Distribution and Density of Pubic Hair of the Korean Adult Female

Hong, Wang Kwang; Kim, Tae Mo; Yang, Wan Suk

Abstract

'Pubic atrichosis or hypotrichosis' is defined as the agenesis or the insufficient amount of pubic hair nevertheless the presence of other secondary sexual characteristics are normal. Such females may suffer from low self-esteem and psychological problem in addition to the aesthetic problem. In past, the treatment of atrichosis or hypotrichosis was done mainly with such medical therapeutics as hormonal drug therapy, but treatment tends toward the single hair transplantation in these days. Therefore, the importance of preoperative design have been emphasized to obtain more natural appearances and satisfactory results. We have studied for the pattern, hair line, distribution, density, direction, and angle to skin surface of pubic hair in 50 adult females. In pattern of pubic hair, the most common type was the horizontal type(64%) and the acuminate, the dispersed, the few type followed in order. But, the sagittal type was not observed. In the horizontal type, the upper border of line of pubic hair was located at 3/6-4/6(53%) or 4/6-5/6(47%) point of the distance from junctional point of both inguinal ligaments to the horizontal line passing both anterior superior iliac spines. In the acuminate type, most of them(75%) were located at 4/6-5/6 point of the distance from junctional point of both inguinal ligaments. In the horizontal and the acuminate type, the most lateral points of pubic hair were located, between right and left symmetrically, at 2/6-3/6 point of distance between both anterior superior iliac spines. The density of pubic hair at mons pubis, superior and lateral region of labium major didn't have no statistical difference and the central region had higher density than peripheral region. The direction of pubic hair was equal to Langer's line, angle of hair shaft to skin surface was about 60 degrees at central region and it was more acute angle at the peripheral region. In transplantation of pubic hair, it is important to know anatomical shape of pubic hair in normal adult female. If a surgeon considers the pattern, hair line, distribution, density, direction, and angle of hair shaft to skin in preoperative design and hair transplantation, one can obtain more natural-appearing and satisfactory results.