Vaginal Care: Proper Hygiene Before and After Sex

While the vagina naturally keeps itself clean with secretions or discharge, help is needed to ensure hygiene after sex, as well as before. Sex can also lead to complications such as UTIs (urinary tract infections) or vaginal irritation. For these reasons, it is important to observe proper hygiene. 

Hygiene Before and After Sex 

1. Wash yourself

Proper hygiene before and after sex involves washing. Making sure your partner has washed his or her hands before sex helps in avoiding infection later. An immediate shower after sex is unnecessary, but keep in mind to give the genitals a wash after sex. 

You can wash the external area around your vagina with warm water. Mild soaps may be an option, but if your skin is sensitive, it might cause irritation. 

2. Don’t douche

Vaginal douches flush water up the vagina, and this causes vaginal secretions to be cleared out. While it is sometimes believed that douching cleans the vagina, this is not the case. Vaginal douches remove the good bacteria located in the vagina. These bacteria are responsible for guarding against possible harmful infections. Part of good hygiene after sex is not douching.

3. Keep it simple

Good hygiene before and after sex shouldn’t be complicated. While pharmacies and companies selling women’s products may offer numerous options on how to keep your vagina fresh, some of these may harm rather than help. Some products are made from harsh soaps and ingredients that can cause irritation. Gently rinsing your genitals with warm water should be good enough for proper hygiene.

4. Urinate after sex

Part of good hygiene after sex is answering the call of nature. It’s normal for bacteria to find its way into the urethra, the tube responsible for flushing urine out of your body, during sex. Keeping the bacteria inside increases the risk of getting an infection. Simply urinating after sex will help flush the bacteria out of your system. Be mindful to wipe yourself from front to back to help prevent bacteria from spreading.

5. Hydrate

Drinking water has many benefits, including vaginal care. When it comes to correct hygiene after sex, drinking water can help you urinate more. As discussed above, urinating after sex lessens the chance of infection in the urethra. Making sure to drink some water after sex can ensure more bacteria is flushed away when you urinate.

6. Wear loose-fitting clothing 

Bacteria and yeast thrive in hot, humid places. Girdles, pantyhose, and underwear that is too tight give bacteria and yeast an ideal environment to grow. Underwear that lets air flow down into your genitals is a good way to practice good hygiene. This helps the genitals breathe and reduces the number of bacteria. 

7. Keep your hands clean by washing them

Make sure to wash your hands as this is great for hygiene before and after sex. Make sure your partner’s hands are clean as well. The washing of hands can help stop the spread of bacteria that cause infection. Make sure to wash with soap and water to kill the bacteria that might be on your hands. 

8. Make sure your sex toys are clean

Just like your hands, sex toys can be a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It is possible to spread sexually transmitted diseases and other infections when unclean sex toys are used during sex. It is important to clean each sex toy after every use. As a precautionary measure, refrain from sharing sex toys with others to lessen the possibility of spreading germs and bacteria. If sharing is an option, make sure to use a condom to cover up the sex toy while in use.

9. Monitor yeast infections

Yeast infection can be passed on during sex. A woman with a yeast infection can pass it on to a man during sex. Some symptoms include itching, burning, or a yellowish or white curd-like discharge coming from the genitals. If you notice these symptoms, it is prudent to find treatment before engaging in any sexual activity. Consult a medical practitioner if you notice any of these symptoms.

10. Anal sex

Anal sex can sometimes cause very small tears to form in your sphincter. This may allow bacteria or fecal matter to enter your system. Make sure to wash up after anal sex. It is also a good idea not to engage in vaginal sex after anal sex without first using a new condom, as the bacteria from your anus might find its way into your vagina.

Having good hygiene before and after sex goes a long way in keeping infections and trips to the doctor at bay. Make sure to adopt these habits to keep your vagina clean. The constant practice of washing and mindfulness aids in maintaining your vaginal health.