Is your toilet causing you vaginal infections?

Vaginal yeast infection is very common in India – estimates show that it affects nearly 70-80% of all patients coming to a gynaecology OPD! A large number of such women acquire vaginal yeast infection due to unhygienic sanitary conditions and lack of awareness on proper feminine intimate hygiene methods. Vaginal infection may also be due to bacteria, technically known as bacterial vaginosis (BV), which is pretty common among women aged 15-44 years. 

Major causes of vaginal infection

Specifically among these, a high proportion is due to improper hygiene conditions in their toilets, and the fact that many of these women don’t wash their vagina every time after urination. With women becoming an integral part of the economic growth globally, they go out more frequently as compared to earlier times, for work and other reasons. This means that they also have to use public toilets more often, which makes it even more important to clean vagina after peeing. Visiting frequently used public toilets in offices, malls, cinemas, airports, railway and bus stations and motels is like giving an open invitation to vaginal infection. Vaginal infection can have a major adverse impact on the quality of life, especially for working women or college students.

Just as the risk of hospital acquired infection (HAI) such as gram-positive and gram negative bacteria and other microbes is significantly higher compared to staying at home, similarly, the chances of you contracting a vaginal infection while using a common restroom go up. This is because you never know who used it before you, and if that person left some uninvited germs on the pot! These may get passed on to you through contact with the seat.

Another cause of vaginal infection is using synthetic sanitary pads and wearing synthetic garments, especially unclean, worn clothes for long.

Believe it or not, but even a strand of your own pubic hair too can cause vaginal infection sometimes! Especially during and post-menstruation, bacteria may get entangled in your pubic hair and can later travel to your vaginal area leading to vaginal yeast infections. Unchecked growth in pubic hair can become a sort of a nest for breeding bacteria and fungus, especially during menstruation. This is because of the humidity, sweat and heat in the groin area that makes grown pubic hair a friendly environment for bacterial multiplication. We recommend removing unwanted hair from your pubes and regularly and keeping your bikini line area neat and clean.

Hidden costs of unchecked vaginal infection

Vaginal infection can affect a woman’s life in more ways that we normally imagine.

The usual suspects of course are symptoms like itching, redness, unpleasant odor, white discharge, increased frequency of urine, or a burning sensation in the vagina or urine.

But there are other ways vaginal infection can wreak your life. Consider these scenarios:

• Sometimes, the foul fishy smell of discharge becomes so strong and stenchy that it can be felt by the person sitting next to you, say, a colleague or a passenger in the bus or metro. This can be rather embarrassing.

• If the infection persists, it can cause you to itch and scratch your bikini line area uncontrollably, which is unladylike to put it mildly. Depending on your environment, this alone can make you the centre of ridicule and gossips.

• Vaginal infection can also lead to frequent urination, which can cause dehydration, weakness and loss of productivity and focus, besides frustration. It can further increase your chances of acquiring more infection in a cyclical loop!

• In some cases, vaginal infection can even impact the married life of couples adversely! Severe vaginal infection can cause pain during sex, and prompt you to avoid intercourse. The spouse may incorrectly perceive it as a lack of interest on your part, which can cause long term implications on your relationship. By preventing and treating vaginal infection, you can ensure a healthy sexual life too.

So, what can you do to prevent and manage vaginal infections?

As a leader in feminine and menstrual hygiene products, everteen has been playing a pivotal role in creating accurate awareness on ‘complete feminine intimate hygiene’ over the years, as against merely using cloth or sanitary pads in the name of intimate wellness.

Merely one action of washing your lady bits every time you go to a loo can play an important role in preventing vaginal infections in a big way. In fact, we reckon that washing private parts after every wizz is a habit that every girl child on this planet should be taught from her early years! Having said that, it is pertinent to note that even some women who detect the symptoms of infection in their vajayjay early tend to manage it incorrectly by using soaps. This is a completely wrong practice that can harm your sensitive skin and cause pH imbalance. We recommend always using a natural intimate wash which is pH balanced and is gentle on your skin.

Secondly, carry a few intimate wipes with you at all times. Made from biodegradable cloth and plant-based natural bio-actives, everteen Natural Intimate Wipes are individually-wrapped, so you don’t need to carry the full pack – you can tuck in just 2-3 wipes in your purse or pocket! Always remember to use intimate hygiene wipes from front to back and never the other way round! If you wipe your anus first, it may bring germs along by the time you reach your vulva.

Next, always carry an instant toilet seat sanitizer in your handbag, and keep a spare one in your loo as well. This tiny magical wand will help you disinfect your toilet seat, faucets and doorknobs in just 5 seconds, and give you peace of mind that you won’t accidentally contract infections left over by someone else!

Needless to say, if you are a girl or woman in your menstruating age, you should always use proper menstrual hygiene methods. everteen offers a variety of products to meet your unique needs, including XL sanitary pads and XXL sanitary pads infused with neem and safflower in dry and soft cover options, Relax Nights Ultra sanitary napkins for overnight period protection, small, medium and large menstrual cups made from medical-grade silicone, and applicator tampons in four absorbencies. A pro tip here: if you are using menstrual cups, make sure you wash it with a natural cup cleanser to disinfect it so that reuse will not pose a risk of infection.

For teenage girls who are yet to reach puberty, or elderly women who have hit menopause, menses are not a cause of potential risk of infection. Still, they – like menstruating females on non-period days – may suffer from urinary incontinence or light vaginal discharge. Don’t let these breed microbial activity! Get into the habit of using panty liners every day to keep your private parts dry and clean. Pretty soon, you will fall in love with yourself for gifting yourself this amazing little sanitary hygiene practice!

If coronavirus pandemic has taught humanity one thing, it is the importance of maintaining a strong immunity! And it applies to your genitals too. Applying everteen vaginal gel regularly revitalizes your intimate muscles and keep the area nourished and protected. Not to mention that you will also stay more youthful down under with the tight sensation of an unblossomed flower and enjoy a more satisfying sexual life!

We already mentioned that synthetic clothes can also be a cause of vaginal infections. Read this blog to know more about specific tips to prevent that.

Last but not the least, it cannot be understated that every woman should remain extra vigilant when it comes to their intimate health and should immediately consult a doctor at the first sign of any infection or abnormal symptoms. Either due to a negligent attitude or lack of proper awareness, women in India tend to report in late stages of infection when such symptoms have aggravated. Prevention is always better than cure, but even if you do contract an infection, don’t let it stay for long as the damage can be rather serious.

Be fabulous. Be free. Be desirable always!