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How Often Should I Change My Underwear?
Choosing how frequently to change your underwear isn’t exactly a topic of conversation, which may explain why people report such disparities. While most individuals change their underwear every day, a recent hygiene survey discovered that 13% of Americans had worn the same pair for more than a week at a time (spoiler: this is not the correct answer). While it’s a touchy subject, getting it correctly has serious health implications: after all, your sensitive nether regions are at stake. How frequently should you change your underwear? It turns out that the answer is dependent on who you ask. Continue reading for a variety of professional viewpoints, and for more on this hygiene practice, see What Happens When You Don’t Change Your Underwear. So, if you have any doubts, trust Teeanime!
1. Every Day
The standard rule of thumb for changing your underwear is once each day. According to Michael Reitano, MD, changing your underwear daily helps you avoid a buildup of germs, sweat, and moisture, all of which can lead to infection or skin irritation in your most sensitive areas. When you’re ready to start over with a couple new pieces of underwear, read The Best Underwear for Your Body Type.
2. Every Other Day
Every other day is totally acceptable, according to the American people. Today reports that 45 percent of 2,000 persons asked admitted that this was their average rate of change. Is this, however, a healthy method? According to Philip M. Tierno, Ph.D., clinical professor of microbiology and pathology at New York University, changing your underwear every other day is probably not harmful. “In general, it’s not going to affect you as much as your cleanliness might hurt your reputation,” he says.
3. Whenever You Shower
Tierno claims that everyone has naturally occurring bacteria in and on their bodies called microbial flora, which can generate scents in clothes we’ve worn for too long. Fortunately, these microorganisms are generally good to us, their hosts, and do not create problems unless you go too long without washing. “Because they are your bacteria, they will not damage you unless you have a break in the skin or another conduit of access into the body,” Tierno explained. As a result, you can use exterior cues to alert you when it’s time to change your underwear. If you need to shower or if your clothes begin to smell, it’s time for a change. For more hygiene advice, see This Is How Often You Should Really Be Showering, According to Doctors.
4. Twice Per Day
If you work out or engage in other hard activities during the day, you should change your underwear more regularly. Pari Ghodsi, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn, recently told Glamour, “You should ideally change as soon as possible after working out in tight fitting apparel.” Intertrigo, an overabundance of yeast in the groin area that can cause a rash, is more common in women. This is usually caused by wetness and friction, and it can be exacerbated if you continue to wear the same sweaty underwear after your workout.
