We all know that it is crucial to maintain personal hygiene, especially for women. Proper cleansing of your genitals and wearing clean, fresh underwear daily is a must. But not all women adhere to strict personal hygiene and learn the consequences the hard way, like one woman in China. She suffered from horrendous, pre-cancerous underwear sores caused by wearing the same panty for over a month!
Chinese Girls’ Lack of Personal Hygiene Leads to Underwear Sores
Doctors told the media that the girl didn’t maintain personal hygiene and that was one of the reasons for her pre-cancerous lesions. | Image courtesy: Screengrab/China.com
23-year-old Fang Fang from Wuhan, Hubei, was reportedly unwell for months but didn’t exactly know the cause. However, days after she complained of queasiness, she experienced excruciating stomach pains. On her friend’s advice she visited a local hospital for a check-up and was given some horrifying news.
Doctors who examined Fang were shocked to see that she had developed pre-cancerous lesions on her vulva. Upon seeing the severity of her condition, they decided to surgically remove the lesions.
The doctors were rather confused, as this type of lesion is rarely seen on young women, and more often on much older, post-menopausal women.
However, they soon found out the real reason behind the terrible wounds. As they begin to question the girl about how she could have developed them, they found that she didn’t really maintain personal hygiene.
Fang Wore the Same Underwear for Over a Month!
Fang told the doctors that she had a habit of wearing the same underwear for over a month. She added that she even wore the same bra continuously for more than two weeks.
AM370 reported that the girl admitted to being lazy even when it came to washing her underwear.
“I am a bit lazy and I rarely wash my underclothes. When I get my period I will continue wearing the same underwear for about a month and clean it with some tissue,” she revealed.
The doctors also told curious media outlets – who were equally shocked by this news – that in addition to lack of personal hygiene, an unhealthy lifestyle was also responsible for Fang’s condition.
The medical specialist revealed that Fang often stayed up late, smoked and drank alcohol, which also contributed to her illness. She sounded the alarm to women in general and urged them to not only maintain a healthy lifestyle but also to practice proper personal hygiene.
Which brings us to information about the frequency of washing underwear…
How Often Should You Wash Your Underwear?
Unlike a bra that should be washed after a maximum of three uses (if not more frequently), underwear needs cleaning after every single wear. The reason is simple. Used underpants contain microbes that can cause a range of diseases. These include urinary tract infections, pneumonia, blood infections as we all e-coli and thrush.
Researchers have also found that about a tenth of a gram of our poop continues to remain in our underwear after passing stools.
A study performed by Dr. Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, concluded “that doing just one load of underwear in the washing machine can transmit 100 million E. coli into the water, which can then transfer over to the next load.”
“There’s about a tenth of a gram of poop in the average pair of underwear,” Gerba reportedly told ABC.
Now, knowing that you should ideally wash your underwear every day, the question is how?
How to Wash Undergarments so You Don’t Get Underwear Sores
- Hand-washing is always the best option, but if you don’t have time to do it every day, you can use your trusted washing machine.
- Just remember to wash your undergarments separate from your regular clothes if you want to prevent underwear sores.
- Washing temperature. Ideally, a heat of 40 degree Celsius is required to kill bacteria that may live in your underwear.
- Always sun dry your underwear. Since underwear can easily become home to bacteria, simply washing it in hot water won’t work. You should try to sun dry it so that the sun’s rays can burn any remaining bacteria.
Source: World of Buzz, Times of India
Feature & lead image courtesy: Screengrab/China.com
Also read: A woman’s bikini shave goes horribly wrong, puts her in a 9-day coma