Intimate hygiene – like menstruation – is one of the most hushed topics about female’s health. While your vagina is designed to take care of itself, maintaining hygiene is essential to prevent reproductive tract infection.
Many females use hygiene products, such as douches, intimate cleansers, and deodorants, hoping to keep it clean and fresh.
But do these products aid in managing your genital health?
Let’s understand.
Five Tips for Maintaining Vaginal Hygiene
1. Avoid Douche
You may be enjoying the fresh feeling after douche, but it is harmful to your vagina. So, how can you keep it clean?
Vagina can keep itself healthy by balancing its pH level and healthy bacteria. Douching may harm healthy bacteria, which disturbs the pH level. All this makes the vagina more prone to infections.
If you still wish to clean, you can use non-scented products to clean only labia majora (external genitalia).
2. Keep your Pubic Hair
Pubic hair prevents bacteria from entering your vagina. It also reduces problems associated with sweating and friction. Besides, lesser hair removal means fewer ingrown hairs, scrapes, and cuts.
However, you can do a bit of removing or trimming along your swimsuit line if you wish. All in all, rock it as you want, but do keep your pubic hair.
3. Practice Safe Sex
It is one of the easiest ways to maintain vaginal hygiene. Here are a few tips for safe sex:
Use protection: A condom is a great way to prevent infection through sexual intercourse.
Get regularly examined for sexually transmitted infections: You should get tested if there is an exchange of genital fluids during sex with an unknown partner or multiple partners.
Order of the sex matters: Switching from butt to vaginal play increases the risk of infection.
Check condom ingredients: Avoid condoms with spermicides as they may be harmful to the vagina by killing the healthy bacteria.
It is also a good idea to pee after sex. This flushes out bacteria and prevents urinary tract infection.
4. Select a Lube Carefully
Lubrication can enhance pleasure associated with sex; however, some ingredients may be unhealthy for you.
Glycerin – due to sugar content – favors bacterial growth in your vagina. Petroleum products are also not healthy as it alters your vagina’s pH.
Some other things you should avoid are:
Scents
Non-natural oils
Parabens
Flavors
Dyes
5. Use Breathable Underwear
Breathable fabrics and clothing keep your vagina healthy. Cotton fabric is great for underwear as it reduces moisture, which triggers bacterial growth.
Changing underwear, as soon as it gets wet, also serves the purpose. Besides, it is also a great idea to change your underwear daily.
Lastly, sleeping without underwear at night allows your vagina to breathe and also keeps it cool.
Final Thoughts!
Vaginal hygiene is essential to prevent infection. The good news is that simple steps will help you in doing so. Avoid the use of chemical-laden and scented products, wear breathable fabric, and practice safe sex.
It is also a great idea to get examined for sexually transmitted infections in case of fluid exchange during sex with an unknown partner or multiple partners.
Disclaimer: Indian Health Bureau does not claim any responsibility for the information contained in this article. The information may not hold good for everyone. The post is for general awareness only and should not be construed as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Please consult your doctor to know what is good for you.
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