If you’re an individual who menstruates, then you probably have a routine when it comes to those days of the month. We all know that menstruation is one of the most vital processes in the female body and deserves a lot of care and the utmost attention when it comes down to it. Because let’s face it, the female genitalia is quite susceptible to catching infections and other such problems. Hence, ensuring and maintaining proper hygiene is very, very important.

Coming back to your routine during those days, are you sure you’re doing everything that you’re supposed to? Let’s read on to find out, yeah? Here are some handy tips that will help you have a healthier period if not happier, because come on, only chocolate makes you happy at that time of the month.

Change Your Sanitary Product Every 4-6 Hours; Be It a Pad or a Tampon

Changing sanitary napkins or tampons within every 4-6 hours is the most basic and the most important rule that you must follow and never ever break. It is incredibly important to change you product fairly regularly in order to establish vaginal hygiene. Why? Because when menstrual blood is released from the body, it attracts various organisms from within our bodies. These  organisms can multiply in the warmth of the blood, and cause problems like irritation, rashes or urinary tract infections to name a few. Making sure that you change your sanitary napkin or tampon frequently which will ensure proper hygiene and curb the growth and multiplication of such organisms and prevent infections.

Wash and Clean the Area Properly but Do Not Douche

Washing your vagina regularly is very important. Because all our everyday activities lead to different buildups which attract tiny organisms that cling to our bodies and multiply due to the sweat, grime and other such things. It’s the same on your period; the organisms will cling and multiply after you’ve removed the sanitary product. It is important to wash yourself regularly but especially after removing a sanitary product.

While most people wash themselves regularly, they don’t necessarily do it the right way. That is, the motion of washing is meant to be front to back, which is, using your hands in a motion from the vagina to the anus and not vice-versa. Doing it the other way around can lead to the transfer of bacteria from the anus into the vagina or urethral opening. And, it is a sure shot way of getting an infection.

Please Don’t Use Soaps to Clean the Insides of Your Vagina

While a doctor may recommend a medical grade wash due to itching or infections or poor hygiene, using a soap to clean out your vagina is not required. It is because your vaginas are self-cleaning. They are probably the cleanest thing you’ll find in the world. Using a vaginal wash or soap every day is not a great idea.

Discarding Your Sanitary Product

Disposing off your tampons and sanitary napkins properly is extremely important. And so is thoroughly washing your hands after because a bacterium is no one’s friend, except the good kind in your vagina. So, make sure that you wrap up the products you want to dispose properly before you throw them away, so that the bacteria and infections do not spread. Don’t flush them, it will only clog your bathroom unit and spread the bacteria all over the basin. And, please don’t burn them.

Try and Stick To One Type of Product at a Time

While a lot of people use both the tampon and pad together because of the fear of leakage, it’s really not a good idea if you’re a forgetful person. Because you will forget to change your products within the stipulated time as you won’t feel the heaviness, stickiness or wetness of your flow at the apex. It happens and it’s okay, but this is exactly why it would be a good idea to use only one form at a time, say pads for heavy day and tampons for the light ones. Mix it up and figure out what works best for you. If you still have questions, talk to your doctor. They will give you all the information you need. But if there’s something specific that you would like us to write about, drop a comment here and we’ll make sure we do.