Women's hygiene tips. Proper genital hygiene: how, when and why

Women's health is a special thing. Here the slightest problems can lead to serious consequences. How often do women run around clinics, undergoing numerous examinations and taking various tests. But gynecologists constantly remind us that daily adherence to simple rules of intimate hygiene can prevent many inflammatory and infectious diseases. The only thing ladies should do is follow the recommendations of doctors.

At first glance, it seems that a woman’s intimate hygiene does not imply anything complicated, the main thing is to wash yourself daily and change your underwear regularly. But as practice shows, being clean and healthy are two different things. Often, women make a number of mistakes during hygiene procedures, which lead to a weakening of the microflora of the genital organs and an increased risk of contracting infectious diseases. How to do everything right to maintain your health?

Intimate hygiene rules for women

How to wash yourself properly?

Before washing, be sure to wash your hands with soap. During water procedures, it is not recommended to use sponges and washcloths, so as not to injure the mucous membrane of the genital organs and not cause irritation or even inflammation. We wash only with our hands and direct the stream of running water from front to back so as not to transfer bacteria from the rectum to the genitals. Those microorganisms that perform useful functions in the intestines can cause an inflammatory process in the vagina, so you need to be careful. It is not advisable to wash yourself while sitting in a basin or bathtub. This will also increase the risk of dangerous bacteria entering your vagina.

It is advisable to wash yourself at least 2 times a day, morning and evening. In one of these two times, you can use intimate hygiene gel. The second time we wash with just water. Doctors also recommend that women take a shower before and after intimacy.

At any time of the year you should use only warm water. A towel for intimate hygiene should be soft. And after washing, you need to wipe yourself with gentle blotting movements. It is very important that the towel is not only your personal, but also used only for the intimate area.

Do I need to douche?

Douching is washing the vagina with water. And if the woman is healthy, there is no need to douche. Ordinary daily intimate hygiene involves only washing. A procedure such as douching can only be prescribed by a doctor for medicinal purposes. In this case, the course of douching lasts only a few days. If you douche every day for no reason, this will lead to disruption of the vaginal pH, dryness of the mucous membranes, leaching of beneficial lactobacilli from the vagina and disruption of its normal microflora. All this can lead to bacterial vaginosis and provoke the development of an inflammatory process in the vagina.

Afterwards, you just need to wash your genitals with water. If there is some sperm left inside, there is nothing to worry about. Sperm cannot lead to such negative consequences as frequent douching.

During and during douching is especially dangerous. Therefore, on critical days, doctors do not recommend that women even take a bath. It's better to use the shower.

How to get rid of unpleasant vaginal odor?

An unpleasant odor from the vagina is most often a sign of genital disease. Therefore, before trying to get rid of it, you need to visit a doctor and get tested, especially if the smell has appeared recently.

If a faint odor is constantly present, this may be due to the characteristics of the body. People themselves very rarely smell their own smell, but, nevertheless, it can be unpleasant for a sexual partner. And in this case, it is necessary to take action.

First of all, you need to review your diet, exclude onions, garlic, peppers, and beer from your diet. You should also try to drink more mint or plain green tea. In addition, you need to wash yourself more often and be careful about your choice. It is worth taking panties only from natural materials to avoid damage to the genitals due to synthetics.

Products for intimate hygiene for women

Soap for intimate hygiene

Regular soap is not suitable for use in delicate areas, as it dries out the mucous membrane. In addition, it creates an alkaline environment, while the natural environment of a woman's genitals is acidic. Violation of the normal level of acidity leads to a weakening of the protective properties of the internal environment of the vagina and provokes the proliferation of harmful bacteria. Therefore, it is imperative to use a special gel for intimate hygiene, which acts on the mucous membranes of the genital organs very gently and carefully, cleansing and relieving irritation. Its acidity is close to the natural environment of the vagina, and it also contains more moisturizing components.

When choosing a gel, you should pay attention to its color and smell, or rather, their absence. Intimate hygiene products should not contain dyes or fragrances that can cause allergic reactions. It would be good if the gel contains lactobacilli, which help maintain normal microflora of the female genital organs, as well as chamomile extract, which helps relieve irritation.

