Feminine Hygiene Products: Is It Really Necessary to Use Them?

06 Jan Feminine Hygiene Products: Is It Really Necessary to Use Them?

Feminine hygiene, earlier defined as cleanliness during menstruation, is actually a lot more than that.

While the older version was just about keeping cleanliness during menstruation, the evolution brings you options to keep your vagina fresh and clean all the time.

The all-new feminine products trending nowadays, as you might have heard, include:

• Vaginal washes
• Douches
• Creams and lotions
• pH balancing gels

and whatnot!

Looking at the jump in sales of these products worldwide from $20.62 billion in 2017 to approx $40 billion in 2020, we already know that women just love using feminine hygiene products.

But do these products love your body too? Do you really need them?

It’s high time that we reveal if the new range of female hygiene products has actually got some benefits or is just an unnecessary addition to your hygiene routine.

Are Feminine Hygiene Products Necessary and Safe? [Benefits vs Side Effects]

Though the new-age female hygiene products flaunt a lot of comfort and appealing claims, there still lies a lot of discussion around their safety.

While some groups are concerned about the products causing irritation and other health concerns, we also have some health experts calling it healthy for the vulva.

Taking a dig at what research has to say about the products, let’s find out if you should add feminine hygiene wash and other such products in your daily routine.

Experts’ Review on Top Feminine Hygiene Products – Possible Benefits

The most popular types of feminine products being shopped the most these days include washes, exfoliators, and other skin cleansing products.

According to health experts:

#1. Vulvar skin is prone to clogged pores, sweating, hair follicle irritation, and even rashes. Also, it can be influenced by hormonal changes which could further increase your irritation. 

Hence, using a cleanser that is free of fragrance and is pH friendly can reduce such irritations and leave your skin feeling fresh.

#2. For moisturizers, fragrance-free gentle pH-balanced hydrating moisturizers can be used. 

#3. Often ladies post their menopause lookout for products that can restore the skin elasticity of their vagina. In such cases, products that have an estrogen-like effect can be helpful.

#4. Vaginal wipes free of dyes and parabens can be used during your menstrual cycle after changing your tampon or pad.

These wipes help clean the vulva off the menstrual blood and prevent infection from unwanted bacteria.

#5. Using a feminine wash fused with natural extracts can also enhance the quality of the sexual activity. 

Despite such benefits, people are doubtful if the products are safe and don’t cause any hazards to the body.

Answering all such questions are the prominent studies conducted to explore the effects of vaginal products on vaginal flora and pH.

Research on Hygiene Products and Vaginal Health

Study – Assessment of lactic acid containing antimicrobial intimate gel wash formula on skin tolerance and vulvar microbiome

It was a 4-week study conducted to explore the tolerance of a gel wash containing lactic acid (pH 4.2) for daily use when applied externally.

The main focus was on its effects on:

• Skin moisturization
• Vulvar skin pH
• Vulvar microbiome

In total, 36 healthy females were enrolled for the study and asked to use the gel at least once for cleaning external genitals for 28 days.

The gynecological assessment was done post the 28-days phase to determine the effects on the skin.

The effects on the flora were done by bacterial 16S rRNA.

Results:

• No signs of itchiness, redness or burning sensation were reported
• Skin moisturization improved
• No vulvar microbe was affected
• No change in pH over time was noticed

Overall the results showed that mild, moisturizing, natural gel washes are the best feminine wash for ph balance and skin tolerance.

Altogether, the above data shows the importance of feminine hygiene products, especially vaginal washes.

However, it also highlights the necessity of using such hygiene products only when they are tested and properly designed.

This is because not all feminine products are designed carefully. Plus, there also exist many types of feminine products that have no known benefits but are still in trend.

Negative Effects of Feminine Hygiene Products

While there are many beneficial feminine products available in the market, there are also some common products that we health experts don’t like.

#1. Panty Liners

There is a common practice among women of using panty liners for various reasons. But are panty liners necessary? 

According to health experts, conventional panty liners can increase the temperature, moisture on the vulvar skin, and pH too. 

This can lead to a change in the healthy flora of the vagina, inviting infections and irritation.

#2. Razors

Earlier shaving the pubic hair was done for religious purposes, but now it has become a common aesthetic stunt. 

However, hair removal can lead to the spread of infections around the vaginal region.

This could irritate and spread sexually transmitted diseases too. It happens because of the loss of barrier that the hair forms on your pubic area.

#3. Antiseptic Vaginal Washes 

Excessive use of antiseptic vaginal washes can lead to infections as they can even kill the good bacteria of the vaginal microbiome.

