustules and other hair-follicle inflammation papules on shaved genitals."
Any way you cut it, this could be an ugly deal. But amazingly, it can get worse.
Gibson adds, "I've seen cellulitis (soft-tissue bacterial infection without abscess) of the scrotum, labia and penis as a result of spread of bacteria from shaving or from sexual contact with strep or staph bacteria from a partner's skin. Some clinicians are finding that freshly shaved pubic areas and genitals are also more vulnerable to herpes infections due to the microscopic wounds being exposed to viruses carried by mouth or genitals. It follows that there may be vulnerability to spread of other STIs as well."
I guess I'll stick to my clippers thank-you-very-much!
gear essentials…Sex is Better (and safer) here! ENJOY!
(Photos submitted by customers.)
Comments
4 comments
Just Me
Thank you, Dr. Jay. I now feel vindicated to continue my morning shaving shower routine. (Wasn’t going to stop any way, but your validation is appreciated.)
Jay
Just Me: If you’ve been doing it for 2 years with no problems, I think I would just keep doing it. It’s a lot easier to shave your shaft and balls (in the shower) than to use a clippers (balls get all crinkly so they are hard to shave outside of the shower). I suspect the danger is more present on the pubes themselves. (And who doesn’t love the silky-smooth taste and feel of freshly shaved balls?!)
Just Me
Well, this post did not just make my day. I have shaved my testicles and shaft for a year or two now. Have only had one very tiny nick during that time. Sigh! I had never heard of any dangers or disclaimers or reasons not to do this. Sigh! I have no desire to stop . . . I guess I need to research more.
John
I am a manscaper. I have shaved my balls since age 16 when a 23 year old friend first did it for me after I remarked on the smoothness and accessibility of his scrotum. I spread my legs, trusted him and never looked back. It’s an amazing feeling. The long pubic hair was the next to go. Today I wear a neat patch of short pubic hair to look like a man, yet neat and yeah, it emphasizes my junk very well. My partner has all of his body hair concentrated in his pits and around his junk and would look like Chewbacca in those areas without some trimming. He also gets the neat patch treatment with shaved balls. By decreasing the amount of hair, our Gear Essentials jewelry stands out along with our equipment and a shaved sack is an open invitation to much better oral services which feel a lot better to the recipient.
I shaved once. Only once. Not for me but some guys look great that way. It’s just not for me. I like some man fur but just a little and I think the careful trimming and sculpting shows I care about my appearance in situations where I am naked with other guys. Being groomed by one’s partner is also seriously hot foreplay. Being able to trust and say, “Do what you want with it” is also an excellent intimate trust builder. It grows back, so no worries. Have some fun and experiment.
This website contains sexually explicit material which may be offensive to some viewers. Please enter your date of birth below as well as read and agree to the following terms and conditions.
OVERVIEW
This website is operated by Gear Essentials. Throughout the site, the terms “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Gear Essentials. Gear Essentials offers this website, including all information, tools and services available from this site to you, the user, conditioned upon your acceptance of all terms, conditions, policies and notices stated here.
By visiting our site and/ or purchasing something from us, you engage in our “Service” and agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions (“Terms of Service”, “Terms”), including those additional terms and conditions and policies referenced herein and/or available by hyperlink. These Terms of Service apply to all users of the site, including without limitation users who are browsers, vendors, customers, merchants, and/ or contributors of content.
Please read these Terms of Service carefully before accessing or using our website. By accessing or using any part of the site, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the website or use any services. If these Terms of Service are considered an offer, acceptance is expressly limited to these Terms of Service.
Any new features or tools which are added to the current store shall also be subject to the Terms of Service. You can review the most current version of the Terms of Service at any time on this page. We reserve the right to update, change or replace any part of these Terms of Service by posting updates and/or changes to our website. It is your responsibility to check this page periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to the website following the posting of any changes constitutes acceptance of those changes.
Our store is hosted on Shopify Inc. They provide us with the online e-commerce platform that allows us to sell our products and services to you.
SECTION 1 - ONLINE STORE TERMS
By agreeing to these Terms of Service, you represent that you are at 18 years of age in your state or province of residence.
You may not use our products for any illegal or unauthorized purpose nor may you, in the use of the Service, violate any laws in your jurisdiction (including but not limited to copyright laws).