Pads and tampons

Doctors advise ladies to give preference to pads and use tampons only in special cases. Although tampons help get rid of unpleasant odor during pregnancy, and are also more reliable. Therefore, many women still often use them. Both tampons and pads need to be changed every 4 hours. If a dirty pad is in contact with the vagina for a longer period of time, this can lead to the development of an inflammatory process, since it creates a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria.

Panty liners

Despite the fact that this hygiene product is popular among women, doctors do not recommend using such pads every day. They are made of synthetic materials and interfere with the normal breathability of underwear. Any woman experiences a small amount of discharge during the day, which leaves a mark on her panties. And pads help keep your favorite underwear clean. But still, for your health, it is better to use simple cotton panties and just wash them. And if you use pads, you need to change them every 3-4 hours.

The fair half of humanity should carry out water procedures for the genitals every day. In this case, you should wash them with warm water, directing it from front to back. This rule should also apply to the use of toilet paper. Why is this so important? The thing is that a woman can introduce various infections into the vagina, including E. coli, which causes inflammation of the genital organs.

Due to poor ecology, you have to follow a few more basic rules when carrying out water procedures:

To saturate the skin cells with oxygen and moisture, you need to use a washcloth;
- in order not to disturb the natural flora of the genital mucosa, you should not allow gel or soap to get into the vagina;
- to tone the skin and activate the body’s protective properties, it is necessary to use folk remedies such as sea salt, herbal infusions, etc.;
- after a shower, the body should be dried with a hard towel.

On the days when menstruation occurs, you should wash yourself three to four times a day without soap and preferably with boiled water, since at such a moment any infection can enter the genitals.

Don't forget to change your underwear every day.

A few more points about feminine hygiene

The modern girl strives to look attractive and does not care about her health. However, this can lead to dire consequences, especially in the cold season. Hypothermia is not your genitals' best friend, so try to dress as warmly as possible.

Deodorants are also an integral part of female body hygiene. And if you have increased sweating, then you simply need this product, since the skin needs protection from harmful microorganisms that multiply in a humid environment.

To be healthy, you just need to follow a few simple rules. One of the important points is to use high-quality tampons and panty liners. Wearing synthetics can also lead to dire consequences. It is very important to keep your skin and genitals clean so that you don’t end up with chronic diseases as a reward. Improper adherence to personal hygiene rules adversely affects

Women's health is a very fragile value. The slightest connivance in this matter often ends in an examination in a gynecological chair and subsequent long-term treatment. Meanwhile, many problems can be successfully avoided if you know how to take care of intimate hygiene and follow these simple rules.

It may seem that a woman’s intimate hygiene is something simple and taken for granted. You just need to take a shower on time and don’t forget to change your linen regularly. But in reality, everything is much more complicated, otherwise there would not be so many cases in gynecological practice when errors in female intimate hygiene would lead to disruptions in the functioning of the body.

Daily rules of feminine intimate hygiene

The basic rules of how to maintain intimate hygiene really consist of water procedures and timely change of underwear. But it is worth discussing these issues in more detail.

Washing technique

This procedure should be performed only with your hands - auxiliary means like washcloths are not suitable here, there is a risk of injury to especially delicate skin in this area. Be sure to wash your hands with soap before washing. You need to wash under running water, directing it from front to back. The procedure must be performed daily, twice a day. Plus, additional hygiene procedures should be used in case of intimacy.

Five taboos for washing:

• You should not wash while sitting in a full bathtub - this can cause intestinal bacteria to enter the vagina, causing various inflammations.
• You should not overuse detergents - it is better to use special gels once a day, and then limit yourself to just water. Excessive hygiene in this case can provoke a disruption of the natural microflora and, as a result, gynecological diseases.
• Do not wash with too hot or cold water. The first can lead to burns, the second can cause colds in the genitourinary system
• You cannot use a shared towel for intimate areas - only an individual one made from soft natural fabrics.
• You should not use regular soap to wash your face - it dries out your delicate skin too much.

A few words about douching

Sometimes women, wondering how to take care of intimate hygiene, decide to supplement the procedure with douching. This is a big mistake. Douching is not a hygienic manipulation, but a therapeutic one. It is carried out only if prescribed by a doctor, and not longer than a few days. If you use it in a woman’s regular intimate hygiene, you can seriously upset the balance of microflora and provoke the development of serious diseases.