#4. Douches

Many doctors warn against douching as it pushes bacteria deeper into the canal and uterus, making you more susceptible to infections. 

Also, the risk increases when you use douches during pregnancy. 

#5. Talc 

Talc contains mineral silica, and it might get contaminated with asbestos which has carcinogenic agents, which might lead to ovarian cancer.

#6. Paraben Fused Products

Common issues with such products are allergic reactions and irritations. There can be many chemicals present in these products that could lead to reactions down there.

#7. Benzocaine Fused Anti-Itch Intimate Washes 

They have numbing effects and hence relieve symptoms of itching. 

But, in the long term, benzocaine fused anti-itch washes could lead to anogenital dermatitis, which is itching around the genitals and anus.

#8. Vaginal Deodorants 

Any scented product can interfere with the vaginal ph balance. 

Your vagina doesn’t need any feminine hygiene products for odor as the natural smell of the vagina is normal.

There are also some prominent reasons why you might wish to choose water and soap over any feminine hygiene products as discussed by prominent studies.

Side Effects of Feminine Hygiene Products: Clinical Research

Study – Vaginal wash and its connection with vaginal bacteria

The study was conducted to evaluate the association of vaginal washing and the bacterial concentration during optimal and sub-optimal states of the vagina.

It utilized data from the participants of the placebo group of preventing vaginal infections trial conducted on women uninfected with HIV.

According to the results, there was presence of causative bacteria of BV among women who used vaginal wash as compared to women who didn’t use any washes.

However, the results varied between women of the US and Kenya.

While US women were susceptible to the growth of bacteria that causes BV, no such association was found in women from Kenya.

This might be due to geographic differences and, hence, we need a larger study.

Feminine Hygiene Products and Bacterial Infection

This study, published in the journal, BMC women’s health, surveyed 1,500 Canadian women about the products they use for vaginal health and whether they have any problems.

According to the survey, important correlations were established like:

• Women using gel sanitizers were eight times more likely to get a yeast infection and 20 times more likely to get a bacterial infection.
• Using chemical feminine washes made women 3 and half times more likely to have a bacterial infection.

Side Effects of Pubic Hair Removal

In another crucial study conducted over the hair removal practices, over half of the participants reported removing all of their pubic hair. 

The majority of these women have experienced complications because of this.

Looking at all the above data, we find that certain feminine products are not as beneficial as they claim to be.

However, choosing the best feminine hygiene products that don’t have such health hazards and are healthy for your vagina is not very tough.

Here is a complete guide that will help you get the right products to maintain your bath routine.

How to Choose Feminine Hygiene Products Wisely?

When choosing a feminine hygiene product, consider the following important factors:

• Fragrance-free formula – Products induced with fragrant-causing chemicals can interact with your vulva’s physiology and can be harsh.
• Gentle products – Buy only mild and gentle products that are hypoallergenic as the area around your genitals is very sensitive.
• Safe ingredients – Many products claim to be the best natural feminine wash but don’t have transparency in their list. Hence, always choose a product that has a transparent ingredients list and uses only natural ingredients.
• Use only the best feminine wash recommended by doctors – Always consult a doctor before buying any hyped-up hygiene product. This will help you stay away from any side effects and skin irritation.

Apart from these factors, always do a patch test before trying a product on your vulval skin.

If your patch test results in irritation, redness, or excessive vaginal dryness, don’t use the product around your vaginal region.

What to Avoid When Buying Feminine Hygiene Products?

Make sure you avoid purchasing the following products when adding hygiene products to your list:

Vaginal steaming 

Vaginal steaming has been trending on Instagram these days, but experts warn against it. 

Vagina has its balanced flora, but when trying vaginal steaming, you might burn your skin. Also, there is no known benefit of vaginal steaming.

Other than this, also avoid the following methods of vaginal hygiene practices:

• Shaving, and
• using talc.

So…

Are Feminine Hygiene Products Necessary: Final Words 

Hygiene products are widely used by women these days.

However, the vagina doesn’t need any extensive cleansing with fragrant soaps and cleaning products.

It has a cleaning mechanism of its own (as nature intended it) that involves the regulation of the microorganisms. And, hence, it doesn’t require any external cleaning.

But sometimes due to various changes during the menstrual cycle, wearing tampons and pads can cause vaginal irritation. 

In such cases, some products work well. And you can use wipes to keep the area clean.

Yet, using feminine hygiene products is not necessary and you can choose to either use them or stick to warm water for cleaning your vagina.

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