Shaving your balls isn’t medically necessary, but it’s not harmful either, as long as you do it carefully. There’s no health reason you need to remove scrotal hair, and there’s no health reason you need to keep it. The decision comes down to personal preference, comfort, and aesthetics. That said, the scrotum is one of the trickiest areas on the body to shave, and doing it wrong can lead to real problems like cuts, ingrown hairs, and skin infections.
Why People Do It
Most men who groom their pubic area do it for comfort, appearance, or both. Removing hair can reduce moisture and odor, especially during hot weather or exercise. Some men find it feels cleaner, and many do it before sex. None of these reasons are more or less valid than another. Hair removal down there is extremely common, and the reasons are practical more often than cosmetic.
The Real Risks of Scrotal Shaving
Scrotal skin is thin, loose, and wrinkled, which makes it far more prone to nicks than a flat surface like your leg or chest. A study of emergency department visits found that razors were responsible for 83% of grooming-related genital injuries, with lacerations being the most common type. The good news: 97% of those injuries were minor enough to be treated and discharged the same day. These aren’t catastrophic events, but they’re painful and avoidable with better technique.
Beyond cuts, the bigger concern is what happens after. Shaving creates tiny breaks in the skin that can lead to folliculitis, which is when hair follicles get infected and form red, itchy, sometimes pus-filled bumps. In more serious cases, bacteria like staph can enter through micro-cuts and cause impetigo or cellulitis. Scrotal skin stays warm and moist, which is exactly the environment bacteria thrive in.
There’s also a link between hair removal and certain skin-to-skin infections. A dermatology case study found that 93% of patients presenting with sexually transmitted molluscum contagiosum used some form of hair removal, with shaving being the most common method at 70%. The theory is straightforward: shaving creates micro-trauma that makes it easier for viruses like molluscum and HPV (which causes genital warts) to take hold and spread across the skin through self-inoculation. This doesn’t mean shaving will give you an STI, but it may lower your skin’s natural defenses against ones you’re exposed to.
One Genuine Benefit: Fewer Pubic Lice
Pubic lice need hair to survive, and widespread grooming has contributed to a real decline in infestations over the past two decades. A study tracking cases in Milan found that the vast majority of women diagnosed with pubic lice (92%) still had their pubic hair intact. If you remove the habitat, the parasite can’t establish itself. That said, pubic lice are relatively uncommon now regardless of grooming habits, so this is a minor perk rather than a compelling reason to shave.
How to Shave Safely
If you decide to shave, technique matters more here than almost anywhere else on the body. The loose, uneven skin of the scrotum demands extra care.
Start by trimming long hair down with an electric trimmer or scissors before bringing a razor anywhere near the area. Trying to shave through long hair is how most nicks happen. Then take a warm shower to soften the skin and hair. Apply a shaving gel or cream to reduce friction. Use a fresh, sharp razor every time. Dull blades drag against the skin and dramatically increase the chance of ingrown hairs and irritation.
When you shave, pull the skin taut with one hand so you’re working on a flatter surface. Glide the razor in the direction the hair grows, not against it. Shaving against the grain gives a closer cut but pushes the hair below the skin surface, which is exactly how ingrown hairs form. Don’t press the razor down. Let the blade do the work.
Rinse with cool water when you’re done to close the pores.
What to Put on Your Skin After
Aftercare prevents most of the irritation people associate with scrotal shaving. Apply a lightweight, fragrance-free moisturizer right after you finish. Glycerin-based products are well tolerated and help restore the skin’s barrier. Look for simple formulas without alcohol, which dries and stings freshly shaved skin.
Avoid anything with fragrance or parfum, which is the number one cause of contact allergies in skincare products. Sensitive skin is especially reactive to fragrance after shaving, when the barrier is compromised. Witch hazel and chamomile are found in many post-shave balms and are generally soothing, but both can trigger reactions in some people, so patch test if you’ve never used them before.
For the first day or two after shaving, wear breathable cotton underwear. Tight synthetic fabrics trap heat and moisture against freshly shaved skin, creating ideal conditions for bacterial growth and irritation.
Alternatives to a Full Shave
You don’t have to choose between a bare shave and doing nothing. Trimming with an electric body groomer set to a short guard gives a neat, clean look without the razor risks. There’s no blade-to-skin contact, so you avoid cuts, ingrown hairs, and the micro-trauma that can invite infections. Most men who groom regularly find trimming strikes the best balance between appearance and skin health.
Waxing and laser hair removal are other options, though both come with their own tradeoffs. Waxing is painful on scrotal skin and still creates the micro-trauma associated with folliculitis and infection risk. Laser removal is more permanent but requires multiple sessions and works best on dark hair against lighter skin. Notably, laser was the one hair removal method not associated with increased STI risk in the molluscum study, likely because it doesn’t create surface-level skin damage the way shaving and waxing do.