How to properly take care of intimate hygiene during menstruation

Critical days require especially careful hygiene. Menstrual discharge is a favorable flora for the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, if you do not maintain careful intimate hygiene, there will be complications.

It is better to increase the frequency of washing during menstruation to 3–4 times a day. If it is not possible to carry out water procedures, you can use special napkins.

During menstruation it is necessary to change pads every 3-4 hours, tampons - every two hours. If a woman prefers a menstrual cup among hygiene products at this time, it is also important to empty and disinfect it according to the regularity described in the instructions.

How to properly maintain intimate hygiene for a pregnant woman

During this special period in the life of every woman, hygiene procedures are generally identical to the usual routine. It may be necessary to increase the number of washes if the discharge increases.

During this period, you need to pay special attention to the choice of hygiene products: washing products should be taken without dyes, sanitary pads - without fragrances, napkins - without alcohol.

The right underwear

Taking care of intimate hygiene means choosing the right underwear. The ideal option is natural fabrics, such as cotton. This material allows the skin to breathe, prevents rotting and the development of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, for everyday wear it is better to choose cotton underwear. Leave synthetic options for special occasions.

Whatever panties you ultimately choose - cotton, lace, silk or synthetic, it is important that they have a cotton insert at the point of contact with the crotch. If the insert is missing, but you want to wear underwear, replace the insert with a panty liner.

Linen should be changed daily. Do not wash with other clothes and rinse thoroughly.

Selection of intimate hygiene products

Detergents

It is impossible to discuss how to maintain daily intimate hygiene without mentioning various hygiene products.

Today there are a lot of different cosmetics: creams, gels, mousses and much more. They are distinguished from ordinary soap by a special level of acidity, close to the natural microflora of the female body. Therefore, they do not disrupt it the way regular soap or shower gel can.

A properly selected product not only helps eliminate impurities, but also moisturizes the skin, helps relieve irritation, and gently soothe.

It is important to carefully study the composition. Avoid different dyes. Excessive use of fragrances can also cause harm by causing allergies. It’s good if the product contains lactobacilli.

To make intimate hygiene more beneficial, you can choose products with natural ingredients. Chamomile, aloe, tea tree - all these plants in the composition of the hygiene product make it not only cleansing, but also beneficial for intimate health.

Popular brands of intimate hygiene products designed specifically for women:

• LACTACYD is a line of intimate hygiene products based on natural lactic acid, which helps restore and maintain the natural microflora of the intimate area.
• KLEONA - contains a minimum of components that can cause irritation or allergies. The products of this brand are perfect for women with sensitive skin, prone to allergies, as well as expectant mothers.
• CAREFREE is a line of feminine hygiene products that includes gels for daily use, as well as wipes that are convenient to take with you.
• URIAGE - Gels with a fresh aroma, specially created for the hygiene of sensitive mucous membranes of the intimate area. Extremely gently cleanses, refreshes, moisturizes and maintains the pH balance of microflora.

Pads and tampons

From a health perspective, pads are preferable to tampons. Therefore, during menstruation, it is recommended to use tampons only in emergency situations, in other cases limiting yourself to pads.

It is necessary to choose both based on the intensity of discharge during menstruation. Avoid scented products. They still won’t be able to completely neutralize the unpleasant odor, but they are quite capable of increasing irritation and provoking allergies.

The same rule applies to panty liners. By the way, despite the name, they are not recommended to be used every day - periodically the skin in the intimate area needs to be allowed to breathe. Wearing the same pad throughout the day will also be a big mistake.

As can be seen from the article, intimate hygiene still cannot be considered an elementary procedure. However, its rules do not imply anything complicated. Regular and responsible self-care is enough - and visits to the gynecologist will only be of a preventive nature.

Following the rules of genital care is extremely important for a woman’s health. Ignoring the basic principles of hygiene leads to many troubles and diseases, such as inflammation of the fallopian tubes and ovaries, as well as salpingoophoritis, erosion and even cervical cancer. These diseases begin with the entry of microorganisms and various viruses into the uterine cavity. How to prevent these problems from occurring? In pharmacies you can see a wide range of products for the care of female genital organs, but choosing the right one is not so easy. Let's try to understand this issue.

