Personal care products include toiletries and cosmetics designed to cleanse, moisturize and enhance body parts such as skin, hair, nails, lips and external genital and anal areas. The Smithsonian’s collection features personal care items which document everyday health practices while chronicling pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry growth and change over time in America.
Most personal care products, including lotion, shampoo and toothpaste, contain thousands of chemicals – some potentially hazardous substances like phthalates used in perfumes and formaldehyde-releasing chemical compounds can have lasting harmful consequences.
Skin Care
Skin care regimens strive for glowing complexions. Before the mass marketing of cosmetics in the 1800s, women used home remedies or recipes provided by their mothers or found in popular women’s magazines to prepare their own skincare preparations. Patented medicines and beauty products promised to remove freckles, ruddiness, or rashes and create soft, smooth and youthful-looking skin.
To achieve optimal results, it is best to choose cleansers tailored specifically to your skin type, avoid harsh scrubs (unless fighting blackheads) and apply moisturizers on both dry and oily areas of the face. Choose gel- or bar-based cleansers for oily complexions while cream or lotion-based cleansers work better on normal to dry complexions. Moisturizers contain both humectant agents which pull water in from the environment as well as occlusive ingredients which prevent trans-epidimal loss of moisture loss.
When selecting skin care products, be sure to read their ingredients list and look for items with INCI names; these are easier for people unfamiliar with scientific terms like tocopherol or glycerol to understand. If unsure, perform a patch test first so as to ensure it won’t irritate or otherwise compromise your complexion.
Anal Hygiene
Anal itching is a common issue, often brought on by irritation, allergies or infections. Proper hygiene practices and over-the-counter medications generally offer relief.
After each bowel movement, it’s essential to clean the anus with soft toilet paper and plain water using gentle wiping or rubbing techniques to avoid damaging skin or breaking down its protective barrier against bacteria, leading to itchy sensations and discomfort. Excessive wiping may damage skin tissue while dissolving anal barriers altogether and leading to itchy symptoms.
Avoid using scented toilet paper and feminine hygiene sprays near the anus as these contain dyes and perfumes which may irritate and itch. Instead, opt for unscented wipes or cleanse the area using mild soap and plain water.
Anal fissures and fistulae may result from passing hard stools, diarrhea or trauma to the anal skin. To avoid them, take extra care when cleaning after every bowel movement as well as refraining from excessive rubbing or vigorous wiping of the anal area.
Dental Care
Caretaking of one’s teeth and gums is vital to overall wellbeing. Aside from obvious advantages such as fresher breath, stronger teeth, reduced gum disease and less gum recession, studies have demonstrated the power of good oral hygiene practices to lower risks associated with heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.
Consumers increasingly opt for natural oral hygiene products. Compared to their conventional counterparts, natural ones typically contain less ingredients and tend to be perceived as less harsh; additionally they often adhere to holistic wellness approaches and come packaged in environmentally conscious packaging.
Although consumer trends indicate otherwise, it remains essential that they select dentist-approved home oral care products and mechanical devices which have been proven to have positive health impacts through clinical trials, real world evidence or patient-reported outcomes (which measures changes in people’s self-assessed dental status or quality of life). Industry also plays an active role in broadening our understanding of oral diseases’ impacts on total body wellbeing.
