Intimate Area Care: Everything you need to know- Hygiene, tips & more
Intimate hygiene is all about taking care of your private parts and keeping them clean and hygienic. Maintaining female hygiene is quite important to stay healthy and bacteria free. The vaginal discharge which is usually clear and white is actually your vagina’s natural way of cleaning itself and an indication that it is perfectly healthy. However, if you witness that the discharge is smelly or yellowish, then chances are high that it might be a sign of infection. You should consult a gynaecologist for the same.
Vaginal health is extremely important. Following are a few tips and tricks that you can follow to keep your vaginal health perfect:
1. Keep the Underwears dry
Not wiping the vagina after urinating can wet your panties which can lead to bad odour and vaginal infections. Hence, you should wipe it with toilet paper and any soft cloth to keep it dry. Conversely, the use of talcum powder or excessive wiping can cause extreme dryness leading to itchiness and make this area prone to injury. Thus, it is important to note that overdoing can be harmful and can also lead to infections.
2. Change sanitary pads after 4-6 hours.
Women who have normal blood flow should change sanitary pads after every 4-6 hours. However, if you are someone who has excessive blood flow then you should definitely change sanitary pads after every 3-4 hours to avoid skin rashes and bad odour. Even when you are using a tampon, make sure to change it after every 6 hours. If you don’t change sanitary napkins or tampons for a long time then it might lead to vaginal infection as well.
3. Opt for over-the-counter treatments
To keep your vagina clean and bacteria-free, you can definitely try intimate area creams. Some of them are enriched with aloe vera and organic olive oil to provide hydration and maintain pH balance. Not only this, but the intimate lightening creams specifically improve the overall tone of your skin on most of the private parts. The creams are designed in such a way that they combat the most stubborn dark spots and also vanish the look of blotchiness for a healthy look.
4. Avoid using soap while washing your vagina
Soaps are too harsh and artificially scented for your sensitive skin. The use of soaps laden with harmful chemicals can affect the pH level of the vagina which can cause irritation and lead to the growth of unhealthy bacteria. Instead, you can definitely opt for intimate area wash or just water, preferably lukewarm water to wash or clean the area around the vagina.
5. Avoid wearing tight clothes
Wear undergarments that are made from breathable fabrics like cotton. Wearing tight and rough undergarments can lead to sweating in the intimate areas because of reduced air circulation. This can lead to growth of bacteria, yeast and can cause vaginal infection as well. Do wash and change clothes after working out or any physical activity that causes sweating.
The Takeaway
It is very important to follow good intimate hygiene practices to ensure that you do not disrupt the vaginal pH balance. Moreover, knowing about vaginal hygiene will help you to keep your genitals clean and your reproductive tract healthy. No matter what age you are, the above mentioned hygienic tips are quite basic and every woman should know about the same.