Women who adhere to healthy intimate hygiene practices (such as showering regularly, wearing cotton underwear and pants that breath easily, changing tampons regularly and replacing sanitary towels on schedule), tend to experience fewer menstrual symptoms. On the contrary, douching can disturb vaginal microbiomes and lead to infections.
Personal hygiene should include taking proper care in tending to the vulva, including using products without harsh soaps and shower gels that could irritate sensitive areas and alter pH levels. Here are a few more tips:
1. Don’t Wash Your Vagina
Walking down the feminine hygiene aisle may appear overwhelming with products touting pink packaging and floral scents – all seemingly needed and useful – yet these unnecessary products often do more damage than good.
Use of soap and shower gel can alter the normal pH balance in the vagina, leading to infections. Douching or other vaginal steaming practices may alter this natural microbiome and cause irritations as well.
Opting for fragrance-free liquid wash and soft washcloth are ideal to keeping the vulva healthy. Be sure to wipe from front to back when wiping; change tampons/period underwear regularly, as well as urinate after sexual activity and change out of wet clothing immediately; otherwise trapped moisture could provide an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.
2. Don’t Wipe Back to Front
If you are female at birth or identify as such, it is recommended to wipe from back to front after having a bowel movement in order to protect yourself against bacteria from your vulva entering your urethra and potentially leading to infections.
Also, proper handwashing can help prevent the development of bacterial vaginosis (BV). If you don’t have access to toilet paper, try using wet wipes with no perfumes or chemicals in them instead.
Consistent visits to your healthcare provider for regular wellness exams and pap smears is also essential to early detection of breast cancer or other health concerns, such as menopause. Women should ensure they wear loose-fitting cotton underwear that fits well, changing it as necessary.
3. Don’t Douch Your Vagina
Douching involves injecting liquid into your vulva and can be extremely harmful, leading to irritation, the removal of healthy bacteria and disrupting your body’s pH balance.
Douching can also push pathogens such as bacteria and yeast upwards into your uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries – increasing your chance of bacterial vaginosis or sexually transmitted infections.
Vaginal microbiomes contain various bacteria, fungi and yeast which may produce various scents throughout your day. If your vagina is suddenly emitting unpleasant odors for no discernible reason, this is a sure sign of infection or other health concerns and you should contact your healthcare provider.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Use Tampons
Tampons provide a comfortable and straightforward method for managing periods. Their absorbency helps absorb menstrual blood and comes in various sizes and absorbencies that will suit you – not forgetting they can even be discreet (without leaving you exposed while swimming in your swimwear!).
Tampon use does increase your risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome, an uncommon but potentially life-threatening condition. But you can lower this risk by selecting the smallest size for your flow and changing it every four to eight hours.
If you’re having difficulty inserting a tampon, try relaxing your muscles and changing the angle at which you hold it. Also be sure to always remove and flush away your applicator after use; and never push a tampon up higher than your vaginal canal opening as this can clog its tubes and lead to infection.