All women try to take care of their appearance: they take care of their skin, hair, and buy decorative cosmetics. Hygiene of female genital organs also has its own rules.

Hygienic care of female genital organs

*Twice a day, after washing your hands, wash yourself with warm water. At the same time, move from the pubis towards the anus. Direct the water stream from front to back. This will prevent infection from entering the vagina from the anus.

*Regular soap can only be used on the skin around the vagina. If you use it on the intimate area, you risk disturbing its acid-base balance. The normal microflora of this organ consists mainly of lactobacilli that secrete lactic acid, and if the environment becomes alkaline, their number decreases, and the vacated space is populated by other microorganisms. They are the cause of thrush (or candidiasis), gardnerellosis and bacterial vaginosis.

*After the washing procedure, blot, but under no circumstances rub, your genitals with a clean, soft towel. Among other things, it must be individual.

*Wear underwear made from natural fabrics - your body will be able to breathe through it, and the natural microflora of the vagina will be preserved.

*Rub them with sponges and washcloths. This can lead to cracks and scratches through which bacteria can easily enter.

*Pointing a stream of water directly into the vagina will wash away the natural protective lubricant and risk infection.

*On critical days, swim in the pool, have sex, take a bath. At this time, the female genital organs become especially sensitive, and inflammation of the uterus or appendages may occur.

There are many special products that make caring for intimate areas easier. Gels, wet wipes, special soaps – what should you choose?

*The gels contain special plant extracts that help maintain cleanliness, despite the increased sensitivity of the woman’s genital organs. These products are intended for daily hygiene. They do not cause dryness and irritation, have anti-inflammatory and hypoallergenic properties, refresh and eliminate odor.

The absence of alkali in the gels eliminates the disturbance of the acid-base balance of the vagina. Squeeze the product into your palm, gently apply to the mucous membrane and then rinse thoroughly with warm water. The gel relieves inflammation of the genital organs and limits the spread of bacteria.

*Special soap for intimate hygiene contains various herbal extracts. It also prevents inflammatory processes of the mucous membrane, as well as infectious diseases of the genital organs.

*Try to buy products that contain triclosan. This component is an absolutely safe antibacterial cosmetic product that does not irritate delicate skin and mucous membranes, and does not cause the development of resistant flora.

*During travel, feminine genital hygiene should also be maintained. Take care of your intimate area with intimate hygiene wipes. They are impregnated with special lotions containing antiseptics, so they keep your skin healthy. Wipes prevent the appearance of unpleasant odors and fight them well. Just do not rinse your skin after using them. Dry the genitals, moving from the pubis to the anus.

*As for panty liners, doctors have different opinions on this matter. Some of them believe that such products are harmful to women's health, increasing the risk of thrush. Still, most doctors believe that you can use panty liners if you change them more often. When choosing products, you should pay attention to the presence of a hygienic quality certificate.

*On critical days, alternate the use of tampons and pads.

*According to experts, using tampons in the presence of cervicitis, vaginitis, endometritis and other inflammatory diseases is not recommended.

*Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before using tampons.

*When choosing pads, consider the amount of discharge.

By following these important tips, you will maintain your health and well-being!

All girls want to look attractive, to be the most beautiful and irresistible. Therefore, a lot of attention is paid to personal hygiene. However, when washing their face in the morning, for some reason many girls forget about one more aspect of grooming. Or they consider it not as necessary as a clean face. However, intimate hygiene is one of the most important components of not only cleanliness, but also the health of every woman and girl.

At all times, much attention has been paid to this aspect. For example, Cleopatra used baths with the addition of herbs or essential oils. The bathhouse has always been popular in Rus', and the number of decoctions with chamomile, aloe and other herbs and oils used for these procedures is simply enormous. Many of the recipes have been known and used for centuries. In general, intimate hygiene for women was first described in the ancient monuments of Mesopotamia (approximately the 2nd century BC), although the term itself appeared only in the middle of the last century.

