What is feminine hygiene exactly and what does one have to do to maintain good feminine hygiene? Feminine hygiene is essentially the way a woman keeps herself fresh and clean down there. A woman’s private parts can get easily irritated if not kept clean and how a woman keeps herself clean down there is dependent on how she practices feminine hygiene. Here are some of the things women do to keep her feminine parts clean and away from irritation and possible infection:

1. Washing with the use of gentle products. These days, the need to wash with the use of products that are gentle enough for your private parts is essential. Using harsh soaps and other washing and cleaning agents that are not compatible with your body may cause you certain problems like itching, dryness, rashes and other similar irritations. There are products that are said to be formulated specifically for a woman’s private parts. While there may be no need to really go that far to keep yourself clean down there, there are women who are sensitive when it comes to certain products. Gentle baby soaps and water can help keep you clean and fresh down there, but if you choose to, there are feminine washes available for that purpose as well.

2. Constantly changing pads and tampons when needed. When a woman has her period, it usually makes her more prone to infections and odors that are not pleasant. Changing pads as frequently as it is convenient is one of the best ways to keep odors and possible infection down when a woman has her period. It is also advisable that she washes every time she changes her pads or her tampons to help keep odors and infections at bay.

3. Washing with your hands, not a washcloth. While using a washcloth may feel like you are really cleaning your private parts really well, a damp washcloth that is used over and over again can be home to a huge number of germs and microbes. It is better to wash your private parts with a soapy hand rather than a washcloth that may be the breeding ground of germs. If you want to use a washcloth for this purpose, you may need to use a fresh one every single time.

4. Douches, feminine sprays, and wipes are not really necessary unless a doctor tells you so. Some women have this mistaken belief that if they douche often, they keep their vaginas clean. Unless specified by a doctor when there is a need to keep infection down or to wash something out of your private parts, there is no need to douche. Douching can cause irritations and may even elicit an allergic reaction if overused or not used properly. Feminine sprays are also an ill advised form of feminine hygiene since it is often made of scents that are supposed to mask odors that may come from down there. If there is an odor down there, chances are, there may be an infection and masking it won’t make it go away. You may need to see a doctor about odors coming from your private area to get rid of them.