Feminine hygiene is a very important aspect of every woman's life. As the female body goes through seven stages of life — the foetus, the newborn, the childhood stage, the adolescent, the pregnant mother, the post-childbearing stage and the menopausal stage — personal care should always remain a vital part of a woman's overall wellbeing. In every society there are several misconceptions and old wives' tales passed on through generations about what women should or shouldn't do when it comes to proper feminine hygiene.
"The main cause of women's personal hygiene issues is ignoring the basic methods of maintaining cleanliness," says Dr Asha Chandra, consultant gynaecologist at Lifeline Healthcare.
In certain cultures where it is considered taboo to speak about these issues, wrong information is rampant, Chandra says. "Culture has a role to play in the feminine hygiene routine. Some mothers may think it is shameful to discuss these issues in which case the adolescent daughter learns from her friends who could be misinformed. This is why we stress the importance of awareness to mothers for themselves and so they can correctly inform their children.
"In addition, the use of public toilets, infected towels and infected bedsheets can lead to female hygiene conditions. A lack of clean personal habits can lead to urinary tract infections, vulvovaginitis, threadworms, yeast infections, bacterial infections and even the fatal Toxic Shock Syndrome, or TSS, caused by leaving a tampon in the body for too long."
"Genito-urinary infections are the most common type seen and, if neglected, can affect the reproductive system in the long run," adds Dr Sreelatha Gopalakrishnan, specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist at Amber Clinic.
As a young girl approaches puberty she needs to be mindful of the various infections that can affect her health adversely. "The natural antiseptic lactic acid that keeps the healthy pH balance in a woman's body provides a defence against irritations, itching, soreness and infection," Gopalakrishnan says. "This delicate balance can be broken down by many factors including harsh contents in soaps, deodorants, perfumes, aromatherapies, during menstruation, due to anxiety and even too much washing."
It is a surprising fact that poor feminine hygiene issues exist even among those who are well educated. "Sometimes even educated people can lack basic awareness. I see around 15-20 patients a day here in Dubai, while in India, I used to see over 80. Generally the more educated a woman is, the more likely she is to follow a good hygiene routine," Chandra says. "Overwashing with strong soaps and antiseptics can cause more problems. It is important to clean gently with a soft wash so that the pH balance of the area is maintained. It is also important to keep the area dry and ventilated with the help of loose cotton undergarments."
Gopalakrishnan adds: "A woman's genital area constantly flushes itself, so it doesn't require too much external ‘help' to be clean. Bathing and showering regularly is enough to keep the vaginal area clean."
Women, also, mistakenly believe that douching provides health benefits such as cleaning the genital area, getting rid of foul odours, to prevent pregnancy and to avoid STDs. "Douching is the washing or cleaning of the birth canal with water or other mixtures of fluids. Douching can push a vaginal infection up into the uterus, ovaries and Fallopian tubes," Chandra adds. Most doctors do not recommend women to douche as it can harm the natural balance of bacteria that keeps that area healthy.
A woman can take the necessary precautions at home but what are the risks of using public toilets? "Dirty toilets do not cause sores on your vulva or vagina. However, if a woman is worried about the cleanliness of the toilet seat and really needs to urinate, she can always wipe the toilet seat and cover it with tissue before using it. Also, the squatting technique is great for times like that," Chandra says.
Emotional effects
"Lack of hygiene routines can cause a lot of emotional, social and self-esteem damage, even affecting intimate relationships between husband and wife," Chandra says. "Most times proper feminine hygiene tends to be overlooked. Women spend plenty of time and money taking care of their face and grooming themselves and yet, the most important and intimate area of the body is neglected."
Many women go through life unaware that their bodies are designed by nature to maintain a delicate pH balance that helps protect them against infections.
When to speak
When should mothers begin sharing with young daughters the correct ways to maintain hygiene?
"With a newborn and a toddler girl child, the mother's responsibility is to maintain the hygiene in the area," Chandra says. "Once the girl reaches puberty she needs to be guided about personal feminine hygiene by an older female relative, mentor or medical professional about the importance of daily washing with mild soap and warm water besides wearing the right clothing and under-garments."
— Andrea Bailey is a UAE-based freelance writer