You must not transmit any worms or viruses or any code of a destructive nature.
A breach or violation of any of the Terms will result in an immediate termination of your Services.
SECTION 2 - GENERAL CONDITIONS
We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time.
You understand that your content (not including credit card information), may be transferred unencrypted and involve (a) transmissions over various networks; and (b) changes to conform and adapt to technical requirements of connecting networks or devices. Credit card information is always encrypted during transfer over networks.
You agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell or exploit any portion of the Service, use of the Service, or access to the Service or any contact on the website through which the service is provided, without express written permission by us.
The headings used in this agreement are included for convenience only and will not limit or otherwise affect these Terms.
SECTION 3 - ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS AND TIMELINESS OF INFORMATION
We are not responsible if information made available on this site is not accurate, complete or current. The material on this site is provided for general information only and should not be relied upon or used as the sole basis for making decisions without consulting primary, more accurate, more complete or more timely sources of information. Any reliance on the material on this site is at your own risk.
This site may contain certain historical information. Historical information, necessarily, is not current and is provided for your reference only. We reserve the right to modify the contents of this site at any time, but we have no obligation to update any information on our site. You agree that it is your responsibility to monitor changes to our site.
SECTION 4 - MODIFICATIONS TO THE SERVICE AND PRICES
Prices for our products are subject to change without notice.
We reserve the right at any time to modify or discontinue the Service (or any part or content thereof) without notice at any time.
We shall not be liable to you or to any third-party for any modification, price change, suspension or discontinuance of the Service.
SECTION 5 - PRODUCTS OR SERVICES (if applicable)
Certain products or services may be available exclusively online through the website. These products or services may have limited quantities and are subject to return or exchange only according to our Return Policy.
We have made every effort to display as accurately as possible the colors and images of our products that appear at the store. We cannot guarantee that your computer monitor's display of any color will be accurate.
We reserve the right, but are not obligated, to limit the sales of our products or Services to any person, geographic region or jurisdiction. We may exercise this right on a case-by-case basis. We reserve the right to limit the quantities of any products or services that we offer. All descriptions of products or product pricing are subject to change at anytime without notice, at the sole discretion of us. We reserve the right to discontinue any product at any time. Any offer for any product or service made on this site is void where prohibited.
We do not warrant that the quality of any products, services, information, or other material purchased or obtained by you will meet your expectations, or that any errors in the Service will be corrected.
SECTION 6 - ACCURACY OF BILLING AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION
We reserve the right to refuse any order you place with us. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household or per order. These restrictions may include orders placed by or under the same customer account, the same credit card, and/or orders that use the same billing and/or shipping address. In the event that we make a change to or cancel an order, we may attempt to notify you by contacting the e-mail and/or billing address/phone number provided at the time the order was made. We reserve the right to limit or prohibit orders that, in our sole judgment, appear to be placed by dealers, resellers or distributors.
You agree to provide current, complete and accurate purchase and account information for all purchases made at our store. You agree to promptly update your account and other information, including your email address and credit card numbers and expiration dates, so that we can complete your transactions and contact you as needed.
For more detail, please review our Returns Policy.
SECTION 7 - OPTIONAL TOOLS
We may provide you with access to third-party tools over which we neither monitor nor have any control nor input.
You acknowledge and agree that we provide access to such tools ”as is” and “as available” without any warranties, representations or conditions of any kind and without any endorsement. We shall have no liability whatsoever arising from or relating to your use of optional third-party tools.
Any use by you of optional tools offered through the site is entirely at your own risk and discretion and you should ensure that you are familiar with and approve of the terms on which tools are provided by the relevant third-party provider(s).
We may also, in the future, offer new services and/or features through the website (including, the release of new tools and resources). Such new features and/or services shall also be subject to these Terms of Service.
SECTION 8 - THIRD-PARTY LINKS
Certain content, products and services available via our Service may include materials from third-parties.
Third-party links on this site may direct you to third-party websites that are not affiliated with us. We are not responsible for examining or evaluating the content or accuracy and we do not warrant and will not have any liability or responsibility for any third-party materials or websites, or for any other materials, products, or services of third-parties.
We are not liable for any harm or damages related to the purchase or use of goods, services, resources, content, or any other transactions made in connection with any third-party websites. Please review carefully the third-party's policies and practices and make sure you understand them before you engage in any transaction. Complaints, claims, concerns, or questions regarding third-party products should be directed to the third-party.
