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While there are no sure-fire ways of preventing any medical conditions, including vaginal infections, there are definitely things you can do to reduce your chances of getting any type of vaginal infections.
There are several different things that can cause vaginal infections. These include bacteria, viruses, yeast (fungi) and irritants, such as those found in sprays and creams, and the wearing of tight clothing. Organisms can also be spread between sexual partners during intercourse.
Here are some of the things you can do to help prevent vaginal infections:
Always use condoms during sex. This is especially important if you are not in a monogamous relationship and have multiple sexual partners. Infections are easily spread between partners during sexual intercourse. Just be aware that some women can react negatively to the latex used in condoms, and even to spermicide products.
Always wipe from the front to the rear. The vagina and the anus are situated closely together. Faecal matter contains many different types of bacteria, which could easily cause vaginal bacterial infections. Get into a habit of wiping from the front to the back after urinating or having a bowel movement.
Wear cotton underwear. Synthetic fabrics don’t allow the skin to breathe and can lead to a build-up of moisture and heat in the vaginal area, thereby creating an ideal breeding grounds for vaginal infections. Cotton panties help your vaginal area to stay dry. It is never a good idea to wear panties at night.
Don’t wear tight-fitting clothing. Tight-fitting pants or pantyhose can cause vaginal irritation, creating a breeding ground for vaginal infections.
Don’t douche. There are some bacteria living in any healthy vagina, and these help to fight off infections. Douching alters the delicate chemical balance of the vagina, making a woman more susceptible to opportunistic infections. If you are experiencing an unpleasant vaginal odour, doucing won’t make it go away. See your doctor so you can be checked for vaginal infections.
Don’t use feminine hygiene products. Powders, douches, scented soaps and bubble baths can all irritate the vagina. The vagina is self-cleaning and needs no extra help from you to stay clean except a regular bath or shower. Prolonged hot baths can, however, also irritate your vaginal area.
Choose sex lubricants carefully. Petroleum-based lubricants can cause irritation in the vaginal area. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about alternatives.
Watch out for perfumed menstrual products. If you experience vaginal irritation after using perfumed tampons of pads, you might have a sensitivity to the actual fragrance. It isn’t the menstrual products as such causing the problem.
Finish treatment courses. Especially if you are being treated for a bacterial vaginal infection, it is very important to finish the course of treatment, even if you are feeling better. If you don’t the infection could return in a more virulent form. If you are taking antibiotics for anything else, just watch out for vaginal infections, as the antibiotics could be killing off the beneficial bacteria in your vagina as well.
Skip sex during treatment. Don’t have sexual intercourse during treatment for vaginal infections. You could easily be re-infected.
Watch your diet. Yeast infections thrive if your blood sugar levels are out of control. This is especially important for diabetics. Yeast infections thrive on a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Get out of exercise gear. Don’t sit around in your wet bathing costume or your workout clothes. Infections thrive in damp conditions. Change into other clothes as soon as possible.
Don’t scratch. It’s difficult not to scratch when an area of your body is itching, but in the case of vaginal infections, scratching is just going to make everything worse.
There are several different things that can cause vaginal infections. These include bacteria, viruses, yeast (fungi) and irritants, such as those found in sprays and creams, and the wearing of tight clothing. Organisms can also be spread between sexual partners during intercourse.
Here are some of the things you can do to help prevent vaginal infections:
Always use condoms during sex. This is especially important if you are not in a monogamous relationship and have multiple sexual partners. Infections are easily spread between partners during sexual intercourse. Just be aware that some women can react negatively to the latex used in condoms, and even to spermicide products.
Always wipe from the front to the rear. The vagina and the anus are situated closely together. Faecal matter contains many different types of bacteria, which could easily cause vaginal bacterial infections. Get into a habit of wiping from the front to the back after urinating or having a bowel movement.
Wear cotton underwear. Synthetic fabrics don’t allow the skin to breathe and can lead to a build-up of moisture and heat in the vaginal area, thereby creating an ideal breeding grounds for vaginal infections. Cotton panties help your vaginal area to stay dry. It is never a good idea to wear panties at night.
Don’t wear tight-fitting clothing. Tight-fitting pants or pantyhose can cause vaginal irritation, creating a breeding ground for vaginal infections.
Don’t douche. There are some bacteria living in any healthy vagina, and these help to fight off infections. Douching alters the delicate chemical balance of the vagina, making a woman more susceptible to opportunistic infections. If you are experiencing an unpleasant vaginal odour, doucing won’t make it go away. See your doctor so you can be checked for vaginal infections.
Don’t use feminine hygiene products. Powders, douches, scented soaps and bubble baths can all irritate the vagina. The vagina is self-cleaning and needs no extra help from you to stay clean except a regular bath or shower. Prolonged hot baths can, however, also irritate your vaginal area.
Choose sex lubricants carefully. Petroleum-based lubricants can cause irritation in the vaginal area. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about alternatives.
Watch out for perfumed menstrual products. If you experience vaginal irritation after using perfumed tampons of pads, you might have a sensitivity to the actual fragrance. It isn’t the menstrual products as such causing the problem.
Finish treatment courses. Especially if you are being treated for a bacterial vaginal infection, it is very important to finish the course of treatment, even if you are feeling better. If you don’t the infection could return in a more virulent form. If you are taking antibiotics for anything else, just watch out for vaginal infections, as the antibiotics could be killing off the beneficial bacteria in your vagina as well.
Skip sex during treatment. Don’t have sexual intercourse during treatment for vaginal infections. You could easily be re-infected.
Watch your diet. Yeast infections thrive if your blood sugar levels are out of control. This is especially important for diabetics. Yeast infections thrive on a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Get out of exercise gear. Don’t sit around in your wet bathing costume or your workout clothes. Infections thrive in damp conditions. Change into other clothes as soon as possible.
Don’t scratch. It’s difficult not to scratch when an area of your body is itching, but in the case of vaginal infections, scratching is just going to make everything worse.
