INTRODUCTION
Practicing hygiene for you lower female parts is very important and can have many overall health affects if not done with a few of these rules in mind.Well, here’s some good news to get out of the way before we get started: vaginas are self-cleaning! Unfortunately a lot big companies with big ad budgets want to make you feel bad for many different reasons so they can guilt you into buying their products. Not only are these tactics completely shameless, the products they are selling can actually have negative side effects. So, other than avoiding stupid products, how do you keep everything down there as healthy as possible? Here are the big mistakes to avoid…
Wipe Front To Back
Always wipe from the front to the back after using the bathroom. Do not try to reach from behind because germs from the rectum can be transferred to the hand and tissue. After bowel movements, clean the area around the anus gently, wiping from front to back.Via: Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections in Women
Using Scented Soap
Typically, the vagina has a pH level of about 3.5 to 4.5 (pH is measured on a scale of zero to 14). When you use hygiene products like body wash, which have generally have a pH of about eight, this can throw your pH balance out of whack, leading to itchiness, irritation, and odor.
“Unscented soaps are always better because they don’t have [fragrances] that could be irritants”.
What’s more, bar soap is generally a better choice than body wash because it usually doesn’t have as high of an alcohol content or as much of a scentVia: womenshealthmag.com
Douching
Don’t douche.Your vagina doesn’t require cleansing other than normal bathing. Repetitive douching disrupts the normal organisms that reside in the vagina and can actually increase your risk of vaginal infection. Douching won’t clear up a vaginal infection.Via: Mayo Clinic
Not Swapping Condoms
Having penetrative sex can bring bacteria and viruses from the outside world and from your partner’s body inside you. Barrier protection like condoms protects you from these sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV, and can even help against infections that are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact (such as genital herpes and genital warts).But it’s also absolutely critical to change condoms if you’re switching between vaginal and anal play — remember that you want to make sure that the bacteria living and loving in your butt don’t get into your vagina.Via: Bustle
Un-Balanced Diet
You may not realize it, but a balanced, nutritious diet and drinking plenty of fluids are key to vaginal and reproductive health.In fact, certain foods may be effective in treating vaginal health problems. Cranberry juice and yogurt can potentially help prevent yeast infections and aid in their treatment.Via: Every Day Health
Thong Underwear
That thin strip of fabric may save you from the dreaded visible panty lines, but it also serves as a superhighway for microbes.When the underwear hits your perineum (the patch of skin between the vagina and the anus), bacteria hitch a ride straight to your vagina. “A thong is actually a connector,” says Adelaide Nardone, MD, an OB-GYN in Providence, Rhode Island. As you move, the fabric shifts and before you can say “Monistat,” you’ve got a yeast infection.To make matters worse, thongs tend to rub, causing tiny tears in the delicate skin around your vulva and clitoris, creating access for microbes.Via: Women’s Health
Not Changing Tampons and Pads Often Enough
Even with a light flow, you should change that [tampons or pads] every four to eight hours. That’s because a moist tampon makes a warm, cozy home for bacteria. And the longer it’s in there, the greater your risk of TSS.When changing pads or tampons, wash your hands before and after.Also- change your tampon after you poop. If that string picks up any bacteria on the backend, it could easily infect the urethra.
