Last updated on September 15, 2020
Question:
I’m 20. I’ve been seeing changes in my pubic hair (chest, chin, and crotch area). But I’m experiencing a lot of itching and acne from time to time, especially on the chest and crotch. Is that normal during puberty?
Answer:
Body hair continues to develop and change all through life. Men typically continue to develop facial hair, chest hair, and even back hair during adulthood. Pubic hair, however, typically doesn’t change much except for a blurring of the borders because of the continued development of body hair. What kind of changes are you seeing?
You can have acne anywhere on the body, but when someone says “a lot of itching” it is likely that you’ve gotten a fungal infection. This can look a lot like acne, but it is itchy. Find yourself some anti-fungal spray or cream, one that says it is for jock itch, and use it according to the label directions for several days. If you see a noticeable improvement, follow the directions to finish killing off the infection. While not as common, you could have spread the infection from your groin to your chest from scratching. You can try spraying that area as well to see if it improves things or not.
A fungus is a plant and it thrives in warm moist areas, which is why men get it in the groin so often. One way to help break the cycle is to make sure your skin gets dry at least part of each day. When you get out of the shower, dry off, but don’t immediately get dress until you have a chance to air dry a bit longer. Also at night, don’t wear the same underwear you wore during the day. Get either some loose shorts or pajamas to wear at night without underwear underneath or sleep naked at least during the warm season.