Maintain better sexual hygiene with these tips!

Maintaining good sexual hygiene adds to the whole hygiene of your body.

By: Editorial Team | | Updated: March 19, 2015 1:07 pm

One of the things that we were always told about in school was the importance of hygiene. Washing our hands properly after eating, brushing our teeth twice a day, wearing clean clothes are just some practices we were taught. Our desire and need to maintain personal hygiene is one of the things that makes us human. Maintaining proper sexual hygiene is also important, as failure to do so can result in infections.

One of the foremost pieces of advice for member of both sexes is to always wear fresh and clean undergarments. You should always try and avoid wearing undergarments that are drenched in sweat. This can occur particularly after you work out; you just have to change out of your sweaty undies, even if the sweat has dried it can create a breeding ground for bacteria and make your private parts vulnerable to infection.

In addition, sweat can block the skin pores on your private parts, causing folliculitis, which are inflamed and infected hair follicles. Another important thing to keep in mind is that you should always leave a good amount of space for breathing room and ventilation. Men should avoid wearing tight underwear, particularly briefs (V-cut ones). You should switch to briefs or boxer shorts for more comfort. Also cotton is a far better choice than other synthetic materials, since it s comfortable and porous.

Don t hold back the call of nature!

Whenever you feel the urge to relieve yourself, don t hold it in. Urinating helps clean out bacteria in the urinary tract. If you force yourself to delay urination, you allow bacteria growth.

While these are the very basics, here s a rundown on tips that are specific to the two genders in order to achieve better sexual hygiene:

Men

Men s sexual parts are outside the body and thus it is imperative that it is kept clean. While having a bath, you should not ignore washing your penis. If you are uncircumcised, you should gently pull back your foreskin as far as possible without causing any discomfort, till the head of your penis reveals itself. You don t need to rub soap or anything else; instead you should just use lukewarm water to wash it. Only wash the head of the penis and don t even think of washing the urethra and/or urinary tract as you could damage it. Not washing this part will result in a build-up of smegma. Smegma which is white in colour is just dead skin cells and normally harmless. However, sufficient build up can cause irritation and infection. Read about the various reasons why you should bathe everyday.

Women

Women have the added hassle of periods. When you are undergoing your menstrual cycle, change your tampons or sanitary pads every three to six hours, depending on your menstrual flow. Leaving a stale tampon or sanitary pad for a very long time encourages bacteria to grow causing infections and bad odour.

While menstruation cleans your urethra, uterus and vagina, it is important that you clean your vagina every day. The external part of the vagina, the labia needs to be cleaned only once a day. Wash your vagina mildly and gently with soap and warm water. For many women it is easy to over-do this washing; you should not go overboard with washing by vigorous flushing or douching your vagina with scents. This can be very harmful. Douching is known to affect the pH balance of vaginas and makes you prone to infections. Not washing the external part of the vagina would result in formation of smegma (yes, in women too!). When you are drying your private parts, avoid roughly rubbing it dry and instead try patting it dry. Read about the 10 menstrual hygiene tips every women should know!

Maintaining good sexual hygiene adds to the whole hygiene of your body. These tips will help you take care of your private parts better and live a healthier life.

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Published : March 18, 2015 3:00 pm | Updated:March 19, 2015 1:07 pm

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