TIPS TO ACHIEVE MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

Achieving menstrual hygiene and overcoming taboos

Hygiene-related practice is essential for a menstruator’s health and wellness. Explore 7 tips and know why you must include menstrual hygiene in your lifestyle.

Introduction

Even with popular doctor influencers, published health articles, and powerful media, personal hygiene during menstruation is still clouded by taboos and misbeliefs in several areas. Predetermined societal notions, low socioeconomic conditions, and cultural restrictions have a massive role in menstrual hygiene management. 

Now is the time when we stop being ignorant of scientifically proven facts and alert us, the menstruators, and all people irrespective of gender, about menstrual health and hygiene. 

Before we begin discussing menstrual hygiene tips, let us understand what it means. Menstrual hygiene meaning is far superior and valuable than simply availing sanitary pads. It must ensure that menstruators get clean menstrual management materials, like clean washrooms, safe water, adequate diet, and appropriate sanitation along with sanitary pads. 

7 Tips to Achieve Menstrual Hygiene

1. Wash regularly

Washing with clean water and a mild soap is an essential period hygiene tip you need to keep your vagina and the surrounding area clean. It will not only wash away residue or excess blood but will also eliminate odor. If water is unavailable or unclean, use tissue paper or toilet paper to clean the genitals before putting on a new pad. 

2. Use correct washing techniques

Whether you use toilet paper or a water stream, always clean from the front to back, i.e., vagina to the anus, to ensure adequate menstrual health and hygiene. Cleaning your genitals in the opposite direction will allow infections to pass from the anus into the vagina and further into the urethral opening. The same goes while washing off feces. Women tend to catch UTIs faster than males. The short distance between the anus and urethra is one of the crucial causes behind it. 

3. Choose ideal sanitary methods

The best method to ensure sanitation for personal hygiene during menstruation is to change sanitary pads every 4 hours. When using or changing, avoid the practice of using two sanitary pads together, or one tampon and a sanitary pad, irrespective of the degree of bleeding. Heavy menstruators must know that they need to change it more often for their health, and not retain excess blood instead.

On the contrary, if you are a light menstruator and feel like you could wear your sanitary pad for longer, that is still not ideal. The ideal period hygiene practice is to change your sanitary pads, tampons, or other product every 4 hours for your safety.

4. Use a good quality intimate wash

A good quality intimate wash will not alter your vaginal pH conditions and is friendly with good bacteria. Do not administer any type of chemical into your vaginal canal unless instructed by your doctor.

Your vagina is a self-healer and cleaner. The use of warm water and an extremely mild soap is enough to keep your intimate area clean and ensure period hygiene. Using chemicals and scented products might irritate your skin lining and kill helpful bacteria instead. In addition to rashes and burning sensations, it can lead to severe infections too. Try not to clean the inside of your vagina and urethra.

Use unscented and non-pH-altering products to clean only the outside of your genitals. Take a look at Wellness Forever’s feminine hygiene products to know your options.

5. Bath regularly

While it is needless to say, this is yet a conversation that needs discussion. But why? Some cultures are superstitious about women bathing during their periods. With indoor bathing systems and adequate privacy, no woman should hesitate to bathe during periods and should practice personal hygiene during menstruation. A lukewarm water rinse can also help ease backaches, menstrual pain, and cramps and disinfect the private parts. It can also help relieve bloating, a typical problem faced during menses. 

6. Be aware of rashes

When soaked and heavy pads rub along the thighs for a long time, it can lead to pad rash. This usually occurs with heavy menstruators and those who keep the same pad on for over 8 hours. The best way to prevent this is by keeping the sanitary pad ends dry by changing them regularly and wiping off any crusts and blood.

If you are uncomfortable while walking, sitting, or sleeping, get an antiseptic cream and apply it to the rash after your bath and before bed. In case it worsens, never hesitate to visit your doctor. 

7. Use comfortable and clean underwear

Menstrual hygiene demands choosing an ideal garment for your comfort and safety during menses. It is vital that your sanitary pad rests on the surface properly and does not fall out. It can happen in cases where menstruators wear thongs and lace underwear during menstruation. Tight garments can cause difficulty for the skin to breathe, and a constricted environment favors bacterial growth instead.