Rules

Despite the apparent knowledge of the issue, many women do not know exactly how intimate hygiene is carried out. Some pay too little attention to it, others, on the contrary, too much. In both cases, various problems with women's health arise. So, what do you need to know in order to correctly carry out all the activities to cleanse intimate areas?

There are simple rules that will help you navigate this difficult issue:

Care products

Even the healthiest woman has a huge amount of bacteria in her vagina, both beneficial and pathogenic. The microflora is in an unstable balance, which can easily be shaken by using the wrong, inappropriate feminine hygiene products. The fact is that the pH level of the vagina is about 3.5. This indicator is necessary for the life and reproduction of beneficial lactic acid bacteria; harmful ones die in such conditions.

Many infections also cannot overcome natural defenses. Ordinary soap has a pH of about 7, i.e. it creates an alkaline environment that injures the normal microflora of the vagina. And while there is not enough beneficial bacteria in the body, pathogenic ones may have time to multiply.

All intimate care products (gels, milk) must have a neutral or slightly acidic pH. It is considered ideal if these numbers range from 3.5 to 4.5. A pH level of 5 is also still acceptable. If this indicator is higher, then there is a high chance of disrupting the natural microflora of the vagina.

Currently, there are a large number of products and recipes for intimate care. However, not all of them are equally useful and are not suitable for all women. Basic feminine hygiene items:

• Special soaps, gels, foams, milks. You need to carefully read the composition to make sure that the drug is based on natural ingredients, for example, decoctions of chamomile, aloe or calendula, essential oils, and not chemical perfumes. Products based on lactic acid are also useful, as they restore natural microflora and prevent irritation;
• It is not advisable to constantly use wipes for intimate hygiene instead of washing. They fight odor and dirt well, but this is an emergency option for when it is not possible to take a shower at the end of the day or after using the toilet. It’s good if they are soaked in essential oils or extracts of aloe, chamomile, etc.;
• For those who want to avoid odor, they produce special deodorants for the intimate area, but they use perfume fragrances, which is not suitable for all women;
• Intimate hygiene creams are not a luxury, but a norm. They have antiseptic properties, protect against the penetration of harmful microorganisms, cover the vagina with a thin protective film, and help restore natural microflora. They should be used when swimming in open waters and for those over 40;
• Panty liners are wonderful feminine hygiene items that allow you to maintain freshness, cleanliness, and avoid unpleasant odors. They are often soaked in oils to impart a pleasant aroma. But you need to use them correctly. They change the “daily bags” not in the morning and evening, but every 4 hours, because a large amount of discharge accumulates on them. When worn for a long time on pads, ideal conditions are created for the development of pathogenic flora;
• Menstrual pads and tampons also need to be changed regularly and often to avoid causing irritation and the development of inflammatory diseases.

Folk recipes

For washing, many recipes have been created using herbs: chamomile, aloe, calendula, etc. These products do not cause allergies or irritation, many decoctions are medicinal. A woman’s personal hygiene is unthinkable without the use of folk recipes. Products with potassium permanganate, aloe, calendula and other herbs are very popular. You need to be careful when using recipes with baking soda, as it creates an alkaline environment.

Thus, for inflammatory diseases, an infusion of chamomile flowers is very popular. The recipe is extremely simple: 1 tbsp. l. chamomile flowers pour 200 ml of boiling water and leave for an hour. It is advisable to use a thermos for steaming.

You can prepare a collection of dried coltsfoot herbs and chamomile. They need to be mixed in equal quantities and stored in a tightly sealed jar. For the procedure 4 tbsp. l. collection, pour 500 ml of boiling water and leave for 2 hours.

Douching with chamomile is also often done. For this, 2 tbsp. l. flowers, pour 1 liter of boiling water and leave for 40 minutes.

Potassium permanganate is also popular for douching. For the procedure, prepare a weak pale pink solution. Potassium permanganate should not be used for cervical erosion, as it can aggravate the disease.

Tea tree oil has an antimicrobial effect, so it is also used in recipes for intimate hygiene and douching. 1 tsp oils are mixed with 1 tsp. alcohol Then 5 drops of the mixture are diluted in a glass of boiled water.

Maintaining intimate hygiene is not so difficult. Its rules are simple and clear. It is necessary to monitor the timely implementation of procedures and select the most suitable products with the correct pH level.