The Ed.
Well-Known Member
This story should probably come with some sort of warning. I realise it's not the most glamorous story on Salon Geek but trust me, it's interesting. I'll bet the waxers amongst you had no idea that you were (almost) singlehandedly responsible for the complete destruction of an entire species? What would Greenpeace say? Well, actually, they'd probably applaud you considering we are talking about pubic lice here. Bleurgh.
That's right. Since the J Sisters brough the Brazilian bikini wax to NYC in 1994, more than 80% of US college students are removing some or all of their pubic hair and that includes the guys. With less and less 'natural habitat' for these lice-types to live in, they are literally fighting for their lives.
Bloomberg news have reported that Australia's top sexual heath clinic hasn't seen a woman with pubic lice since 2008 and the UK is showing similar stats. Leading doctors are claiming that for the first time since "the beginning of history" we have rid ourselves of crabby, pubic lice.
Talking to Bloomberg, Ian F. Burgess, Cambridge medical entomologist said, "Pubic grooming has led to a severe depletion of crab louse populations. Add to that other aspects of body hair depilation and you can see an environmental disaster in the making for this species."
Who knew? Great work waxers. Surely this isn't bad news? Let's hope that public lice don't play a major role in the grand scheme of things. It would be enormously ironic if their extinction caused the complete collapse of the eco-system!
Until then...geek on!
The Ed.
That's right. Since the J Sisters brough the Brazilian bikini wax to NYC in 1994, more than 80% of US college students are removing some or all of their pubic hair and that includes the guys. With less and less 'natural habitat' for these lice-types to live in, they are literally fighting for their lives.
Bloomberg news have reported that Australia's top sexual heath clinic hasn't seen a woman with pubic lice since 2008 and the UK is showing similar stats. Leading doctors are claiming that for the first time since "the beginning of history" we have rid ourselves of crabby, pubic lice.
Talking to Bloomberg, Ian F. Burgess, Cambridge medical entomologist said, "Pubic grooming has led to a severe depletion of crab louse populations. Add to that other aspects of body hair depilation and you can see an environmental disaster in the making for this species."
Who knew? Great work waxers. Surely this isn't bad news? Let's hope that public lice don't play a major role in the grand scheme of things. It would be enormously ironic if their extinction caused the complete collapse of the eco-system!
Until then...geek on!
The Ed.
