Genital hygiene
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The genital area, including the surrounding skin, is very delicate and can easily be damaged. There are a number of ways to protect and look after your genital skin.
By Abbey Eboigbe – Senior Nurse – HIV and Sexual Health
Don't
Don’t use soaps or shower gel, including feminine hygiene products, to cleanse your genitals. These products are often the leading cause of genital dryness, itching and irritation. Even those that claim to be ‘mild’ or ‘unperfumed’ can cause irritation; it is the foaming agent (lauryl sulphate) that people are sensitive to.
Don’t over wash! Washing your genitals once a day is adequate. If you over wash, you will wash away your good, healthy bacteria. Doing this means ‘bad’ bacteria may colonise and cause you symptoms.
Don’t douche! Douching, like over washing, runs the risk of washing away those healthy bacteria. This can again lead to soreness, dryness and irritation. It can even cause damage to the delicate lining of the vagina or anus, leaving you more su...
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