SECTION 9 - USER COMMENTS, FEEDBACK AND OTHER SUBMISSIONS
If, at our request, you send certain specific submissions (for example contest entries) or without a request from us you send creative ideas, suggestions, proposals, plans, or other materials, whether online, by email, by postal mail, or otherwise (collectively, 'comments'), you agree that we may, at any time, without restriction, edit, copy, publish, distribute, translate and otherwise use in any medium any comments that you forward to us. We are and shall be under no obligation (1) to maintain any comments in confidence; (2) to pay compensation for any comments; or (3) to respond to any comments.
We may, but have no obligation to, monitor, edit or remove content that we determine in our sole discretion are unlawful, offensive, threatening, libelous, defamatory, pornographic, obscene or otherwise objectionable or violates any party’s intellectual property or these Terms of Service.
You agree that your comments will not violate any right of any third-party, including copyright, trademark, privacy, personality or other personal or proprietary right. You further agree that your comments will not contain libelous or otherwise unlawful, abusive or obscene material, or contain any computer virus or other malware that could in any way affect the operation of the Service or any related website. You may not use a false e-mail address, pretend to be someone other than yourself, or otherwise mislead us or third-parties as to the origin of any comments. You are solely responsible for any comments you make and their accuracy. We take no responsibility and assume no liability for any comments posted by you or any third-party.
SECTION 10 - PERSONAL INFORMATION
Your submission of personal information through the store is governed by our Privacy Policy. To view our Privacy Policy.
SECTION 11 - ERRORS, INACCURACIES AND OMISSIONS
Occasionally there may be information on our site or in the Service that contains typographical errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may relate to product descriptions, pricing, promotions, offers, product shipping charges, transit times and availability. We reserve the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions, and to change or update information or cancel orders if any information in the Service or on any related website is inaccurate at any time without prior notice (including after you have submitted your order).
We undertake no obligation to update, amend or clarify information in the Service or on any related website, including without limitation, pricing information, except as required by law. No specified update or refresh date applied in the Service or on any related website, should be taken to indicate that all information in the Service or on any related website has been modified or updated.
SECTION 12 - PROHIBITED USES
In addition to other prohibitions as set forth in the Terms of Service, you are prohibited from using the site or its content: (a) for any unlawful purpose; (b) to solicit others to perform or participate in any unlawful acts; (c) to violate any international, federal, provincial or state regulations, rules, laws, or local ordinances; (d) to infringe upon or violate our intellectual property rights or the intellectual property rights of others; (e) to harass, abuse, insult, harm, defame, slander, disparage, intimidate, or discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, race, age, national origin, or disability; (f) to submit false or misleading information; (g) to upload or transmit viruses or any other type of malicious code that will or may be used in any way that will affect the functionality or operation of the Service or of any related website, other websites, or the Internet; (h) to collect or track the personal information of others; (i) to spam, phish, pharm, pretext, spider, crawl, or scrape; (j) for any obscene or immoral purpose; or (k) to interfere with or circumvent the security features of the Service or any related website, other websites, or the Internet. We reserve the right to terminate your use of the Service or any related website for violating any of the prohibited uses.
SECTION 13 - DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
We do not guarantee, represent or warrant that your use of our service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free.
We do not warrant that the results that may be obtained from the use of the service will be accurate or reliable.
You agree that from time to time we may remove the service for indefinite periods of time or cancel the service at any time, without notice to you.
You expressly agree that your use of, or inability to use, the service is at your sole risk. The service and all products and services delivered to you through the service are (except as expressly stated by us) provided 'as is' and 'as available' for your use, without any representation, warranties or conditions of any kind, either express or implied, including all implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, merchantable quality, fitness for a particular purpose, durability, title, and non-infringement.
In no case shall Gear Essentials, our directors, officers, employees, affiliates, agents, contractors, interns, suppliers, service providers or licensors be liable for any injury, loss, claim, or any direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, special, or consequential damages of any kind, including, without limitation lost profits, lost revenue, lost savings, loss of data, replacement costs, or any similar damages, whether based in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability or otherwise, arising from your use of any of the service or any products procured using the service, or for any other claim related in any way to your use of the service or any product, including, but not limited to, any errors or omissions in any content, or any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of the service or any content (or product) posted, transmitted, or otherwise made available via the service, even if advised of their possibility. Because some states or jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or the limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, in such states or jurisdictions, our liability shall be limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.
