Whatever the reason for their use, some personal hygiene products could do more harm than good. This is what a study suggests that shows an increased risk of vaginal infections with too frequent use of some of these products. Our advices.
95% of Canadian women use personal hygiene products. However, these gels, wipes, lubricants and other creams could do more harm than good to their vagina. In any case, this is what the results of a study published on the site suggest. BMC Women’s Health.
The survey was carried out by researchers from University of Guelph in Canada. It shows that women who use personal hygiene products too often have a higher risk of developing vaginal infections.
Eight times higher risk of yeast infection
To conduct this research, scientists interviewed 1,500 Canadian women. They were interested in their vaginal hygiene habits, the products they used, and the frequency of their vaginal problems.
Most of the products cited were wipes, cleansing gels, anti-itch creams, moisturizers and lubricants. Women using cleansing gels are eight times more likely to get yeast infection, and 20 times more likely to develop a bacterial infection.
Those using wipes were twice as likely to have a UTI. For those using lubricants or moisturizing gels, the risk of yeast infection was two and a half times higher. We already knew the problems that douching could cause, but this is the first time that a study has analyzed the impact of personal hygiene products.
An imbalance of the vaginal flora
For researchers, more research is needed to better understand the link between these infections and the products used. “These products potentially disrupt the development of good bacteria, the ones the vagina needs to protect itself from infections,” explains Kieran O’Doherty, the first author of this research.
In the vagina, we find what is called a “physiological vaginal flora”, the “vaginal microbiota”, that is to say a set of “good” bacteria. Their role is to protect the vagina from infections with bad bacteria, but also fungi.
For example, lactobacilli or streptococci are found. These bacteria make the vagina an acidic environment. In fact, the pH, which measures the acidity or alkalinity, is between 3.8 and 4.5 inside the vagina. However, below 7, it is an acidic medium, above, it is an alkaline medium. In the vulvar and perianal area, the pH is between 4.8 and 7.5.
For intimate hygiene, you must at least use products whose pH will not unbalance that of the intimate areas, therefore neutral. And we must avoid products that could have an activity to kill bacteria and we must avoid detergents.
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