Just as we have normalized body and facial care in our daily routine, we must also do it with intimate feminine hygiene.
The reality is that it is an area that requires different care from the rest of the body due to its delicacy and PH of the skin.
Although this does not mean that it is necessary to invest too much time in it. With a little daily attention you will improve your feeling of well-being.
We wanted to compile in this article a complete guide on feminine intimate hygiene, with all the information you need to take care of yourself.
Does it really require special care?
The reason for paying attention to feminine intimate hygiene is based on the fact that the female genitalia have different characteristics from the rest of the body, and also change throughout life.
It is an area with a more sensitive skin, very delicate, humid and with a different PH and flora. For this reason, it is not recommended to use, for example, the same shower gel as for the rest of the body.
With facial care it seems that it is much more assumed that it is convenient to use different soaps and creams. However, only a small percentage of women use specific products for intimate hygiene.
Caring for this area naturally and with specific products will prevent dryness or other conditions.
In addition, the composition and PH of the vaginal flora varies over the years. The reasons for the imbalances are very varied: genetic, hormonal, environmental, etc.
Tips for good feminine intimate hygiene
Now that we have seen the importance of intimate hygiene for women, we are going to collect a series of tips to carry it out with the best results.
For daily cleaningTry to avoid body shower gels. Instead it is recommended to use specific gels. Later we will see which are the most recommended for each age or moment in the fertile stage.
Avoid tight clothing. The skin in this area is very sensitive and wearing this type of clothing causes friction and irritation. In addition, it does not promote blood flow.
It is possible that when taking antibiotics you have had an infection. This happens because these drugs alter the vaginal flora and leave it unprotected. In these cases, to prevent, they can be taken probiotics that help boost the immune system.
In the shower don't use sponges but directly the hand. Sponges accumulate germs, just what we want to avoid when we wash. Therefore, for better intimate hygiene, do not use this type of bathroom accessories.
It agrees wash once a day. When we wash we also eliminate bacterial flora that naturally protects the area. That is why we recommend not to abuse, to maintain balance. Also, cleaning must be done always front to back. Never, never the other way around.
You also have to pay special attention to cleaning before and after intimate relationships.
And take special care with hygiene during menstruation: wash your hands before and after handling feminine hygiene products, use reusable or single-use products.
Materials and components suitable for feminine hygiene and others not so good
Now that we know how to take care of the female intimate area, let's see what kinds of materials and components are good and which ones to avoid.
We have commented that clothing should not be too tight. But in addition, it is convenient that the underwear is 100% cotton. If we avoid synthetic fabrics we favor perspiration.
In addition, for washing the garments it is best avoid irritating chemicals to the skin. Do not forget that the skin in intimate areas is much more sensitive.
Another of our recommendations is that in general avoid perfumes. Also in gels or soaps for specific use. They are extra ingredients that do not add anything to cleaning and also mask the smell.
The smell is natural, it should not generate rejection. In addition, changes in smell or directly bad smells are giving us a warning signal that something is not right. In those cases, by not camouflaging the odors, any problems we may have can be detected early and go to the specialist.
In some cases, extra hydration may be needed in the intimate area. For these cases you have creams specific moisturizers. Again, do not use body creams because they do not respect the PH of the area.
Finally, have a healthy and varied diet It helps us to have a good immune system in general, and in particular with the vaginal flora. That is why it is also good to avoid the consumption of tobacco, alcohol and exciting foods such as caffeine.
Most used products for feminine intimate hygiene
We are going to make a brief summary of the products that help maintain feminine hygiene.
- Intimate soap: There are them with different pH and it is an important factor when buying them. It varies depending on your age or when you are fertile.
For girls who have not yet started their menstruation and women in the menopausal stage, the pH is neutral (7). But then the normal thing is that the pH is around 4,5-5. And in pregnancy it is slightly more acidic. Also during menstruation it rises slightly around the neutral.
- Pads, panty liners and tampons: As with underwear, in the case of compresses it is best that they be made of cotton, without synthetic products or polymers (which are absorbents derived from oil).
There are some brands that for whitening and disinfection use natural products, much more respectful of your skin.
- Menstrual cup: increasingly used to replace pads and tampons and also avoid waste at home. They are absolutely respectful of your body.
Cleaning is simple, with natural soap. It only requires that you have clean hands for handling. And it is enough that you disinfect it in boiling water before and after each period.
- Probiotics: for those cases in which you want to strengthen the immune system, probiotics help in prevention. If you have low defenses in general, or are taking antibiotics, they are a supplement that helps you keep the bacterial flora balanced.
As a general recommendation, if you maintain basic feminine intimate hygiene habits, you will feel more comfortable and avoid annoying infections.
If you still do not use specific products for your intimate hygiene, or you have not found any that work for you, you can take a tour of our store and take a look at the intimate care section. In this post you can also read about sustainable menstruation.
Apart from the intimate care section, here is a list of the intimate hygiene products that we usually use for fertility care, from the most natural soaps, to cloth compresses or the specific probiotics of women's flora .
LINK Female intimate flora probiotics
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