When it comes to feminine hygiene, education is essential. You most likely learned about your body through different sources, including your mother, close friends, school, and the Internet. However, some feminine hygiene habits were likely never taught to you or may have changed over the years.
Even though it is rarely discussed, it is incredibly important to understand and practice proper feminine hygiene. Ignoring any issues with your genital health might result in a variety of complications in the future.
Poor intimate hygiene may impair your sex drive and cause infertility problems. Furthermore, some infections may develop in your private area and gradually spread throughout your body, posing a serious health risk.
Like some women, you may have a lot of concerns about feminine hygiene and genital protection. While some individuals find it a delicate—and often embarrassing—subject, it is undeniably a delicate area.
Every day, especially on specific days of your cycle, you must follow feminine hygiene tips to maintain a clean and healthy vagina. But you must be careful not to overclean since excessive washing of this region can cause irritation and affect the vaginal pH balance.
Many conditions, such as bacterial infections and reproductive issues, can be avoided by practicing basic feminine hygiene. From pointers from your mom when you had your first menstrual period to recommendations from vaginal health experts, here are some of the ways you can keep your lady parts clean, dry, and happy at all times.
Feminine Hygiene Tips You Should Know
Tip 1: Keep your vagina dry
Your vagina naturally produces fluids to maintain a healthy environment. Excess moisture, however, can lead to bacterial growth and infections down there. Because of this, it’s critical that you take steps to eliminate any excess moisture.
To keep your vagina clean and dry, wear breathable panties made of cotton instead of fabrics that retain moisture like satin or silk. Cotton limits moisture from collecting and promoting bacterial growth. Silk and satin, on the other hand, restrict ventilation and retain moisture, which facilitates yeast and bacterial growth and may lead to infections.
Aside from wearing cotton underwear, make it a habit to immediately change out of sweaty training clothes or wet swimwear to avoid infections.
Tip 2: Wipe from front to back
Always wipe your vaginal area from front to back, never in reverse. Wiping from front to back is one way to minimize the chances of harmful bacteria or fecal matter from the anus entering your vagina through the urethra, the opening where urine exits your body. One of the primary causes of urinary tract infections in women is accidental exposure to fecal matter.
Tip 3: Avoid strong or perfumed soap
The vagina is quite adept at self-cleansing. It maintains a steady pH level to prevent bacterial growth and infections. The use of strong or fragrant soaps and shower gels has an adverse effect on vaginal health. Using soap can change the pH of your vagina and disturb its delicate bacterial balance, resulting in rashes, discomfort, and the growth of harmful bacteria.
Instead of using soap, use clean, warm water or a gentle feminine wash specifically designed for your intimate region.
Tip 4: Don’t douche
The interior of your vagina has a built-in self-cleaning system. It naturally produces fluids that help in the elimination of bacteria and germs from your body, and it does not require washing, scrubbing, or cleaning—so, no douching.
Douching is detrimental to your vagina because it disrupts its normal pH balance, irritates it, and washes away beneficial microorganisms.
Additionally, douching merely hides any foul odor, but it will not resolve the problem. For instance, if your vagina smells “fishy,” you may be suffering from bacterial vaginosis, a common vaginal infection that needs to be treated before it leads to more serious problems.
Instead of douching, just wash the vulva, the external part of your vagina, with clean water.
Tip 5: Regularly change sanitary pads and tampons
Every woman wishes to feel fresh, clean, and comfortable, especially during her time of the month. When you’re on your period, it’s critical that you regularly change your sanitary pad or tampon. Avoid wearing pads or tampons for longer than four hours, particularly on heavy flow days. Leaving sanitary pads on for extended periods can result in rashes, infections, and a foul odor.
You may wear panty liners before or after your period, although they are not recommended for heavy flows. Wearing panty liners every day may also trigger itching, redness, and irritation, as well as increase your risk of getting a yeast infection.
Additionally, avoid using scented products. Chemicals in scented sanitary pads, tampons, and panty liners may irritate the delicate tissues surrounding the vagina. As with any damp and warm environment, fragrances increase the likelihood of bacterial infections. If the top layer of the product is scented and comes into direct contact with the skin, it can cause itching, redness, irritation, and swelling.
Tip 6: Don’t shave your pubic hair
A lot of women prefer to go bare to feel soft and more feminine or because their partner likes it. However, pubic hair is necessary for vaginal health because it protects the vulva from bacteria and other foreign particles that may otherwise enter your body.
Thus, removing pubic hair may increase your susceptibility to common infections such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and vaginitis. Furthermore, razors, wax, and other hair removal products can damage and irritate the skin, making you more prone to skin conditions such as cellulitis and folliculitis.
If you feel you absolutely need to groom yourself down there, it’s better to just trim back pubic hair with scissors than shaving it off entirely.
Final Thoughts
Feminine hygiene is critical for general health and must be incorporated into one’s daily hygiene regimen. It is vital to raise awareness and practice correct feminine hygiene to maintain optimal vaginal hygiene and reduce the risk of bacterial or fungal infections and other complications.
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