When I began working in the Department of Applied Health Science at IU SPH-B, I joined a team of researchers, led by Dr. Eric Walsh-Buhi, who were interested in understanding pubic hair removal and its implications for health intervention efforts. In an ongoing, NIH-funded, mixed-methods study (#5R03HD104841-02) our team explores practices and experiences of pubic hair removal specialists (e.g., estheticians), specifically client-led or esthetician-led conversations about health concerns during hair removal sessions.

As part of this project, we have collected data from two samples of “clients” — a large national sample of U.S. adults (ages 18-80) and a sample of college students at a large Midwestern university — to understand their current pubic hair removal habits, esthetician visits, and openness to receive health information from an esthetician. We have also recruited estheticians in 11 metropolitan areas across the U.S. to learn more about the kinds of conversations that take place during waxing sessions and how the unique esthetician-client relationship could be leveraged to improve client health. Our next steps involve qualitative research to gain a better idea of what these interventions may look like and how to overcome barriers (e.g., lack of training).

Please reach out to me or Eric (erwals@iu.edu) with any questions about this study.