Female Hygiene is something that is still not spoken about very openly in our country. There is a lot of hesitation that has been associated with the needs of hygiene and sanitation in intimate areas. There are days when women don’t feel good and comfortable about themselves down there, it’s because their vagina also needs proper care. There can be days when the vagina can be dry, itchy, smell fishy and even produce excessive or discoloured discharge. There are signs directly indicate that there are mistakes that one makes with their intimate area. These slipups can be unintentionally made while urinating on a normal day, during periods or even before and after sex.
Signs & Symptoms of Intimate Problems
- Unusual pain or burning sensation in the intimate area
- An unfamiliar change in the smell
- Visible changes in the colour, texture and appearance of the discharge
- Itchiness and redness in and around the vagina
- Having unusual pain during the intercourse
Taking Care of the Intimate Areas
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Drink Ample Amount of Water Everyday
It is very essential to drink sufficient water throughout the day and keep your body hydrated. Proper hydration in the body prevents urinary infections as it keeps clarifying the urinary tract in the body. It even results in the effective elimination of toxins and waste from your system at regular intervals that prevents the body from getting unnecessary infections and diseases.
Intimate Care during Periods
Women need to keep changing their sanitary pads at regular intervals to keep vaginal infections and infections at bay. Also, failure in doing so results in a host to infectious diseases. A woman should keep changing her pad in every 4-5 hours and clean her intimate areas properly.
Also Read: Are Cramps After Periods Normal? Know From A Gynaecologist
Avoid using Chemically Formulated Soaps & Cleansers
It is a complete NO to use perfumed soaps and scents for your vaginal area. These artificially scented and formulated cleansers and washes can be dangerous for the vagina as they contain numerous harsh chemicals. Also, the sweet-smelling soaps and washes are not pH balanced which harms the health of the vagina. A woman must always use Intimate Washes that are pH balanced and are safe for use.
Make these as Pre & Post Sex Rituals
- Always make sure that you and your partner always wash hands before getting laid to avert the communication of unwanted germs and bacteria to one another. Most infections happen to couples who miss this process since the bacteria contained in the hands is transferred to other parts of the body like urethra and vagina. Precautions are always better than a cure.
- It must be made a habit to nicely clean your intimate parts after having sex. Doing this shall considerably diminish the spreading of bacteria. One should even pee after having sex as this clears and washes off the presence of any bacteria in the urinary tract. Also, it is essential to use a condom while having sex as this shall evade the threat of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI).
Use Hygiene Washes
There are several hygiene washes available in the market that takes care of the intimate regions of the women. Washing the vaginal area with these washes prevents infections and ensures that the vaginal is healthy and keeps smelling good.
(In conversation with Karan Gupta, Director, Namyaa Skincare)
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