Why You Shouldn’t Wash Your Point With Soap
Diet, bowel movements, and sexual activity can affect rectal health. However, we don’t often think about how we wash our asses. Excessive wiping can hurt, but soaps can, especially fragrant ones. Here’s how to wash your butt, according to experts.
How to wash your ass properly
The amount of buttock cleansing and what you use to do it can cause dire conditions such as itching, abscesses, and fissures in the anus. Dr. Navya Mysore , primary care physician, mentions anal health as one of the most frequently discussed topics with his patients because, unfortunately, most people do not realize that they are cleaning their asses in the wrong way.
“The best way to do this is simple,” says Dr. Mysore, “to rinse the area with warm water, and be sure to wash it once a day.” If you are not going to shower, you can use a warm washcloth or a simple washcloth with warm water. It is important that the wipes or cloth are odorless and free of chemicals or fragrances that can irritate the rectum.
Why you can’t use soap between your cheeks
As Dr. Mysore explains, soap can dry out the anus, causing irritation. “When we irritate the skin, small micro-cracks can form in this area,” she said. “When that happens, you can potentially get infected.” Instead, if you want to use soap, do it once or twice a week and use a mild soap without any fragrances or additives. You should still wash your butt every day, mostly with just water.
How to rub your buttock and when to stop rubbing
One of the most important factors in anal hygiene is how you wipe, and the amount and firmness of the wipe.
“One of the main risk factors for UTI is rubbing in the wrong direction,” says Dr Mysore. “You actually bring in a lot of fecal bacteria that are present in the genitals, and then the genital area can become infected.” Wiping from front to back removes fecal bacteria from the genitals, which is exactly what you need.
At the same time, excessive wiping can be just as harmful. Just as soap dries the anus, excessive wiping can irritate the skin and cause small tears or fissures in the anus. Dr. Mysore mentions that wiping six to ten times is considered overkill, depending on how much toilet paper you use.
Why you should buy a bidet hose attachment
Bidets seem like a logical solution, but Dr. Mysore explains how bidets have various functions that can also irritate the skin, including perfume and different water pressures, some of which can be sprayed with excessive water pressure, which can spread faeces. The spray can “likewise put you at risk for UTIs if the bacteria spreads to other areas,” she says. The trick is to use a bidet with a hand held hose to control the water pressure and flow direction.