SECTION 14 - INDEMNIFICATION
You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Gear Essentials and our parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, officers, directors, agents, contractors, licensors, service providers, subcontractors, suppliers, interns and employees, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, made by any third-party due to or arising out of your breach of these Terms of Service or the documents they incorporate by reference, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third-party.
SECTION 15 - SEVERABILITY
In the event that any provision of these Terms of Service is determined to be unlawful, void or unenforceable, such provision shall nonetheless be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and the unenforceable portion shall be deemed to be severed from these Terms of Service, such determination shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any other remaining provisions.
SECTION 16 - TERMINATION
The obligations and liabilities of the parties incurred prior to the termination date shall survive the termination of this agreement for all purposes.
These Terms of Service are effective unless and until terminated by either you or us. You may terminate these Terms of Service at any time by notifying us that you no longer wish to use our Services, or when you cease using our site.
If in our sole judgment you fail, or we suspect that you have failed, to comply with any term or provision of these Terms of Service, we also may terminate this agreement at any time without notice and you will remain liable for all amounts due up to and including the date of termination; and/or accordingly may deny you access to our Services (or any part thereof).
SECTION 17 - ENTIRE AGREEMENT
The failure of us to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
These Terms of Service and any policies or operating rules posted by us on this site or in respect to The Service constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between you and us and govern your use of the Service, superseding any prior or contemporaneous agreements, communications and proposals, whether oral or written, between you and us (including, but not limited to, any prior versions of the Terms of Service).
Any ambiguities in the interpretation of these Terms of Service shall not be construed against the drafting party.
SECTION 18 - GOVERNING LAW
These Terms of Service and any separate agreements whereby we provide you Services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of .
SECTION 19 - CHANGES TO TERMS OF SERVICE
You can review the most current version of the Terms of Service at any time at this page.
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to update, change or replace any part of these Terms of Service by posting updates and changes to our website. It is your responsibility to check our website periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to our website or the Service following the posting of any changes to these Terms of Service constitutes acceptance of those changes.
SECTION 20 - CONTACT INFORMATION
Questions about the Terms of Service should be sent to us at dwight@gearessentials.com
Comments
4 comments
Just Me
Thank you, Dr. Jay. I now feel vindicated to continue my morning shaving shower routine. (Wasn’t going to stop any way, but your validation is appreciated.)
Jay
Just Me: If you’ve been doing it for 2 years with no problems, I think I would just keep doing it. It’s a lot easier to shave your shaft and balls (in the shower) than to use a clippers (balls get all crinkly so they are hard to shave outside of the shower). I suspect the danger is more present on the pubes themselves. (And who doesn’t love the silky-smooth taste and feel of freshly shaved balls?!)
Just Me
Well, this post did not just make my day. I have shaved my testicles and shaft for a year or two now. Have only had one very tiny nick during that time. Sigh! I had never heard of any dangers or disclaimers or reasons not to do this. Sigh! I have no desire to stop . . . I guess I need to research more.
John
I am a manscaper. I have shaved my balls since age 16 when a 23 year old friend first did it for me after I remarked on the smoothness and accessibility of his scrotum. I spread my legs, trusted him and never looked back. It’s an amazing feeling. The long pubic hair was the next to go. Today I wear a neat patch of short pubic hair to look like a man, yet neat and yeah, it emphasizes my junk very well. My partner has all of his body hair concentrated in his pits and around his junk and would look like Chewbacca in those areas without some trimming. He also gets the neat patch treatment with shaved balls. By decreasing the amount of hair, our Gear Essentials jewelry stands out along with our equipment and a shaved sack is an open invitation to much better oral services which feel a lot better to the recipient.
I shaved once. Only once. Not for me but some guys look great that way. It’s just not for me. I like some man fur but just a little and I think the careful trimming and sculpting shows I care about my appearance in situations where I am naked with other guys. Being groomed by one’s partner is also seriously hot foreplay. Being able to trust and say, “Do what you want with it” is also an excellent intimate trust builder. It grows back, so no worries. Have some fun and experiment.