All over the world from toddlers; women are trained to wear and love panties. With various styles to express our personalities, love of color, and the extra special sexy mood, it only seems natural that one would wear them, and do so daily. Panties, however, are like “Transformers”– there is “more than meets the eye” to know about the average pair. The wrong underwear in fact can act as a transformer in favor of vaginal disharmony. This disharmony could mean two of the most common non-STI vaginal infections for women; Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), and Yeast Infections (YI). While the smartest choice for underwear if you are going to wear them is white cotton, most women decline this option for something that makes them feel sexier. No matter how you dress up cotton underwear they still seem to scream two things–grandma or menstruation. The secondary option is fabrics that are synthetic or contain blends. These can range from nylon, lycra, and polyester, to spandex, most of which are usually blended with cotton, but not always. The fabrics allow the panties to stretch, and fit more comfortably. They also allow for easier addition of frills, like lace. However, they can also prevent the skin and vagina from “breathing.”
What exactly does it mean for your vagina to breathe? Well, it means that air can move freely in and around the area. This movement of air allows the body’s natural mechanism of sweating, that it uses to cool down and release toxins, to function freely. The air keeps the area from becoming excessively moist as a result of normal sweating (which does not always mean moisture). Once this air and moisture become trapped it increases the temperature locally, and allows for conditions more conducive to growth of a variety of organisms. Yeast, in particular requires a moist, warm environment to grow. It is among the organisms that can be regularly present on your skin and is just waiting for the chance. It can also remains on your underwear even after you wash them, making you constantly at risk for infection.
The internal environment of the vagina is inhabited by bacteria; all it takes is a slight change in pH which can be mediated by temperature, and moisture changes, to cause the bacteria to over-grow, which results in BV. Along with overgrowth of regular vaginal bacteria, growth of bacteria not normally present in the vagina can occur as well. Dyes used to color the fabrics can initiate these issues also by causing changes in the pH. Dye may come off the fabric depending on the dye used, and if they have been washed prior to being worn. Seventy-five percent of women, according to the CDC will suffer from YI. While the incidence of BV is much lower, twenty-nine percent, 84% of those women never report their symptoms. Most likely due to embarrassment and merely assuming they just need to clean the vagina more.
I, like most women have suffered from the embarrassment of both of these problems. What’s worse than a vagina that appears to be making cottage cheese, or smells like it’s supporting a fish factory?! Every woman’s body has its own scent and taste based on a variety of things from her diet, to her hygiene habits but neither of the aforementioned are normal, but are normal occurrences. The presence of either of these can cause relational friction with a partner who does not understand, or takes your explanation of the problem as a subtle admittance to infidelity.
There are a number of well-known strategies to prevent or decrease your chances of infection. Wearing white cotton underwear, which allows for some movement of air but can still trap moisture. Avoiding perfumes and dyes in bath and laundry soaps, which every woman should do regardless. In addition decreasing the amount of processed sugar in your diet limits the food source available to yeast and bacteria. One of the less talked about options is ditching the panties all together. What, no panties? Yep! Commando. Freeball it and proclaim your independence.
Let your vagina breathe, and percolate in its own juices. You just might discover that you have a wetter, more well-adjusted vagina that is user-friendly (if you want it to be). I, for one, have not had a problem since I gave up wearing panties, except for the occasional well-timed pair for the enticement of a certain someone. I know, I know–some of you are afraid to go commando because of the stigma attached to women wearing no panties. But trust me, wearing no panties does not make you loose or easy, just ask some of the men who were never close enough to even know I wasn’t wearing any.